Paul Maunder

Paul Maunder founded the influential Amamus Theatre Group in the 70s and made several ground breaking films for the National Film Unit followed by the feature film, Sons for the Return Home (1979) based on Albert Wendt’s novel. He now operates out of Blackball on the West Coast (Māwhera) producing community theatre with his company Kiwi/Possum Productions.

Peter Falkenberg Artistic Director of Free Theatre was the supervisor for Paul’s PhD thesis on community-based theatre in New Zealand and this began a conversation about collaborating together on a project.

This led to a production of Beckett's Endgame with a premiere in the old Miners Bathhouse in Blackball in January 2021.

Falkenberg first directed a Beckett play in 1999 with Krapp’s Last Tape featuring Alan Brunton, founder of another eminent alternative theatre group - Red Mole Theatre - just before his death. Endgame is the first time Maunder and Falkenberg have collaborated on a theatrical project.