Rep Talk: Treading the boards again

Gillian Avery is off to learn all her lines as Lily in Direct Hit. Photo / Supplied

"The last time I was on stage at Rep was about four years ago, I think. It was when we did 'Eugenia' and I played the part of the Italian landlady at the boarding hostel," Gillian Avery told me when I asked about her last appearance on Repertory Theatre's stage.

In Direct Hit, Gillian is playing the part of Lily, a stage manager.

"She's stayed at home in small town New Zealand but has done rather well in theatre," Gillian said.

How are rehearsals progressing?

"It's all going quite well. Kerry Girdwood, the director, is working us quite hard but we need that. It's a nice cast and we're all getting along quite well. There are a lot of lines to learn and that's a bit of a challenge so I've recorded them and listen to them when I go walking.

"The play is set in the backstage area of a theatre, therefore there's not a lot of work involved in constructing a set. It's pretty much sorted already."

When Gillian's not treading the boards at Repertory Theatre, she enjoys travelling with her husband.

"Last year's lockdown stopped our travels for a while but we had taken our vintage vehicle to Normandy in France for the D-Day celebrations in 2019. We'd gone there for the celebrations five years beforehand too."

We're happy that Gillian's back at Repertory. I've no doubt she'll learn those lines and give us a splendid performance in Direct Hit.

"It's coming along really well," she said.

I'm sure it is.