Drama in the Harbour
Following the Second World War, the Department of Internal Affairs subsidised the building of war memorials across New Zealand. In February, our Memorial Hall was 70 years old. It has been, and continues to be, a precious asset to our community that is intended to be a memorial to those who suffered in darker times.
One group that made use of the hall and stage for a large part of those 70 years was the Peninsula Merrymakers. This group was formed in the early 1960s and put on shows for over forty years. It is thanks to the Merrymakers that we have “The Green Room” (originally known as the “Stage Room”). Revenue from their productions was fed back into the Community to improve the facilities that many of us enjoy today.
Sadly, the Merrymakers disbanded in 2006. After more than four decades of community-based entertainment, music and laughter, the stage fell quiet. There have been several stunning performances from our younger residents since 2006, but the latent talents of our adult actors have remained hidden. That is, until now!
Earlier this year, Martin Bouse, an experienced theatrical director, put out a call for expressions of interest in forming a drama group here. There was sufficient interest to form a group, select a play and begin rehearsing. It seemed as though a lot of us were just waiting for a catalyst to rekindle Diamond Harbour’s theatrical tradition – and Martin was that catalyst.
As show-time approaches I would like to thank those members of our community that have helped us get to where we are now. There is a strong feeling that the return of live theatre to Diamond Harbour is something special.
Our first production is a comedy that is a play about a community theatre group – a “play-within-a-play”. It has been hilariously unnerving reading the script as it describes some of the challenges our group has faced. The playwright, Rick Abbot, clearly had a lot of experience with amateur dramatic groups when he penned this piece in the 1980s. Since then, it has proven to be popular around the World.
Play On! revolves around a group of budding thespians who are trying to put on a production of “Murder Most Foul” by their local playwright Phyllis Montague. Unfortunately, as the deadline to perform the show approaches, Phyllis insists on changing the script, with chaotic consequences.
We sincerely hope that you enjoy watching the show as much as we have enjoyed producing it for you. Our group, Drama in the Harbour, was formed on a foundation of fun and we want to share that sense of fun with you.
We will be performing on 28th, 29th and 30th of November.
With tickets selling fast, be sure to book now.
You can either scan the QR code, visit https://dith.nz or ask for help at dith@cheerful.com.
by Lord Dudley!
