Theatresports return

Press, 27 January 1988, Page 19

Theatresports return

Theatresports, a sort of theatrical Top Town, are on the bill again at the Court Theatre. The 1988 season begins on March 13 and will continue on Sunday afternoons. Teams are made up of actors, business groups, family groups and social clubs. The Court is running workshop week-ends for teams who have not participated before. The first was last week-end and this week-end sees another two-day workshop. From February 8 to 13 the theatre will hold a workshop week with Lyn

Pierse, an Australian tutor in theatresports. Sessions will be held each day and evening. Further weekend workshops may be held in February if required. On March 13 competition begins and teams will run through 12 rounds before the New Zealand national final on June 19. Theatresports began life in Canada as an exercise for students. The rules were formalised and public performances given. In Australia the form has become very popular and in Sydney is based at the Belvoir Street

Theatre. It was there the Court’s director, Elric Hooper, first saw the games and acquired the rights for them. The Court presented the first complete New Zealand presentation and seasons in Dunedin, Wellington, Palmerston North, and Auckland followed. The first national final, featuring teams from these competitions, will be held in Christchurch. Two New Zealand teams will be chosen to take part in the international theatresports planned for the Brisbane Expo in July.