Joyful and Triumphant

WRITEN BY ROBERT LORD, DIRECTED BY SUSAN WILSON Proudly supported by Peter Biggs CNZM and Mary Biggs 2 APRIL - 7 MAY CIRCA ONE CELEBRATING CIRCA THEATRE’S 40TH BIRTHDAY Out-standing award-winning New Zealand play returns to Circa Theatre

‘…a masterpiece …destined to become a classic’ New Zealand Herald

“What do you have if you don’t have family?”

“Peace of mind?”

How to survive the train wreck that can be Christmas with the family is brilliantly chronicled by playwright Robert Lord in JOYFUL & TRIUMPHANT. It combines the unity of a single day’s activity with the sweep of forty years in the lives of the small town Bishop family’s – and New Zealand’s – history. Set in the dining room on Christmas days from 1949 to 1989 it traces the joys and sorrows, successes and failures of the family. Distinguished by razor-sharp dialogue and compassionate insight into the characters, JOYFUL &TRIUMPHANT is warm-hearted, witty, tender, often hilarious and ultimately very moving. Susan Wilson, scooped the Chapman Tripp Awards with her original production in 1992, ‘Playwright of the year’ ‘Production of the Year’ ‘Director of the year’ and later received rave reviews for seasons in Adelaide, Sydney and London as well as touring throughout New Zealand. She is delighted to direct again one of her most favourite plays. Three of the original actors, Jane Waddell, Catherine Downes and Michele Amas, return to play different roles and they are joined by Peter Hambleton, Katherine McRae and Lyndee-Jane Rutherford who complete the top-notch cast.

Playwright, Robert Lord died in January 1992 at the age of 46 sadly before the production of JOYFUL & TRIUMPHANT premiered. It was already in rehearsal in readiness for the 4th Wellington Arts Festival (now the New Zealand Festival) where in the audience’s opinion it was to be the outstanding theatrical event.

A must-see production to celebrate this very special forty-year occasion.

‘Both a joy and a triumph…outstanding’ Dominion Sunday Times 2/.

CAST– JOYFUL & TRIUMPHANT

MICHELE AMAS, CATHERINE DOWNES, PETER HAMBLETON, KATHERINE McRAE, GAVIN RUTHERFORD, JANE WADDELL and LYNDEE-JANE RUTHERFORD

PRODUCTION TEAM

Design John Hodgkins Lighting Design Marcus McShane Costume Design Shelia Horton

SEASON: 2 APRIL – 7 MAY

Performance Times:

Tues & Wed 6.30pm, Thurs to Sat 8pm, Sunday 4pm
Tickets: $25 - $46
$25 SPECIALS – Fri 1st April 8pm, Sun 3rd April 4pm
After show Q & A Tues 5th May
Bookings: (04) 801 7992 www.circa.co.nz
Pre-show dinner available at Encore – phone 801 7996

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