Ladykillers arrive at Court

Press, 21 January 1987, Page 16

Ladykillers arrive at Court

• Ladykillers is the theme I for the first three plays of the 1987 year at the Court 1 Theatre. But, the threatre’s artis- ; tic director, Elric Hooper, ■ is quick to point out that ’ while each play centres ' around a male character ; who "wreaks havoc ■ among the ladies” the ; plays all have good roles for women. • He deliberately chose ’ plays with opportunities ’ for women because he I knew a number of tele- > vision and film projects ; with roles for men were being made in early 1987.

’’ The Ladykillers series ’< begins with “Les Liaisons ; Dangereuses,” which opens on February 6.

• The ladykiller in this ■ Christopher Hampton > drama is played by British actor Michael Billing- • ton.

; The Court imported the «handsome actor to give an padded attraction to a play > Mr Hooper says is “excellent but not well-known.” ’ He is a shade anxious ;that the French title of »the play, about a French ; aristocrat who makes a » habit of seducing women,

may put some people off going to see it. At the theatre, the cast and production team are calling the play “Liaisons.” Anyone can say that, Mr Hooper says. He hopes the success of the play overseas and word of mouth will bring the patrons in. The play is scheduled for a five week season. It will be followed by a six week season of Alan Ayckbourn’s “Chorus of Disapproval” directed by Elizabeth Moody. The lead in this play may be taken by former Court actor Alistair Browning, who will probably return to Christchurch from Perth for two plays. “Chorus of Disapproval” opens on March 21.

The last in the series is “Wild Honey,” Michael Frayn’s adaptation of Chekhov’s work. The ladykiller in this show may be played by Stuart Devenie. Elric Hooper will direct the comedy drama. He will also direct “Liaisons.” “Wild Honey” wilbrun

for four weeks from May 9. That is as far ahead as the Court has been able to plan definitely. The theatre’s grant from the Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council will not be known until June and, while Mr Hooper has a number of plays lined up, a definite programme cannot be made yet. "We plan — as always — in uncertainty. We plan a programme, usually ah ambitious one and hope that we Can do it,” he says.

Other plays — in order

of staging — are “Equus”; Roger Hall’s musical which is about to play a return season in Dunedin, “Love Off the Shelf’; a small-cast comedy, hopefully by a New Zealand author; Shakespeare’s "Antony and Cleopatra”;, and “Squatter” by a New Zealand playwright, Stuart Hoar.

The number is less than last year. That, says Mr Hooper, is dictated by costs.

1986 was a difficult year for all New Zealand theatres, he says, but in

choosing this year’s programme he was guided by what he would enjoy watching rather than going for the safe plays that sell seats.

“It is an exciting programme.”

He would like to do “Equus” to give the Court’s youngest company member, Antony Hodgson the lead role. “Love Off the Shelf’ was to have been staged at the Christchurch theatre for Christmas 1985 but was not ready.

“Antony and Cleopatra”

is the production to begin term three and the theatre expects school audiences as well as general audiences because the play is in the school syllabus. “Squatter” was workshopped at the Playwrights’ Conference at Lincoln College in August. All the plays will be staged in the Court’s main theatre at the Arts Centre except for. “Love Off the Shelf,” which will be presented in the James Hay Theatre while the Court undergoes repairs.