Get Your Hands Off My Man

Get Your Hands Off My Man: Cock Comes to Auckland!

A co-presentation with Auckland Live and Silo Theatre
Cock
by Mike Bartlett
Winner of the Laurence Olivier Award for Theatre.

Shane Bosher’s critically acclaimed and award-winning production of Cock will take the Herald Theatre, Aotea Centre by the balls for a witty and sharp observation of modern love from 20 July – 12 August.

John wants out, so he’s taking a break from his high maintenance boyfriend. Liberated from Mr Co-Dependent, the last thing he’s expecting is to suddenly meet the woman of his dreams. Now John’s stuck in a total boy-meets-girl meets-boyfriend dilemma.

Caught in a maelstrom of possibility, guilt and indecision, John reckons there’s only one way to straighten this all out. Sometimes love is worth a good fight!

British playwright Mike Bartlett’s playful and candid encounter with sexuality and its discontents has already knocked out audiences in London, New York and Sydney. Now it’s Auckland’s turn for this wildly funny, thrillingly contemporary take on the intricacies of dysfunctional relationships, sexual identity and this thing we call love.

"With the exception of Oscar Wilde, quarrelling lovers are never as articulate and entertaining as they are in Cock, Mike Bartlett's battle royale of wit and persuasion" – Variety.

In addition to theatre, multi award-winning writer, Mike Bartlett has produced screenplays for film and television. His 2015 series, Doctor Foster won the New Drama Award at the National Television Awards, and a BBC TV version of his ground-breaking play, King Charles III was broadcast in the UK in May 2017.

Named as an Aucklander of the Year in 2005 by Metro magazine, and four-time Director of the Year by The New Zealand Listener , Cock director Shane Bosher is one of New Zealand’s most prolific theatre makers. Bosher is best known for his incredible portfolio of work completed during his 13-year tenure as artistic director of Silo Theatre. Productions include Angels in America, When the Rain Stops Falling, Holding the Man and Private Lives. Now living in Sydney, his 2017 engagements include productions of A Streetcar Named Desire for Silo Theatre and The Kitchen Sink for Ensemble Theatre in Sydney.

Bosher has attracted an amazing cast to bring Cock to life in New Zealand, combining the very best of Australasian talent including New Zealand cast member Matt Minto (Shortland Street, Angels in America) and Aussie theatre stars Matilda Ridgway (multiple award- winning actress including 2014 Best Actress, Sydney Theatre Awards for A Doll's House; 2015 Best Actress, Sydney Arts Guide Award for The Crucible) as well as newcomer and NIDA graduate Duncan Ragg. Bosher’s 2015 Sydney production of Cock was nominated for four Sydney Theatre Awards including Best Production, Best Direction, Best Actress and Best Lighting Design. The production won the 2015 Mardi Gras Festival Award for Best Arts Event.

‘Mike Bartlett’s crisp script is well served by Shane Bosher’s direction which is sheer, sharp and clear, keeping his characters spiraling and spinning, sparring and parrying with slick stage crafted scene changes’ – Arts Hub (Australia)

WARNING: There will be no nudity in this production!

Cock plays:
Thursday 20 July – Saturday 12 Aug 2017
Tuesday & Wednesday, 7pm; Thursday – Saturday, 8pm and Sunday, 5pm
Tickets: $25 - $55 (service fees apply)
Duration: 1 hour and 30 mins
Book at aucklandlive.co.nz/show/cock
#Cockfightplay

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