Comment angers Shortland Street director

By LINDA HERRICK, arts editor

Last Monday we reported on writer-performer Duncan Sarkies and why he would not bring his one-man show Wild Man Eyes to Auckland: because he and his producer believe the city does not have an affordable theatre space which would make a production viable without the magnet of a Shortland Street star. We also featured comment on casting from Auckland Theatre Company associate director Oliver Driver.

We welcome debate, so here is a response from New Zealand Actors Company director and Shortland Street executive director Simon Bennett. The letter has had to be trimmed because of length and faintly abusive content.

"Herrick quotes extensively the opinions of Duncan Sarkies and his producer Greg Wilkstrom. So much so, she appears to be deferring to their opinions exclusively as a necessary qualification for her own prejudice. Her bulletin concerns an alleged stranglehold Shortland Street actors are perceived as holding over Auckland theatre productions. In line with Herrick's recent assessment of the NZ Actors Company's production of Leah, her latest column asserts that soap actors are anathema to the stage, and the utilisation of their profiles to promote ticket sales is somehow judged to be a bad thing. The article states: 'Shortland Street is not the best training for an actor and they can pick up some very, very bad habits.'

"Following this logic, there are two intended points here - the prohibition of actors who work on Shortland Street from performing on stage; and the deterring of Auckland production companies from exploiting the profiles of television actors when marketing their shows.

"When casting, either for Shortland Street or for a stage show, my priority is always to choose the best actor for the role. It is no coincidence that many of the most experienced and acclaimed stage actors have also appeared on Shortland Street. It is a no-brainer to state there are few leading actors who have not appeared on the show over the past 10 years.

"In regard to the NZ Actors Company, we choose to utilise the public profiles of all our actors, their previous accolades and acknowledge their training. In terms of our regional touring shows - 2000's A Midsummer Night's Dream and 2001's A Way of Life - this strategy proved extremely prudent. We will do anything to entice people unfamiliar with theatre to come and enjoy a show.

"Having acknowledged this, I would emphasise a Shortland Street profile does not determine my casting decisions. I will always cast the actor I believe most suitable for each role.

" Most theatre producers I know contend Shortland Street profiles are not particularly strong selling points in either Auckland or Wellington.

"What disturbs [me] most about Herrick's column is that the theatre industry in this country is a fragile animal. Our community is tiny and our ventures fraught with risk. For the artform to merely survive we need to celebrate the talents and achievements of all the people who are brave and foolish enough to make theatre. The tone of [this] column is destructive, salacious and divisive.

"Some serious questions need to be asked. What is the role of arts journalism in the print media? What is the role of the critic? On what criteria does one become a critic? How can our fragile performance industries be celebrated and genuinely fostered? Is regional rivalry good for the artform? Until theatre can be addressed in the media in a way that is constructive, intelligent and informed, the prejudices and cliches of public perception will be perpetuated, and the artform continue to languish." - Simon Bennett

* Last time we checked, practitioners of theatre beyond the parameters of Auckland were allowed to make their views known, and it's unfortunate if an airing of those views is inevitably labelled "destructive and divisive". The flip side - "constructive" media support - can occasionally veer into the dangerous territory of PR, unhelpful to anyone. But why is it that critics are always to blame for the so-called demise of theatre? Isn't it all about standards of performance and direction, and honest, informed reportage of such?

Simon Bennett feels strongly about the issue. If you do too, tell us.

* arts@nzherald.co.nz