Kirwin and Stuart have teamed together to produce The Absurditorium debuting tonight.
Kirwin and Stuart have teamed together to produce The Absurditorium debuting tonight.
One of the country's most respected entertainment industry veterans and a young, upcoming playwright have teamed up to produce a show debuting in Whangārei tonight.
The Absurditorium is the third play written by 19-year-old Whangārei actor Kirwin Hampshire. His first, written early last year, and second, during lockdown, also had input from veteran theatre director Stuart Devenie, who is directing the latest. Hampshire is also starring in the play.
Their collaboration stems from Hampshire's high school days after sharing his first written work with his Pompallier College guidance counsellor Damian Pullen.
"He suggested I write a play and, after I shared it with him, gave me Stuart's contacts. Stuart helped me workshop Bedfellow and encouraged me to write another, and he was ready to help me through the entire process with this one," said Hampshire.
Veteran actor Stuart Devenie said Kirwin Hampshire's script was one of the most exciting he has encountered in a long time.
Devenie said Hampshire's script is one of the most exciting he has encountered in a long time.
"I was drawn to the script because of its amazing energy in language, character and story. These, combined with a fearsome sense of comedy, have made the process of uncovering the layers of meaning through the workshopping and rehearsal process one of the most fulfilling I have experienced."
Red noses rule for Daniel Wood and Kirwin Hampshire in The Absurditorium.
The Absurditorium centres around two men, Hampshire and fellow actor Daniel Wood, their relationship kept deliberately ambiguous, in a room they seem unable to leave. They have adequate supplies of food, drink and toilet paper, and the only diversion available to them from the monotonous grind of everyday life is a large box of clothes and costumes.
Hampshire explains: "The Absurditorium is about two men in a room, with a relationship entrenched in habit. They have probably been in this room for a long time. Consequently, they engage in escapism through scenes which they act out, and these scenes tell us more about their relationship than they are prepared to address directly."
Kirwin Hampshire and Daniel Wood interact in the room.
He said he was inspired to write the play based on last year's experience, which the audience may relate to.
"I am always reluctant to tell an audience what is relevant for them but a comedy about two people who, for some unexplained reason, are unable to leave their home, may find a current resonance. It was not a fun year. I'm well-acquainted with frustration and loneliness, and these characters have it in spades. I wanted to explore the relationship between two people afflicted with problems that I can understand, at least in part."
Hampshire said he found the dual roles of writer and actor challenging.
"I've had to switch between them continually. When I sit down as the writer I can let my cruel imagination run freely, but as the actor I suffer the physical consequences of that damn writer and his wild demands. Because Stuart is the director, I don't have complete control either. So I have had to change and improve the script as we discover things, which is mentally exhausting, and then jump up and make it work in the physical world, which is physically exhausting."
Kirwin said it is rewarding working with Stuart as he has a wealth of knowledge and experience to draw from.
Of working with Devenie, he said: "It's demanding, rewarding and very enjoyable. Stuart has high expectations for our performance, as I would hope. He appreciates the script's merits and wants to see them realised in a great presentation, which is only possible if the actors are effective. It's very rewarding because Stuart has a wealth of knowledge and experience to draw from, and a very well-developed set of methods which ensure that we know what we are doing. Additionally, he has that spark of imagination which means he's able to generate a fabulous buffet of ideas for us to try out."
Devenie said: "The most fulfilling aspect for me has been working with young actors, 50 years distant from me, who display such astonishing skill, courage and commitment to the work. A rare and rewarding privilege."
The show opens today at 7.30pm and runs for a week at OneOneSix, 116 Bank St with a matinee show tomorrow at 4pm. Tickets are available at Eventfinda and The Hub.
