Two days, and many ways, to make a 10-minute play

REGISTER NOW TO BE PART OF THE FUN: Left, Rachael Crawford and Ayden Malone were part of the 2019 48 Hour Play Festival winning team. Their play was called ‘Love Me Tinder', written by Susan Partington, directed by Bret Saunders with actors Suzan Anderson, Crawford, Malone and Susan Partington. The 2020 event was unable to be held last year because of Covid-19. Picture by Dinna Myers

The concept is this: A team of five people (usually a writer, director and three actors) get given a theme, a prop they have to use, and a line of text they have to say.

Then they have 48 hours to come up with a 10-minute play.

“Some of the plays are humorous. Some are more serious. You never know what people are going to come up with,” managing artistic director Dinna Myers says.

And you don't have to stay awake for those 48 hours.

It is the third annual event of the 48 Hour Play Festival in Gisborne. Last years was cancelled due to Covid-19. But registrations for the 2021 event are now open.

“You don't need any experience. You can sign up either with a team or individually and get assigned a team,” says Myers.

The event begins on Friday, March 19, at 7pm at Evolution Theatre where the theme will be announced on the night, as is the prop that has to be used and the line that has to be said.

Then 48 hours later, 7pm on Sunday, March 21, the plays take to the stage at the Lawson Field Theatre for an evening of semi-professional theatre.

The team with the most votes from the live audience wins an award.

Myers says the playwright of each team has about 17 hours to write the script.

“Those first 17 hours no one else on the team has much to do.”

The scripts are then sent to Myers for approval — which usually takes about an hour. She said she has never rejected a script yet, as long as the rules are followed and it is “appropriate”.

Foul language and sexual content is OK as long as it's not too crazy, she says.

The actors and directors start to rehearse, followed by a technical meeting at the Lawson Field Theatre on Sunday so lights and logistics can be discussed. Then there's a dress rehearsal before the plays on Sunday night.

Myers says they are looking forward to getting more people registering for the festival but they can only have a maximum of nine teams so get in quick.

The registration cut-off date is March 17. Register now at https://www.evolutiontheatre.org.nz/48 There is a charge of $10 to attend the event.