An Oak Tree has local actors branch out in a play that's nothing like you've seen before

The cast of An Oak Tree (from left): Mandy Faulkner, Gaye Poole, John Davies, Mary Rinaldi, Nick Clothier, Missy Mooney. Photo / Supplied

The classic actor's nightmare involves being on stage in a play they've never heard of or never rehearsed. Carving in Ice Theatre is set to make this actor's anti-dream a reality with its upcoming production of An Oak Tree at The Meteor in June.

Written by Tim Crouch, An Oak Tree makes it quite clear that we believe what we see in the theatre even though it flaunts its made-up nature in front of us.

The show follows a second-rate, guilt-ridden stage hypnotist who since a car accident has lost the power of suggestion (a disaster for a hypnotist). Now his act is not what it was. Now everything is exactly what it is.

Richard Homan plays The Hypnotist and is joined by a different actor at each performance who has neither seen nor read a word of the play they're in ... until they're in it. For the second actor there is no preparation, no costume, no lines to learn. Simply an agreement to be "open".

The once-in-a-lifetime theatrical experience will be running at The Meteor Theatre, in Hamilton, June 14 to 18. Photo / Supplied

This second actor discovers the play at exactly the same time as the audience and that discovery happens in front of our eyes. The play asks each second actor to feel their way through the performance, and to respond in the moment.

Director Gaye Poole comments: "When you hear this you may be tempted to think that there will be improvisation; however this is not the case. The second actor in the performance is never asked to generate words of their own. Everything they say in the play (and everything Richard says in the play) has been carefully scripted."

Local performers Missy Mooney, Nick Clothier, Mary Rinaldi, Mandy Faulkner, John Davies and Liam Hinton will each take the stage with Homan as second actors on a separate night of the season, which runs June 14 to 18.

It is actually the essence of spontaneous acting. This concept is absolutely original, and sadly, a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

F. Murray Abraham

Due to the uniqueness of An Oak Tree, the production has presented its own challenges for the rehearsal process, seeing the enlistment of a bevy of rehearsal actors who will never perform having learnt about the play. Richard and Gaye have rehearsed with Fiona Sneyd, David Lumsden, David Simes, Stephanie Christian, Steve Austin-Smith, and Juliane Boyle to make the second actor's experience feel completely supported and confident, consciously avoiding any element of parody in the approach or process.

Since 2005, in hundreds of performances in over 20 countries, no second actor has ever performed in An Oak Tree twice. Some notable second actors include: Christopher Eccleston, Peter Dinklage, Kwame Kwei-Armah, Simon McBurney, Sophie Okonedo, Toby Jones, Patrick Marber, Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Monaghan, Joan Allen, Maura Tierney, Mike Myers, Alex Kingston, and Alanis Morisette.

An Oak Tree is nothing like you've ever seen before and is impossible to describe without spoiling everything in it that will have you riveted to your seat, palms sweating.

Melbourne Age

This once-in-a-lifetime theatrical experience will be running at The Meteor Theatre, June 14 to 18, with 7.30pm performances, plus a 4.30pm matinee on June 18. Tickets are available now at themeteor.co.nz at $25 general admission and $20 concession (Gold card, student ID), with multi-buy tickets deals in place for anyone wanting to see multiple second actors take the stage.