Mistress tied up with gags

Andy Brigden rehearses for her solo show Lashings of Whipped Cream.

Andy Brigden (pictured) takes on her most interesting role yet - Mistress Dominique - in Fiona Samuel's titillating and comical insight into the life of a dominatrix, Lashings of Whipped Cream.

Ever wanted to meet a dominatrix? Now is your chance. Mistress Dominique, a "teenage" dominatrix, is more than willing to welcome you to her dungeon, aka the Keirunga Homestead Theatre, for a short, snappy, sexy and mostly hilarious one-woman, one-hour long show of the inner work-ings of her profession and her quirky views on life, love and sex.

It has been a popular play in Hawke's Bay, first produced by Waipukurau Little Theatre, starring Nicky Harding and, 13 years ago, staged by Theatre Hawke's Bay, starring none other than this season's director, Lisa-Jane Easter.

She said she was drawn in by its "incredible" sense of comedy and poignancy and, after all this time, still rates it as one of her top picks for an entertaining, well-written Kiwi play.

Brigden feels people will enjoy seeing something that's a little bit naughty, there's an element of voyeurism but it's also obvious Samuel has done her research, and so has Easter.

"It's really great to get into a character like this, she treats the audience like a client and she's very brassy and very Kiwi."

Brigden, who took over as director of HaBYT (Hawke's Bay Youth Theatre) earlier this year, has been inching towards more solo performances, with recent appearances in The Vagina Monologues and Falling in Like, part of the SHORTS 2012 season, under her belt.

She has worked as a theatre events co-ordinator at the Hawke's Bay Opera House, been a director of performing arts at Woodford House, and currently works at the CHB Municipal Theatre. She lived in the UK from the age of 15, going on to study visual performance and performance writing before training and working as a drama teacher, and returning to Hawke's Bay six years ago.

Brigden admits she has never come across a character quite like Dominique before - and her specially made outfit certainly fits the part.

"It's a really different sort of challenge."

Lashings of Whipped Cream, Keirunga Homestead Theatre, Havelock North, 8pm today and until Saturday, December 9-14. Tickets, $26 adults, $24 students/seniors from HBS Bank Havelock North, Hastings Community Arts Centre, Beattie & Forbes Napier, or email lashings2013@gmail.com