Local Focus: Volunteers urgently needed for large Whanganui production

Preparations are underway for the annual Shakespeare in the Park at Whanganui's Bason Botanic Reserve.

The production starts months ahead and so does the fundraising.

All proceeds from this Wednesday's Small Talk at Bayleys Real Estate, will go toward the community production.

The twenty-strong cast has started rehearsals already.

While many of Shakespeare's plays focus on male jealousy, this summer The Merry Wives of Windsor is all about female revenge.

Robi Martin is playing Mistress Ford a 'merry wife' who helps devise a plot to mock the perpetrator Mr Falstaff.

"He writes a love letter to two different women, the same letter, they see this and they compare notes and decide basically to take revenge," Martin said.

Four hundred years on and Shakespeare's characters have been played by all ages and performed in nearly every language.

"The oldest person is, he must be 80 and our youngest person is eight."

The casting call went out just prior to lockdown which meant getting a cast together in level 4.

Director Karen Craig met most of her main cast online.

"We auditioned online because we were in lockdown." Craig said.

"I met Robi after a Small Talk very briefly but I'd read about her acting career."

Martin modestly admits to doing Bambi in her school play but also has a string of movie appearances under her belt including the cult classic Last Exit to Brooklyn.

"I think it's on the list of the 50 most controversial movies of all time at the moment," Martin said.

Tickets for the Shakespeare in the Park will be available next month but now the call is out for volunteers to help with everything from set building to organising and administration.

Volunteers will also be needed on performance nights to usher the audience.

If you think you can help, you can get in touch with Shakespeare in the Park through Facebook.