The cast of Harlequin Theatre’s final show, A Bunch of Amateurs. PHOTO/CAROL BUCK
EMMA BROWN
[email protected]
Members of the Harlequin Theatre in Masterton will take their final bow next week.
A Bunch of Amateurs, which started on Thursday night, will be the last show under the company banner.
From January 1, all performances will be under the new name, Masterton Theatre Company, the result of the merger between Harlequin and Masterton Amateur Theatrical Society.
Director Rita Ann Penhale said when she put her hand up to direct A Bunch of Amateurs, it hadn’t dawned on her that it would be the last show under the Harlequin banner.
When it did, “Yikes” was her first thought.
“That’s a real privilege,” she said.
She said people will love the show and laugh with the characters.
“It’s very, very funny, both in situation and line wise.
“I’ve been watching it two to three times a week for a while now and I am still enjoying it.”
A Bunch of Amateurs is about an amateur theatre group in a small village in England.
When they lose their funding, they come up with a plan to get a famous actor to take part in a play to gain support.
“Let’s just say he was not pleased to learn he would be performing with amateurs,” Penhale said.
The show runs until Saturday, December 14.
Harlequin president Carol Buck said they were excited about the upcoming merger.
Masterton Theatre Company had formed a strong committee that would take theatre forward while making sure that the history of the two previous companies wasn’t lost, she said.
Tickets, dates and times for A Bunch of Amateurs are available online at eventfinda.co.nz/2019/a-bunch-of-amateurs/masterton
