A couple of weeks ago I ‘moved’ to Wellington. I say ‘move’ because for the first little while it’ll be more of a commute: husband and kids are staying in Auckland while I shuttle back and forth, working at Hutt Hospital and birthing new plays after-hours. I’ll fly back on weekends to deliver frozen breastmilk and take over from my sleep-deprived partner. (And no don’t call me ‘supermum’ – I want to work and produce plays, I also want to breastfeed my son... so hurray for cheap flights, and yes I feel guilty about the carbon. Anyway if anyone deserves the ‘super’ title it is probably my husband who is doing the solo parent thing while I gad about in the glamorous life of a paediatrician slash playwright. *see next paragraph.)
Family and associated paraphernalia will only move South once both seasons of Under The Same Moon and its sister production, The Two Farting Sisters, are concluded. *For the next month, I’ll be living in a house with no furniture, using random plates sourced from the Salvos and sleeping on a blow-up mattress on the floor. Memories of my student, pre-children days!
While working in Wellington isn’t a new thing for me, claiming I’m a ‘Wellingtonian’ – albeit temporarily – is. There is a certain irony in claiming this title so soon after I arrive, not least because I’ve always been such a staunch Aucklander. But needs must…there is publicity to chase, and I’ve certainly gone heavy on the interviews in the last few weeks (I secretly enjoy this. Arts reporters are generally pretty nice.)
While this may be the first time I’ve ‘moved’ to Wellington, I’m not new to this city. Under The Same Moon and The Two Farting Sisters mark my third and fourth plays at BATS. I’ve also been popping in and out of town a lot – I’ve done a total of 9 months’ work at Hutt Hospital in the last two years. But still, I’m nervous bringing a new play here. The critics here are notoriously tough, and the audiences are hard to crack too – it’s a much smaller arts community, and I’m not as known here. There are also less family/friends to pressure into postering missions, or coming to see the show, and less shoulders to cry on when the reviews are bad, or worse completely do not get your work. On the other hand there’s a certain thrill in meeting other ‘makers and creatives’ – this city is full of them, they walk around with a certain 'cool factor' which I’d dearly like to find out the secret of. Also I’d like to find out the secret of why the average Wellingtonian dresses with more flair than an Aucklander. I always feel so unstylish when strolling the streets.
Family and associated paraphernalia will only move South once both seasons of Under The Same Moon and its sister production, The Two Farting Sisters, are concluded. *For the next month, I’ll be living in a house with no furniture, using random plates sourced from the Salvos and sleeping on a blow-up mattress on the floor. Memories of my student, pre-children days!
While working in Wellington isn’t a new thing for me, claiming I’m a ‘Wellingtonian’ – albeit temporarily – is. There is a certain irony in claiming this title so soon after I arrive, not least because I’ve always been such a staunch Aucklander. But needs must…there is publicity to chase, and I’ve certainly gone heavy on the interviews in the last few weeks (I secretly enjoy this. Arts reporters are generally pretty nice.)
While this may be the first time I’ve ‘moved’ to Wellington, I’m not new to this city. Under The Same Moon and The Two Farting Sisters mark my third and fourth plays at BATS. I’ve also been popping in and out of town a lot – I’ve done a total of 9 months’ work at Hutt Hospital in the last two years. But still, I’m nervous bringing a new play here. The critics here are notoriously tough, and the audiences are hard to crack too – it’s a much smaller arts community, and I’m not as known here. There are also less family/friends to pressure into postering missions, or coming to see the show, and less shoulders to cry on when the reviews are bad, or worse completely do not get your work. On the other hand there’s a certain thrill in meeting other ‘makers and creatives’ – this city is full of them, they walk around with a certain 'cool factor' which I’d dearly like to find out the secret of. Also I’d like to find out the secret of why the average Wellingtonian dresses with more flair than an Aucklander. I always feel so unstylish when strolling the streets.
RSS Feed
