Fringe at the Gryphon

And last, but by no means least, the sixth production hailing from Invercargill...

A CRY TOO FAR FROM HEAVEN

A provocative play about the death penalty featuring two of New Zealand's historical figures, Minnie Dean, the "Winton Baby Farmer" and Victor Spencer, World War 1 deserter. As they face their last night on earth, they examine what's brought them to this point.

Close to the action is the Executioner, the man who is to pull the trigger and trap door's lever.

"Invers shines a spotlight on these stories in a plain and balanced manner, and leaves you to ponder their significance. It's well written and confidently acted, and proves to be a thought-provoking 50 minutes." - Malcolm Jack, The Scotsman (Edinburgh Fringe)

"A miniature masterpiece… quite the most perfect piece of theatre." - Southland Times

This performance comes to us by way of Edinburgh, and I'm really excited to be bringing it to Wellington. It's based on both diary entries and original material, and brings a dark part of our national history onto the stage. Definitely not to be missed!

- Jen

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A Cry Too Far From Heaven

20-23 February @ 9:30pm 

Presented by Invers Theatre

From the Making Friends Collective, featuring some of Wellington's hottest young actors and practitioners... 

RAGEFACE

Jason Stegemann is a man of two lives. Offline, he works a dead-end supermarket job to pay for the tiny apartment he shares with Andrew, a grumpy, alcoholic Law student. Online, he is Sherlock, an eloquent and respected poster on the internet forum Nothing is Original, a man whose opinions on anime and classic video games are treated as gospel.

But then he meets Brie, a checkout worker at his supermarket. She's funny, friendly, and hasn't explicitly said she's involved with anyone. Jason falls for her, hard, and turns to the one place he can trust for advice on wooing her - Nothing is Original. But with a mysterious troll plaguing his threads and the arrival of a new poster gaining popularity, Jason's position at the top of the forum food chain is under threat - and that may just have offline consequences.

Written and directed by Adam Goodall (Deadlines), Rageface is an acerbic, blackly comic tale that interrogates how we deal, or don't deal, with the trials and responsibilities of the real world - the fronts we construct, the excuses we make, and what happens when those fronts and excuses get exposed and torn down.

Fans of Young & Hungry will have caught 'Deadlines' at the 2012 festival, a 'complex story.. told at breakneck speed' that really spoke to the younger generation. You're definitely in for a dark treat, whatever your age :)

- Jen

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Rageface

19-23 February @ 8pm 

Presented by Making Friends Collective

Three amazing improvisors are bringing 'it' to the Wellington Fringe...

Direct from Melbourne, Australia...

SPIDER DANCE!

Sharing the stories your Mama was afraid to tell you, and your Auntie Em tried to forget, these funny ladies expertly merge the delightful with the grotesque to celebrate the cheeky side of girl power.

"Beautiful ladies doing ugly things." 

Featuring Australians Anna Renzenbrink, Amy Moule and Merrilee McCoy, plus special local guests.

These are some of my favourite improvisors - they're fun, they're clever, and they're damn good at their job. And they're saucy minxs to boot. What's not to love? 

- Jen

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Spider Dance

19-23 February @ 6:30pm 

http://spiderdance.blogspot.com.au/

Here's a show from the impro company with the best reputation that I've never seen...

THE GREEN ROOM

Dunedin's favourite improvisation troupe, Improsaurus, are in Wellington for three nights only. Catch them in The Green Room, as they take a tounge-in-cheek look at theatresports in a long-form improvised comedy. This metatheatrical show is improv like you've never seen it before!

"Like a delicious layer cake" - Patrick Davies, Theatreview

Two teams go head to head in the final of the national theatresports championships. Only one team can win. You make all the calls. Witness the loves and losses of these impassioned improvisers, as the competition and fame go to their heads.

Improsaurus is one of NZ's newest improv companies, and everyone I've met who has seen them has told me that they're AMAZING. Which is why I jumped at the chance to support their first show outside of Dunedin! If you're a lover of improv and metatheatre, this is going to be a real treat. 

- Jen

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The Green Room

15-17 February @ 9:30pm (book soon on Dash Tickets)

Presented by Improsaurus 

http://www.improsaurus.co.nz