12 Aug 2014
Wolfgang Creative in association with The Basement present: DOG
Written by Ben Hutchison. Directed by Jeff Szusterman
Starring Shavaughn Ruakere, Gareth Williams, Mick Innes
TV star Shavaughn Ruakere makes her theatrical debut in a touching comedic tale about an old man’s love for his best friend – DOG. Written by founding member of The Lonesome Buckwhips, Ben Hutchison, DOG, plays at The Basement Theatre from August 19th 2014.
War veteran Neville is intent on paying a tribute to his dog that would be befitting of any of his good mates. Unfortunately, he can't get his hands on a cannon to initiate a 21-gun salute. So instead, he is doing the next best thing, by playing the decaying corpse its favourite song 21 times before he puts him in the ground. But it's taking ages, and Nev's boarder Olivia and her rejected admirer Warwick find themselves walking an emotional tightrope to sensitively fast-track getting the dog buried.
Touching upon themes of death, aging and loneliness, this bittersweet and endearing account of one man’s love for his best friend tackles its material in an original and charmingly comic way.
This production also reunites Hutchison with fellow Buckwhip Gareth Williams, known to many for his performances in the multi-award-winning Apollo 13: Mission Control and his Chapman Tripp Award winning role in Indian Ink’s The Dentist Chair, which also garnered him a Metro Magazine “Newcomer of the Year” award. Rounding off this three-hander, Ruakere and Williams will be joined on stage by veteran actor Mick Innes (Echo Point, Super City, Zen Dog, Hounds).
Ben Hutchison will be most remembered for his work with popular music-comedy quartet The Lonesome Buckwhips. The group became perennial fringe festival favourites throughout New Zealand and Australia (including a NZ Fringe Festival Award for “Best Comedy”) – even receiving a nomination for the illustrious Billy T Award in 2008. Hutchison was also responsible for writing and starring in a four-part mockumentary on the quartet which aired on Radio New Zealand in 2009.
The buzz surrounding Dog’s premiere season at The Basement Theatre makes it one of the “must-see” new works in 2014.
It would be a dog-gone shame to miss this.
DOG is a Creative New Zealand and Auckland Council supported production.
DOG plays 19th – 30th August 2014, 8pm
The Basement Theatre, Lower Greys Avenue, Auckland CBD
Tickets: $23 - $25
Bookings through iTicket – www.iticket.co.nz or 0800 iTicket
For more information contact: Michelle Lafferty at Elephant Publicity - +64 9 368 4180 or elephantpublicity@paradise.net.nz
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