by David Lindsay-Abaire
Directed by Jan Saussey

Season 1st August - 15th August 2015

The Corbetts have everything a family could want, until the day their world is turned upside down.

In the aftermath of a life-shattering accident, a young husband and wife find themselves drifting perilously apart. Rabbit Hole charts their bittersweet search for comfort in the darkest of places...and for a path that will lead them back up into the light of day.
 
Undoubtedly, the simplicity has been a crucial component in the accolades the play has received. Significant events do happen of course, but Lindsay-Abaire’s presentation is so subtle that the audience does not see the shifts until they have already occurred. This is a play that shows how close comedy and tragedy really are. In many ways, what makes it bearable to watch Becca and Howie work through their grief is the liberal amount of humour Lindsay-Abaire has included in the script. The positive responses that greeted Rabbit Hole often praise it on similar terms: its ability to juxtapose heartfelt emotion with moments of incredible humour.

Rabbit Hole opened on Broadway in 2006 and in 2007 won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

In 2007, film director John Cameron Mitchell announced his plans for a movie adaptation and was released in 2010. The film starred Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart as Becca and Howie.

Director

There aren’t many plays that have an impact quite like Rabbit Hole. From the moment I read it I was hooked and so began a captivating journey, not only studying the play and its characters but comprehending the human response to grief.

This play will certainly move you. Not with dramatic explosions of emotions and oratory flamboyance, but in its stark simplicity and raw truth. Blessed with a truly fine cast and a talented and enthusiastic crew, Rabbit Hole will certainly satisfy those discerning audiences whose need for fine drama is paramount in their quest for good entertainment.

Every cast member was captivated by Mr. Lindsay-Abaire’s poetic empathy and understanding of people who become displaced within their own lives. Rehearsals were a curious mix of the mechanics on stage and illuminating discussions on character behaviour and response. Rabbit Hole left us all with a deeper understanding of the anatomy of grief.

as Becca

If you have been a long-term member of Dolphin Theatre, you may remember me from previous productions, many moons ago - including Five Finger Exercise (2002) and The Amorous Ambassador (2007), the latter being my final show preceding a six-year hiatus from amateur theatre due to a mixture of travel and work and study commitments. My recent roles include Actress 3 in The Dining Room (2013), and Deirdre in I Hate Hamlet (2014), both for the Ellerslie Theatrical Society; however, my most fulfilling role is my real-life one, as a Year 8 Teacher at Bucklands Beach Intermediate. 

as Howie

My first Auckland appearance was in Nude with Violin at Ellerslie Theatre in 2012. As well as in The Memory of Water in 2013, I was last seen at Dolphin in tight leather trousers as Thomas the Toy-boy in It’s Never Too Late. I then jumped at the chance to audition for the completely different role of Howie in this great play. It is real drama, but with a small ‘d’. While the writing is understated, I think it is an honest reflection of how people respond to difficult circumstances.

Outside of acting, I am studying playwriting part-time at the University of Auckland and directing my latest one-act play as part of the Ellerslie One Act Play Festival at the end of August.

as Izzy

I moved to Auckland nearly three years ago, and since then I’ve been working nonstop in theatre. Some of my credits include Puck in Revenge of the Amazon by Female Company; Man to Woman in Woman: A Collection of Absurdist Monologues; Gower in Pericles, Prince of Tyre; and Elvira in Blithe Spirit at Dolphin earlier this year. In 2016, I will appear as Frances Lorraine in Radar’s Chequered Past.

When not acting I’m a manager/bartender at the Classic Comedy Club. I’m excited to be working with a fantastic cast and crew, and I would like to thank Jan for her love and support, because without her none of this would be possible.

as Nat

I began performing at a very early age for my parents and their long- suffering friends. I found out only a few years ago that one of those friends was a professional actor before WWII and told my parents that if I didn’t become an actress it was a criminal waste! I don’t know about that, but I have loved treading the boards in Auckland since 1987.

I have directed and acted mostly at Dolphin and Howick Little Theatre, last appearing as Dotty Ottley/Mrs Clackett in Noises Off at the end of 2014. My last outing at Dolphin was directing On Golden Pond and playing one of the lead roles at short notice when a cast member had to withdraw due to ill health. I will be directing Last of the Summer Wine here at Dolphin later this year. Rabbit Hole has been a joy – a wonderfully talented young cast and a brilliant, kind and wise director.

as Jason

I began acting in community theatre productions with ‘Shakespeare in the Park’ (2014). My first role was Don Jon in Shoreside Theatre’s production of Much Ado About Nothing, followed by Measure for Measure (2015) in the role of Duke Vincentio. During this production I began rehearsing for The History Boys at the Pumphouse in the role of Posner. In April I was part of a live public installation as a WWI soldier for Anzac Day, which was also filmed for a television commercial for The History Channel. I am very much enjoying working on this gem of a drama with this charming little cast.