“Ageing Irish raconteur Danny Moffat retreats from the harsh light of the world to his bedroom,” says the billing of the play, of the voyage around Scott's father.
“There, under hoardings of old newspapers and beer bottles, he sorts through a lifetime of memories and regrets, from growing up as a boy in Ireland, to the hopes and disappointments of immigration to New Zealand.”
“I bring a bit of the raconteur, the joker to the play, the humour Tom's dad had,” says Hurst. Scott's father was a cynical humorist, he says.
“People are hopefully laughing then realise they're laughing at something tragic.
“Danny Moffat has his own demons to deal with. You get the why and you get the how. It's quite a moment when you get what's going on. He's a guy who, at the end of all the self-justification, knows he's painted himself into a corner.”
While performing in a well-reviewed Auckland Theatre Company production of The Daylight Atheist last year, it occurred to Hurst the play could be staged in a pub. As with his devised play, No Holds Bard, Hurst takes The Daylight Atheist to small town venues such as the Stewart Island Community Centre, Invercargill's Repertory House, and Cromwell's Coronation Hall through to The Old Dairy Factory in Norsewood, Te Awamutu's Woolshed Theatre and the people's theatre, the Lawson Field Theatre in Gisborne, as he winds his way to the last stop in Whangarei.
Hurst laughs when told journalist Bill Ralston once informed a touring act that overseas bands who come to New Zealand are either at the beginning of their career or nearing the end of it.
“Which one are you?” asked Ralston.
Hurst is neither at the beginning or the end of his acting, producing or directing life. In fact, his tour of the provinces is a promise he made to himself. Between involvement with Auckland Theatre Company, film or TV productions, Hurst hits the road and strips theatre back to its essential flame.
“For my personal stake, I decided, because I love theatre — it's vital and important — I want to do as much as I can,” he says.
“I promised myself when I turned 60 I would do as much theatre as possible. This is a six week tour of 33 towns. We're literally in a new town every day. I do enjoy having to adapt to a venue's stage.”
Venues vary in scale and ornament. In Dunedin, he performed on the grand, baroque-styled, Regent Theatre's boutique studio stage. In Alexandra he performed the play in a pub, and at another venue, he played to an audience of 40 in a space not much bigger than a living room.
“It feels like honest work,” he says.
“We turn up, pack in, do the show, pack out and drive to the next town. If the place we go to has lights we can use them. Otherwise we have four lights. We keep it simple.”
Hurst also appreciates he is in a unique position on this pandemic-afflicted planet to be able to do this.
“How many other actors in the world are touring any more?” he says.
“It's very special to be touring in New Zealand. We're having full houses everywhere we go. I think after Covid, we're all getting inspired again. There's a good feeling out there at the moment.”
Michael Hurst performs Tom Scott's portrait of his father. Lawson Field Theatre, Sunday, August 16, 3.30pm. $30 per ticket + Gold Card concessions from Gisborne i-SITE or ticketek. Brought to you by AOTNZ InCahoots with Lawson Field Theatre.
