Go-anywhere jilted bride

Helen Moulder can take her play just about anywhere.

It is home delivery theatre - and school, library, church, hall, art gallery, even farm shed theatre, too. Any venue that offers a space 5m by 3m is possible. In Okarito, on the West Coast, with that township's most famous resident, writer Keri Hulme, sitting in the front row, the multitasking Helen Moulder performed her one-woman travelling show Playing Miss Havisham in a historic store, minus electricity.

In true trouper style she simply ran a lead from an obliging neighbour's house. She routinely operates her mini-lighting and sound system on stage as she acts and sings.

And Keri Hulme's informed critique? "Brilliant."

Moulder, on tour with Miss Havisham since April, has a career that encompasses 30 years of professional acting and singing. Her last performance in Auckland was in 2004 with Royal New Zealand Ballet veteran artist Sir Jon Trimmer in Meeting Karpovsky, for which she was awarded Actress of the Year in the Wellington Theatre Awards.

It was while travelling through New Zealand with Trimmer that she hit on the idea for Miss Havisham.

"We would be whizzing through the countryside and Jon would spy a tumbledown hall in the middle of nowhere and announce, 'I have danced in there'," she says.

"A little show like this can go anywhere and rural people are so receptive. I played in one beautiful community hall where they hadn't had a play for 70 years. And the show is so portable. Someone might ring and say can you manage Saturday night? And everything is likely still packed in my van and I can."

Moulder wrote Playing Miss Havisham with director and dramaturge Sue Rider, inspired by Moulder playing the role of Miss Havisham in the 2003 Court Theatre production of Great Expectations.

It explores the Dickens character - with a contemporary twist. The main character is Claudia, a farmer's wife with thespian desires, auditioning for the role of Miss H for an eccentric Irish film-maker. Just as in the novel, things do not work out as expected.

"Claudia's story is very loosely based on what happens to Pip in Great Expectations," says Moulder. "But you don't need to be familiar with the book ... It is really about expectations and how we deal with disappointment."

The show has been used by some groups as a fundraising event.

Moulder's Auckland season begins at the Howick Little Theatre on Friday.


Lowdown

* What: Playing Miss Havisham
* Where and when: Howick Little Theatre, Aug 25-Sep 2
* On the web: willowproductions.co.nz; email bookings, iTicket, or phone the HLT on (09) 534 1406