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The Merchant of Venice

After failing to cast a full-scale performance of this play for Bard in the Yard the Troupe agreed to John Marwick’s proposal to present a two-night run of a staged reading in early April inside the school hall.  Unusually, the performance was presented in cabaret style using raised rostra on the floor of the hall while the audience sat at tables.  Florence Mcfarlane and Fran Baldock, as Salanio and Salarino (or was it the other way round!) sang brief jazz classics between scenes to Bill Wollerman’s piano accompaniment. The production was very well-received. Jerry Duckor was outstanding as Shylock. CAST Salanio Fran Baldock Jessica Amber Baldock Bassanio

Man of the Moment

In November 2006 Barry Mawer directed Man of the Moment by Alan Ayckbourn. The set included a swimming pool! The play was well received by reviewers. Directed by Barry Mawer Vic Parks - Michael McDonald Trudy - Anne Manchester Cindy - Tessa/Molly McFarlane Sharon - Sarah-Rose Burke Ruy - Peter Hughson Marta - Janis Caddy Kenny Collins - Will Clanachan Jill Rillington - Holly Robinson Douglas Beechey - Don Quiring Ashley Barnes - Barry Mawer Shadow Cast: Ashley Bloomfield David Gledhill Bev Barclay Elspeth Harris Ian Freeguard Ed Hickey Carol Thompson Reviews

A Midsummer Night’s Dream 2007

Florence McFarlane set our first Bard in the Yard Midsummer Night's Dream in an old folk's home so the four 'young' lovers were aged from 60s to 80s. The play was part of the Wellington Fringe Festival and received this positive review from Ewen Coleman in the Dominion Post: Sheer delight Review by Ewen Coleman 06th Mar 2007 The two plays of Shakespeare that are most associated with youth are Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night’s Dream and so to have the latter set in a rest home where the majority of the characters are in their dotage, as they are in Butterfly Creek Theatre Troupes current Bard-In-The-Yard production seems a

Six Characters in Search of an Author

Luigi Pirandello's Six Characters in Search of an Author was translated, adapted and directed by John Marwick Amber Baldock won an award for Outstanding Performance in a Leading Role at the Wellington District Theatre Federation's full length play competition.  

Macbeth 2008

The Troupe’s second fully-staged, indoor Shakespeare production directed by Peter Baldock with John Marwick as Macbeth and Fran Baldock as Lady Macbeth. In the Wellington District Theatre Federation full length play competition for 2008 the play won best the award for best sound (Rae Dickinson) and lighting (Peter Baldock). CAST Weird sister Florence McFarlane Weird sister Sandra Gillespie Weird sister Sue Jones Duncan Laurie Atkinson Malcolm Theo Nettleton Donalbain Mike McJorrow A Soldier Dan Milward Rosse Chris O’Grady Macbeth John Marwick Banquo Damian Reid Lady Macbeth Fran Baldock Servant Billy Miskimmin Fleance Charlie McFarlane Porter Ed Hickey Macduff Will Clannachan Gentlewoman Carol Thompson Old Man

Ten Times Table

A joint directing effort between John Marwick, Florence McFarland and Will Clannachan brought Alan Ayckbourn's comedy Ten Times Table to the Muritai stage in November 2008. Publicity 2008 Take an English village committee planning a pageant, add a committee of directors from Eastbourne village creating a play about it, and you have Butterfly Creek Theatre Troupe’s hilarious next production of “Ten Times Table” by Alan Ayckbourn. The village committee has been brought together to organise a supposedly uplifting pageant based on an incongruous piece of local history in which the ruling classes crushed an uprising of rebellious workers. Ayckbourn has great fun with the classic committee

The Taming of the Shrew

From 17 - 21 February 2009 we put on a highly successful outdoor Summer Shakespeare production of The Taming of the Shrew as part of 2009 FringeNZ with an all-female cast. This was the Troupe’s 13th annual Shakespeare production. John Marwick, who had then directed 10 of these productions, was intrigued by the challenge of putting on a contemporary version of a comedy that, on the face of it, is about a man who ‘tames’ an unruly wife by starving her and depriving her of sleep. He had originally toyed with the idea of gender-reversal as a way of bringing a new perspective: perhaps if Kate was played

A Day in the Death of Joe Egg

Florence McFarlane directed Peter Nichols' play A Day in the Death of Joe Egg as our mid-year play. The production won the following awards at the Wellington District theatre Federation's full-length play competition. Best Female Actor - Ann Garry Best Black Comedy Best director - Florence McFarlane.

Eclecticity the Revue

In October 2009 the Troupe presented a light-hearted revue directed by Peter Baldock and Barry Mawer. Here is the programme and three short videos of items from the show. Peter Hughson and Will Clannachan in Unique Peter Baldock and John Marwick in The Piano Lesson John Jones, Barry Mawer, Chris Jones and Tony Pearson as The Carotini Quartet

Measure for Measure

Bard in the Yard 2010 was Shakespeare's 'problem' play Measure for Measure directed by John Marwick. Watch an extract from Act II Scene 4 with Angelo and Isabella Publicity 2010 Corruption, Comedy and Confusion in Full Measure Do you enjoy a good laugh? Like to see theatre that makes you think, that’s full of tension and surprise?  Fancy a night out where after a good meal you can sit back with a glass of wine and be entertained under the stars by a troupe of talented actors? This summer you can catch a show that gives you all that – and lots more.  It’s all in

One Flesh

Peter Baldock directed Fiona Samuel's play One Flesh for a five-night run in the St Alban's church. Avi Duckor-Jones won an award for best male actor in a supporting role ad ray Dickenson won for best original music. Publicity 2010 ‘One Flesh’ is set in a central Wellington boarding house, the likes of which can still be found on the Terrace or upper Willis Street.  It is occupied by a small group of ‘permanently casual’ residents, whose tranquillity is disrupted when a new guest arrives. ‘One Flesh’ has been described as a ‘damaged comedy’.  It is a very powerful and moving story.  Fiona Samuel has written ‘characters’

The Dresser

Florence McFarlane directed Ronald Harwood's The Dresser with Trevor Rose as Norman and John Marwick as 'Sir".

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