If there’s one thing you can say about mankind, there’s nothing kind about man
– Tom Waits
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14-29 April, 2023, The Pumphouse
Roll up, ladies and gentlemen! A dark carnival is coming to town.
A carnival sideshow in an army barracks, our military band will pump out rousing surrealistic songs and other fairground entertainments providing sarcastic comments on the human condition and the act of civilisation. The third in the acclaimed Tom Waits, Kathleen Brennan and Robert Wilson musicals, which began with The Black Rider and Alice, Woyzeck is a “fragmented, nightmare-like fable”. The story shows how a good man is turned by society into a murderer. In our version Woyzeck is played by a woman. This gives the actor the opportunity to also explore man and male behaviour, discovering that “man is an abyss - you get dizzy when you look down into it“ (Georg Büchner, the original playwright).
…it’s like a hammer or it’s a tool or it’s a vehicle. It deals with madness and children and obsession and murder - all the things that we care about and care about now as we did then. It’s wild and sexy and curious and catches your imagination and makes you wonder about the people in it and it makes you reflect on your own life |
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Media, InterviewsInterview for Toi Ōtautahi with Zara Potts and Producer Marian McCurdy Read here.
The RDU Burnt Breakfast with Liam - interview with Hester Ullyart - https://rdu.org.nz/podcast/woyzeck/ Salvage yard becomes theatre for new Tom Waits musical in Christchurch Charlie Gates, The Press, 19:00, Apr 09 2023 Reviews |
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Woyzeck is as stylish, assertive and focused a production as you would expect from Free Theatre. The dark vision of the nineteenth century original and its uncompromising critique of the powerful in society aligns perfectly with the theatrical strengths of the Free Theatre company. ...an immersive experience that transports the audience into a world of esoteric steampunk fever dreams.... I’m so glad I left the house on a very cold Wednesday night to be presented with a flagon full of joyous chaos |
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Review: Woyzeck. Free Theatre - Review by Jennifer Shennan for Michelle Potter....on dancing. 30th Apr
...there won’t be many productions to outshine this one. The cast brims with actors who can really sing, singers who can really dance, dancers who can really act, and none of them is clone to the others. (How refreshing. That doesn’t happen often in my town). The throbbing band onstage—sax, bass, guitar and drums ̶ provides the transport and are terrific." |
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Woyzeck was the first production Free Theatre ever produced in 1980 and we're excited to return to this story.
Original 1980 Free Theatre artists Woyzeck - John McClatchie Marie - Stephanie Johnson The captain - Mark di Somma The doctor, The Jew - Nick Frost The drum-major, The ape, The horse - Godfrey Sim The barker - Karl Knaup Lighting Operator - Roger Phillips Stage Manager - Sue Donaldson Poster - Geraldine Oliver Directed by - Peter Falkenberg 
Audience Responses:What a night, we've been talking about it since. The cast and band were wonderful. The Pumphouse was such a brilliant, evocative backdrop 
Loved it!! So fantastic. Loved the premiere! 
Not a ‘classic’ musical, by any means… but this production, which has sold well already, is part of the variety and vibrancy of our theatre scene in Christchurch. |
Extraordinary production by Free Theatre Christchurch of the acclaimed musical “Woyzeck” at The Pumphouse on Tuam St. What an incredible venue! Get on down to see it before the end of the run. Gotta say the set was utterly fantastic too!! 🙌 
The show was magnificent ❤️ We went tonite - so, so very good! Dont miss it! 
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What an amazing show. Mesmerising! What a triumph. Congratulations 
What a show!! Incredible talent on display tonight, man o man, the singing! The Pump House is a fabulous venue too. So wonderful to see Council funding supporting the arts and of course our artists. Thank you wholeheartedly for in invitation, I thoroughly enjoyed the evening. Chilling performance. I loved every bit. Great cast, excellent band. All the World is Green was one of the best versions I ever listened. Very well done ...what a fabulous time we had on Wednesday. It was a brilliant production and left us on a lovely high. Hester was pretty amazing in her role and the way in which she conveyed Woyzeck's anxiety and the unsettled nature of his mental state; being battered by the insults and enforced poverty of his oppressors. [The] doctor was also fantastic. God's Away On Business blew our socks off. The audience all rowing was genius. Just brilliant! |
What an absolute delight Amazing work. Well worth it. Incredible venue, incredible music, incredible acting and incredible performance.👏🔥👏" Great production of the Tom Waits musical Woyzeck by Free Theatre Christchurch last night - and an awesome venue at the old Pump House on Tuam St. 
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