KEY POINTS:
Two plays opened at the Silo Theatre this weekend as part of The Ensemble Project, an initiative designed to give the next generation of young Auckland actors a chance to strut their stuff in a semi-professional environment.
Like a thespian Idol (but without the TV cameras and the sponsorship), 260 wannabe actors aged 30 and under applied and 160 were auditioned for 12 spots. Unlike the Idol phenomenon, the experience these young actors will gain is hands-on, real industry experience with input from luminaries such as Michael Hurst and Oliver Driver.
The two plays are performed on alternate nights from March 20 until April 7. First up is Tis Pity She's a Whore, a renaissance tragedy adapted for a modern audience and directed by Hurst, who describes it as a dark and bloody experience, like opening a black box of spiders. The second play, Based on Auckland, is directed by Driver. It strings together tales of urban life that are close to home, looking beyond the landscape and finding a darker side to Auckland life.
The cast of The Ensemble Project includes Michelle Blundell, Barnie Duncan, Semu Filipo, Sophie Henderson, Jonathan Hodge, Morgana O'Reilly, Glen Pickering, Bonnie Soper, Esther Stephens, Sarah Thompson, Curtis Vowell and Glen-Paul Waru.
