Vintage directions for actor/director

By LINDA HERRICK, arts editor

Actor Stuart Devenie is also busy bossing fellow thespians around, but he's been doing it for 30 years. Devenie, seen on Auckland stages earlier in the year in Tom Scott's brilliant The Daylight Atheist, set up theatre company Playfair Ltd in Whangarei two years ago.

After successful runs last year of Cold Turkey and Take A Chance On Me, Playfair revives the Roger Hall perennial Middle Age Spread, which opens at Forum North in Captain Bougainville Theatre on Wednesday and runs until September 6. Devenie directs, and the cast includes Jan Fisher, who plays Ian Mune's wife in Mercy Peak, and Kelly Johnson, forever famous for his lead role in Goodbye Pork Pie.

Devenie says Playfair's intent is to focus on New Zealand works. The company has also set itself up as a talent agency.

Devenie, who will also helm The God Boy and Ladies Night for Playfair later in the year, started out directing radio drama 30 years ago. Where Elliott might be described as a directorial virgin, Devenie says he is moving from veteran to vintage.