Jan Bolwell’s ‘Bill Massey’s Tourists’

For immediate release

Jan Bolwell’s ‘Bill Massey’s Tourists’ – 31 August – 1 October 2017

- A granddaughter tells her grandfather’s story

Consummate performer Jan Bolwell plays her adolescent self, encouraging her grandfather Arthur to talk about the First World War. What follows is a gripping, painful and sometimes hilarious tale of a young Kiwi soldier from the Otago Mounted Rifles (one of Bill Massey’s tourists) and his survival from the tragedy of Passchendaele. It is a story that also features song and dance.

“This exceptional performer, Jan Bolwell, is blessed with an irrepressible joie-de-vivre that communicates itself instantly to the audience, so that her grandfather’s story is illuminating and memorable, but also surprisingly enjoyable.” -Terry McTavish

“A terrific script. A great performance. A tale well told. Knocked me for six.”- Raymond Hawthorne

Biography
Jan Bolwell is a playwright, performer, choreographer and director of Wellington’s Crows Feet Dance Collective. In 2014/15 the Collective presented The Armed Man, a full-length dance work about WW1.

‘Bill Massey’s Tourists’ is Jan’s fifth play and the third in a trilogy of solo plays. Standing on my Hands told the story of her father’s WW2 experiences and Here’s Hilda! was the dramatisation of her grandmother’s life. In 2013, together with Sacha Copland and John Smythe, to much acclaim, she toured her play Dancing in the Wake with AOTNZ. Double Portrait, her play about Frances Hodgkins, also toured extensively throughout New Zealand.

In late 2015 Jan was awarded a writer's residency at the Robert Lord Writer's Cottage in Dunedin. She is currently writing a play about Freda du Faur, the first woman to climb Aoraki/ Mount Cook in 1910, and Lydia Bradey the first woman to climb Mount Everest solo without oxygen. The play Taking the High Ground opens at Bats Theatre in Wellington this December. A the moment Jan is directing and choreographing the political satire Destination Beehive 2017 opening next month at Circa Theatre, Wellington.

Itinerary

Thursday 31 August 7pm Whanganui
War Memorial Centre
Doors open 6.30pm. Adult $15, Group, seniors, student $10 Book: War Memorial Centre

Friday 1 September 7.30pm New Plymouth
4th Wall Theatre
$30 Book: www.4thwalltheatre.co.nz

Saturday 2 September 7.30pm Tokoroa
Tokoroa Little Theatre
$20 Book: Tokoroa Clothing Company

Sunday 3 September 5pm Whitianga
Town Hall
Adult $20, 18 and under $10 Book: Whitianga Paper Plus

Tuesday 5 September 7pm Opotiki
De Luxe Theatre
$20 Book: Opotiki Library, Travel shop or on door

Wednesday 6 September 7.30pm Gisborne
Unity Theatre
$26 Book: Stephen Jones Photography

Thursday 7 September 7.30pm Waipawa
CHB Municipal Theatre, Dinner 6.30pm
Adult $25, $40 with Dinner, Book: eventfinda.co.nz or CHB Theatre

Sunday 10 September 2pm Balcairn
Balcairn Public Hall
$25, Book: Sefton Garage, Sally Mac’s Amberley, Stan’s 7 Day Pharmacy Rangiora

Monday 11 September 7.30pm Lincoln
The Laboratory
$25 Book: eventfinda.co.nz or over the bar

Tuesday 12 September 5.30pm Christchurch
Gloucester Room, Isaac Theatre Royal
Adult $35, Concessions & Groups 6+ $30 (booking fees apply)

Wednesday 13 September 7.30pm Ashburton
Ashburton Trust Event Centre
Open Hat – no charge prior to the event – guests pay what they think the evening is worth

Thursday 14 September 7.30pm Twizel
Twizel Events Centre
Adult $20, Student $10 Book: Twizel Information Centre

Friday 15 September 8pm Hawea
Lake Hawea Community Centre
Adult $25, Child $10
Book: Sailz Café, OCD Café Wanaka Medical Centre bookingsLHCC@gmail.com

Saturday 16 September 7.30pm Arrowtown
Athenaeum Hall
Adult $25, Child/student $10 Book: eventfinda.co.nz

Sunday 17 September 3pm Bannockburn
Coronation Hall
Adult $25, SuperGold $20, Student/child $5 Book: Cromwell i-Site

Tuesday 19 September 7pm Roxburgh
Town Hall
$20 Book: i-Site Roxburgh or door sales

Thursday 21 September 7pm Owaka
Memorial Community Centre
$20 Book: Catlins Café

Friday 22 September 7.30pm Invercargill
Repertory House
$25 pre-purchased, $30 door sales Book: www.thehouseseries.co.nz

Saturday 23 September 7.30pm Te Anau
Fiordland Events Centre
$25 pre-purchased, $30 door sales Book: www.thehouseseries.co.nz

Tuesday 26 September 7.30pm Oamaru
Inkbox Theatre, Opera House
$25+fees Book: www.oamaruoperahouse.co.nz or Ticketdirect

Thursday 28 September 7.30pm Hokitika
Old Lodge Theatre
$20 book: Hokitika Regent Theatre

Friday 29 September 8pm Barrytown
Barrytown Hall
$20 Door sales only

Sunday 1 October 5pm Takaka
Village Theatre
$25, concessions $20 Book: at Venue 03 525 8453

Arts On Tour New Zealand (AOTNZ) organises tours of outstanding New Zealand performers to rural and smaller centres in New Zealand. The trust receives funding from Creative New Zealand, support from Interislander, and liaises with local arts councils, repertory theatres and community groups to bring the best of musical and theatrical talent to country districts. The AOTNZ programme is environmentally sustainable – artists travel to their audiences rather than the reverse. (ends)

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