The Surprise Party

Dates and times

Wed, Oct 7 - 7:30pm Preview Night
Thu, Oct 8 - 7:30pm
Fri, Oct 9 - 7:30pm
Sat, Oct 10 - 4:00pm Matinee
Sun, Oct 11 - 4:00pm Matinee
Tue, Oct 13 - 7:30pm
Wed, Oct 14 - 11:00am Matinee
Wed, Oct 14 - 7:30pm
Thu, Oct 15 - 7:30pm
Fri, Oct 16 - 7:30pm
Sat, Oct 17 - 2:00pm Matinee
Sat, Oct 17 - 7:30pm
Sun, Oct 18 - 4:00pm Matinee

Venue

The PumpHouse Theatre

Prices

Earlybird Adult $55.00
Earlybird Senior (65+) $45.00
Earlybird Group 10+ $50.00
Friends of The PumpHouse $49.00
Student $49.00
Equity Member $49.00

Earlybird Pricing Ends on 23rd September
After this date, prices will be:
Adult $59.00
Senior (65+) $49.00
Group 10+ $55.00

Preview (Wednesday 7th October)
All Tickets $39.00

Additional fees

Booking Fee	$7.50 per booking
Card Processing Fee	2.5%

How to get tickets

Buy tickets online now from The PumpHouse Theatre box office:

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Event type

Theatre

About

Dave Armstrong’s incisive, hilarious comedy epitomises the hopeless merry-go-round of politics that happens every election cycle.

This October, Tadpole Productions presents The Surprise Party, a comedy by award-winning playwright Dave Armstrong (Spin Doctors, Niu Sila, Westie).

As election fever escalates in New Zealand, The Surprise Party is a madcap take on politics, MMP and the political relationships that exist in New Zealand today. A high-energy comedy about an incompetent political party hoping to survive another election, starring beloved actor, director and writer Alison Quigan (Shortland Street, The Brokenwood Mysteries, Madam) as Tracey alongside one of New Zealand’s most experienced actors, Stephen Papps (Pike River, Happiness, Crackhead), who plays Doug. The ensemble cast features actors Brayden Cresswell, Shauntelle Jones, Ben Porter and Chloe Thomsen.

Doug Morris (Stephen Papps) is the sole MP for the POP Party. He only owes his popularity to the fact that his father was an All Black and his Mum was Miss New Zealand. When he and his bumbling party members gather for the Election night results, they’re in for some huge surprises!. “We’re stuck with a Transport Minister who can’t drive; a union bully bus driver as potential Foreign Minister and an ex-service station attendant who won’t use the internet running the economy.”

Former Auckland Theatre Company Artistic Director Colin McColl ONZM, who boasts a long career in Television, Opera and Theatre performance and direction, locally and internationally, brings his extraordinary Directorial skills to the stage this October.

With modern-day politics feeling more like a satire on itself, The Surprise Party takes a swipe at idealistic, uncompromising and increasingly humour-resistant factions. In the current world climate, over-the-top political antics are sadly increasingly mainstream, but the play is a reminder that in this divided age we have more similarities than differences, regardless of our party preferences, and we are all only human. Enabling compromise is the only solution. And we can – and should – always share a laugh.

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