Centrepoint brings summer to the stage

Centrepoint brings summer to the stage with the return of a Kiwi classic

The summer holidays are on their way so, to celebrate, Centrepoint Theatre is bringing back Palmy classic BOYS AT THE BEACH to close our 2015 season.

It’s 1973, the New Zealand cricket team has lost to Australia, and a holiday for four young men is about to transform into a lifetime bond when, together, they buy a section at the beach. Spanning 23 years, we see the blokes (and later their families) drink, sing, play cricket, and hang around the barbie.

A magnificently funny take on our annual Kiwi summer rituals written by Manawatu favourites Alison Quigan and Ross Gumbley, BOYS AT THE BEACH is set to delight audiences just in time for Christmas. Centrepoint Theatre has a significant relationship with Alison Quigan and Ross Gumbley and their plays. The former Artistic Director and Associate Director, respectively, have premiered five of their plays in Palmerston North. Their most recent production here, a revival of their hit play Shop ’til You Drop played to sell-out crowds and great reviews in 2013.

Under the direction of original cast member Lucy Schmidt, BOYS AT THE BEACH brings together an exciting cast of Centrepoint regulars and newcomers. Current artistic director Jeff Kingsford-Brown returns to the Centrepoint stage for the first time since 2013 smash hit Stockcars: The Musical alongside Patrick Davies (The 39 Steps), Stephen Papps (Peninsula), and Renee Sheridan (Enlightenment). Doug Brooks (TV’s Reichenbach Falls) and Yvette Parsons (TV’s Super City) make their Centrepoint debuts, as does Michael van Echten, a Horowhenua local who graduates from Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School with a Bachelor of Performing Arts during the season.

“Quigan and Gumbley are back to delight us once again with their hit comedy about the important things - sun, sand, and enjoying life while you’ve got it,” says Jeff Kingsford-Brown, Centrepoint’s artistic director. “It’s a show about Palmy for Palmy.”

Remember The Motor Camp and Stockcars: The Musical? Some of Centrepoint’s most successful productions have been their annual Christmas show and BOYS AT THE BEACH will be a cracker summer comedy in the same vein. Get a group of mates together, take advantage of our Dinner + Show deal or pop in early and grab a drink at the bar, and help us celebrate the end of our 2015 season in style.

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