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When Sophie Dingemans heard the astonishing tale of how her great-grandmother Grace Oakeshott faked her death in 1907 and ran away to New Zealand with the man she loved, it changed her life.
Dingemans may have been only 10 years old when she heard the story but she already had an ear for a drama. Writing a play based on Grace's tale became an overriding ambition.
Nineteen years later, the dream has been realised. Grace premiered at Wellington's Bats Theatre last month and now arrives in Auckland for a week-long run at the Basement (formerly the Silo).
"Seeing it on stage was a complex emotional experience because this story has shaped pretty much my entire life," says Dingemans, who also directs the play.
"I have vivid memories of ... asking my mother about our family. She just told me, quite casually, that my great-grandmother had faked her own death so she could come out to New Zealand with my great-grandfather.
"I was thrilled and inspired and thought it was courageous and amazing that someone in my family had done something so brave."
Grace Oakeshott was 36, active in the socialist Fabian Society and hoping to be elected to the London County Council. Her husband of 13 years was fellow Fabian Harold Oakeshott.
Dingemans believes the marriage was based on a meeting of minds rather than hearts, but when Grace met the charismatic Dr Walter Reeve she realised she wanted more from a relationship. Rather than put Harold through the public humiliation of a divorce, she faked her death by drowning and came with Walter to New Zealand, where they had three children.
As Dingemans got older, she saw the complexity in the story. While some might regard Grace as brave for following her heart, others could view her actions as cruel and deceitful.
Exploring this tension, and setting the story against the political ferment of Edwardian London, allowed Dingemans to avoid romantic melodrama.
The script caught the eye of one of her tutors after she began an MA in theatre studies at Auckland University in 2006. Anders Falstie-Jensen, who co-founded The Rebel Alliance Theatre Company three years ago, realised immediately its potential.
"It has been amazing for me as a young writer and director to have this [chance]," Dingemans says. "Blood, sweat and tears have gone intothis."
Grace stars Nicci Reuben, Jo Lees, Michael Downey, Brian Moore and Andrew Waterson.
* Grace is on at The Basement, Sept 15-18
