NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Entertainment

Preview: Young and Hungry Festival of New Theatre at the Basement

By Dionne Christian
NZ Herald·
3 Jul, 2010 01:36 AM6 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Fitz Bunny has been adapted for the Super City mayoralty race. Photo / Supplied

Fitz Bunny has been adapted for the Super City mayoralty race. Photo / Supplied

Pippa Neels has an appetite for drama - and comedy, tragedy and musicals.

The 19-year-old enjoys theatre so much she delayed a trip to France to participate in this year's Young and Hungry Festival of New Theatre, presented by the Auckland Theatre Company.

Neels, a second-year university student, is
one of 50 emerging theatre-makers involved with the festival which started in Wellington 16 years ago but arrived in Auckland just last year.

She epitomises the spirit of Young and Hungry, which offers 15- to 25-year-old theatre enthusiasts the chance to be actors, directors, stage managers, designers, publicists and backstage crew while being mentored by experienced professionals.

"How many opportunities do you get like this? When one comes along, I think you just have to take it because you can't stand back and wait for things to come to you," says Neels. "I guess I've started thinking more along the lines of 'what can I do now?' rather than worrying about where I will be and what I can do in 20 years' time.

"I had been thinking of going on an exchange to France but I auditioned for and got into Young and Hungry and all of a sudden my world expanded."

Young and Hungry usually features three new works but ATC's creative development manager Lynne Cardy decided to delve into the back catalogue and present two works not seen in Auckland as well as a new piece.

Thinning
Written by promising playwright Eli Kent, 22, Thinning was commissioned for this year's Young and Hungry.

It is a coming-of-age story about six friends treading water between leaving school and stepping out into the world.

"We are told that time in your life is a kind of threshold and that the decisions and choices you make will affect the rest of your life but it's not the beginning or the end that people make it out to be," says Kent, who wrote the award-winning The Intricate Art of Actually Caring.

"It's a turn in the road and you are allowed to make a couple of mistakes, go down a few dead-ends and turn around.

"I guess this play is a way of giving my past self a bit of a hug."

Neels plays Lily who, in marked contrast to herself, cannot wait to flee New Zealand and see the world.

Thinning is directed by actor Laurel Devenie who makes her professional directorial debut. At 27, Devenie says she still feels young and hungry particularly as she begins directing. She likes to find ways of involving the actors in the production process so they feel they have a personal stake that goes beyond appearing in the play.

Most recently, she worked with Margaret Mary Hollins on The House of Bernarda Alba. Devenie co-directed, taking responsibility for a 20-strong chorus.

"I've been overeating a lot lately but I feel I'm definitely still as young and hungry as I was in my early 20s because I'm still committed to following something I really want to do. I love the name 'young and hungry' because it embodies the energy of the whole project."

Exchange
First performed in Wellington at Young and Hungry 2005, Exchange was written and is directed by Lauren Jackson, who travelled to Germany on a student exchange in the 1990s. The play, which won Jackson a Chapman Tripp award for Most Outstanding New Playwright, is based on her experiences.

"But it's not autobiographical because I didn't get up to nearly half as much mischief as my characters do.

"I used a mix of my own experiences and gossip that I heard on the student exchange grapevine. I took the most exciting stories and put them all together. I was much more boring."

Exchange takes a trip back to the 1990s, when cellphones were as big as bricks, MTV ruled and grunge fashion was all the rage, to explore how the Big OE expands horizons.

Jackson, who began her career playing the lead in the New Zealand film Alex, says there are advantages to directing her own work - she doesn't have to seek the writer's permission to make changes to the script.

But she acknowledges a writer can become attached to their own work so she seeks frank input from the production crew as well as the nine actors appearing in Exchange.

Now 33, Jackson says the expression "young and hungry" reminds her of her 5-month-old daughter.

"But it also sums up that time in your life when you are on the brink of discovering who you are and what your passions are and you are casting about looking for any opportunity to pursue that."

Fitz Bunny
And now for something completely different: a pink bunny with a Napoleonic complex and an ego the size of Norway who has a nuclear weapon and wants to be mayor of the Auckland Super City.

It is Fitz Bunny, a musical adapted by Grant Buist, 36, from his cult 2007 cartoon-strip Brunswick when he was trying to impress his then girlfriend.

"I had a girlfriend who could sing and act but there wasn't much work around at the time so I decided to write something for her.

"I thought it was quite romantic but she objected to having to audition."

The relationship ended but Fitz Bunny, with its political satire, fringe humour and music, earned rave reviews. Buist, who likens the production to The Rocky Horror Picture Show meets Cabaret, says he's adapted his script for Auckland audiences with plenty of references to the Super City mayoral race and a swag of new songs.

Simon Coleman, a director and set designer, says it's a licence to be silly and have fun with an outrageous but clever script. At 42, he describes himself as "old and full but young at heart".

"Young and hungry - that's what you have to be to make a life full of stuff that you want around you doing things you want to be involved in."

What: Young and Hungry Festival of New Theatre
Where and when: Basement Theatre, July 9-24

Discover more

Entertainment

Theatre Review: Young & Hungry Festival of New Theatre <i>at the Basement</i>

11 Jul 04:00 PM
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Entertainment

Entertainment

'Real struggles': Charlize Theron opens up about parenting

01 Jul 01:07 AM
Entertainment

Diddy trial: Jury ends first day of deliberations without decision

01 Jul 12:52 AM
Entertainment

‘Please return me’: Reusable cups are replacing recycling at concerts

01 Jul 12:31 AM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Entertainment

'Real struggles': Charlize Theron opens up about parenting

'Real struggles': Charlize Theron opens up about parenting

01 Jul 01:07 AM

'I’m getting my a** handed to me.'

Diddy trial: Jury ends first day of deliberations without decision

Diddy trial: Jury ends first day of deliberations without decision

01 Jul 12:52 AM
‘Please return me’: Reusable cups are replacing recycling at concerts

‘Please return me’: Reusable cups are replacing recycling at concerts

01 Jul 12:31 AM
Watch: 'Heartbreaking' – Noel Edmonds' $30m NZ estate flooded

Watch: 'Heartbreaking' – Noel Edmonds' $30m NZ estate flooded

01 Jul 12:00 AM
Sponsored: Get your kids involved in your reno
sponsored

Sponsored: Get your kids involved in your reno

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP