Rep Talk: Theatre connection runs in the family genes for Whanganui director

Hamish McDouall's family have a long association with theatre, writes Nadine Rayner in this week's Rep Talk.

OPINION:

While I was chatting with our former mayor Hamish McDouall, he mentioned his parents first met during rehearsals for Rio Rita, an amateur dramatic production. It was in 1967 and they were both in Fiddler on the Roof too, he said. One of Hamish’s first theatre experiences was helping out with his mother’s dancing school productions, and now his teenage daughter is a keen member of Repertory Theatre, having appeared in several productions.

That’s three generations of the McDouall family treading the boards. While he was a pupil at Whanganui‘s Collegiate School, Hamish acted in several plays, he says.

“I remember being directed by Kerry Girdwood, a teacher at the school.”

In his Otago University days, Hamish was heavily involved with The Globe Theatre, he says.

“I’ve been in all kinds of plays... dramas to comedies. There was a really brilliant director at The Globe, Reg Graham, and he was truly inspirational. Unfortunately he’s no longer with us, so I’d like to dedicate this, my first production, to Reg Graham.”

With auditions taking place over the past couple of days, the beginnings of an exciting theatrical experience will be taking shape. The Woman in Black certainly already has me intrigued.