Unfortunately Alex Williamson has been forced to cancel his show at Theatre Royal on Wednesday 20 March for personal reasons.

A New Musical by Jane Austen and Penny Ashton

Flushed by six years of success, from Edinburgh to Toronto to a sellout Nelson Arts Festival, returns Penny Ashton’s collaboration with Jane Austen (deceased). Join Miss Elspeth as she battles literary snobbery, cousin Horatio’s digestions and her mother’s nerves, armed only with a blushing countenance, excellent ukulele skills & being quite bright, you know... for a girl. In this hilarious, one-(freakishly talented)-woman show, Penny (Radio NZ’s Panel, Olive Copperbottom, Hot Pink Bits) tackles all of Austen’s characters with song, dance & appalling cross-stitching.

Best Theatre, Week Three - Adelaide Fringe
Touring Production of the Year - Dunedin Theatre Awards
Best Solo Show - Victoria Fringe, Canada

"PRIDE AND PREJUDICE GONE WILD IN THE BEST WAY" - 5 stars - Rip It Up

"A DELIGHT" - 5 stars - Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

"SPARKLING" - 4 stars - The Scotsman

Borderline Arts Ensemble - Aotearoa New Zealand

Inspired by the works of the great surrealist painters, Lobsters is a story about love itself, and the way we must peel away our shells to find our authentic selves.

Lobsters fuses invigorating contemporary dance with the eccentric and humorous story of a lobster who was once Salvador Dali's muse. She tells of her rise and fall, from celebrity artistic icon to washed-up cabaret singer, and observes with irony two young lovers (inspired by the famous painting by René Magritte) who struggle to connect their idealized image of love with reality.

Choreographer Lucy Marinkovich, recently returning from practising in Germany, Spain, France, Croatia and Singapore, combines talents with Athens-Wellington-NYC based theatre maker Miranda Manasiadis, to bring you the athletic and visually compelling Lobsters.

"...bawdy, sensual, glamorous, dirty, beautiful, and melancholic cabaret of ruminations on love, sex, and longing." THEATREVIEW

"...intense, physical, compelling..." DEIRDRE TARRANT

Awards
Wellington Theatre Awards 2017 - Best Ensemble Performance - EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNER
Lucien Johnson - Wellington Theatre Awards 2017 - WINNER - BEST SOUND DESIGNER
Wellington Theatre Awards 2017 - Carmel McGlone - CAMPION AWARD FOR MOST OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE

The Wonderful Adventures of a Robot Girl

BANDART Productions - Hungary

A 21st century Pinocchio that combines theatre with the newest digital technologies: projection, smart LED costume, robot ball and drone, in a fascinating story for all ages.

Robot girl Ann's goal is to become human. Her creator Alfred, a playful inventor, gives Ann one task - to collect and bring back home the lost creatures. During her wonderful journey on the ground, in the air and underwater, she faces many challenges that help her discover the most important virtues in life. But what else does Ann find? Follow her path to learn what she really discovers in this magical world!

In this beautifully animated, heart-warming family show from multi-award winning BANDART Productions, drawings come to life and performers move together with the projected visuals to create a 3D movie experience, right before our very eyes.

"Spell-binding!" IRISH MIRROR

"I didn't want it to end." JOHANNA, 6 YEARS OLD

"Grace, humour, creativity... every moment was remarkable." KELEMEN KISS ILONA HELÉN

Awards
1st Hungary's Got Talent - GOLDEN BUZZER
10th Internationale Kulturbörse Germany - WINNER 1ST PADERBORNER PERFORMANCE PRIZE

Recommended for age 4+ years.

An FCC and New Zealand Festival Co-Production - Aotearoa New Zealand

Samoan New Zealander Tusiata Avia's poetry becomes a fearless and enchanting piece of theatre under the direction of Anapela Polata'ivao and a cast of six powerful Pasefika actresses.

Breathing provocative new life into Avia's examination and celebration of what it is to be a Samoan woman, Polata'ivao's direction adds "extra levels of nuance, power and dramatic sophistication", which earned her Best Director in the 2016 Auckland Theatre Awards.

Through her vivid, compelling and at times hilarious characters, Avia paints a deeply personal view of Pacific Island life and its sometimes uneasy collisions with the Kiwi way.

Heart-stopping and unmissable theatre.

"One of the best pieces of theatre I've seen in many years." ALBERT WENDT

"Make time to catch the fantastic Wild Dogs Under My Skirt." DOMINION POST

"I highly recommend this. An amazing night." LYNN FREEMAN, RNZ NATIONAL

Awards
Anapela Polata'ivao - 2016 Auckland Theatre Awards - BEST DIRECTOR

Written by Tusiata Avia
Directed by Anapela Polata'ivao

The Charles Dickens classic story of Ebenezer Scrooge is re-told with a twist, cogs and gears. Everything you'd expect from the well-loved story but told in a way you've never seen before.

So Steampunk, what's that? Think science fiction, the old fashioned way: anachronistic technology driven by steam, brass goggles, intrepid inventors and some of the greatest top hats you will ever see.

This show is ideal for families, groups of friends, lovers of Steampunk and the curious who are keen to see something fresh, creative and fun. For further information please visit nelsonrepertory.org.nz

What do you call six women stranded on a mountain in the rain: ridiculous! Or you could call them social climbers - but just not to their faces!

Once at the hut, not only do they unload their packs full of food, wine, and a souvenir rock; their hang-ups get unloaded as well.

Torrential rain and a flooded bridge keep them stranded for three days. What they get up to, to help pass the time, raises a few eyebrows and will have you laughing, tearing up and applauding enthusiastically as they bare all.

Of course, it's not just souls that are exposed, there's a little nudity, a cracking thunderstorm, explosions, screaming bloody murder, ghostly stories, a birthday celebration, a séance, a drunken party, confessions, melt downs and revelations that will keep you and your friends entertained throughout.

Perfectly timed for your own social group's ascent into summer, don't miss this hilarious play when it comes to Nelson.

It's time to grow up and face the music, you can’t just tap dance through your life....Right?

From a stellar cast featuring the best of Nelson’s young talent, this will be the year’s favourite youth musical experience. With special guest stars and inspiring music and dance.

Presented by the students of SOUNDSTAGE, Professional Music and Performing Arts School, this is a theatre experience not to be missed.

The Beginner's Guide to Growing Up features ideas compiled by the students of SOUNDSTAGE exploring pressures facing youth today presented in a fast paced and fun musical concert format.

Presented in one act, The Beginner's Guide to Growing Up plays for a limited season.

Join Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe, Gloria the hip hip Hippo and, of course, those hilarious, plotting penguins as they bound onto your stage in the musical adventure of a lifetime.

Based on the smash DreamWorks animated motion picture, Madagascar - A Musical Adventure Jr follows all of your favourite friends as they escape from their home in New York's Central Park Zoo and find themselves on an unexpected journey to the madcap world of King Julien's Madagascar.

Alex the lion is the king of the urban jungle, the main attraction at New York's Central Park Zoo. He and his best friends - Marty the zebra, Melman the giraffe and Gloria the hippo - have spent their whole lives in blissful captivity before an admiring public and with regular meals provided for them. Not content to leave well enough alone, Marty lets his curiosity get the better of him and makes his escape - with the help of some prodigious penguins - to explore the world.

Filled with outlandish characters, adventure galore and an upbeat score, Madagascar Jr will leave audiences with no choice but to "Move It, Move It!"

Grease is the original High-School musical, featuring all the unforgettable songs from the hit movie including 'You're The One That I Want', 'Grease Is The Word', 'Summer Nights', 'Hopelessly Devoted To You', 'Sandy', 'Greased Lightnin' and many more.

Since the show's Broadway premiere in 1972, followed by the 1978 hit movie starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John - which went on to become the highest grossing movie-musical of all time - Grease has triumphed across the globe, striking a universal chord with its irresistible mix of adolescent angst, vibrant physicality and 1950s pop culture.