WELCOME TO THE GREAT OUTDOORS

B.Y.O Camping Chair

Camping, a New Zealand summer tradition. Beautiful sandy beaches, lush landscapes, sausages on the barbeque, the smell of dimp and the salty sea air... each summer we return to the arms of Mother Nature, parting with our creature comforts for a taste of The Great Outdoors. 

After sell-out seasons at Auckland's The Basement theatre and The Fortune as part of the Dunedin Fringe 2010, Auckland-based Yes Please Theatre are delighted to present I Heart Camping at BATS Theatre this April. An original New Zealand theatre work written by Sophie Henderson and Curtis Vowell, I Heart Camping will appeal to anyone who has ever pitched a tent.

Leading theatre professional Cameron Rhodes directs four familiar faces from New Zealand's stage and screen in this unforgettable unromantic comedy starring Sophie Henderson, Curtis Vowell, Michelle Blundell and Gareth Williams. Sophie Henderson, last seen as Outrageous Fortune's bad-girl lawyer Bailey Wilson, is joined by actor Curtis Vowell, who many may recognise as the face of Freeview. Both Michelle Blundell, who has enjoyed a variety of roles with Silo Theatre and Auckland Theatre Company, and Gareth Williams, otherwise known as the malnourished Gary Buckwhip of The Lonesome Buckwhips, relish the chance to play a handful wonderfully offbeat characters in I Heart Camping.

William (Curtis Vowell) has surprised Samantha (Sophie Henderson) by taking her to the camp ground she came to every year as a child. Samantha is lying about loving the place. William is lying about being a camping expert. They are about to find out they barely know each other. A collection of eccentric campers played by Michelle Blundell and Gareth Williams make this a camping trip to remember. A hilarious look at the Kiwi camping experience, I Heart Camping promises to evoke wonderful memories of bygone summers.

Torrential rain. Outrageous neighbours.

Stolen baked beans. Third degree burns. No privacy.

Its in tents.

'It’s fantastic, brave, funny, warm cast all shine equally bright and all are equally bedazzling to watch... This is a brilliant and relevant representation of New Zealand and its people. It is also very good theatre, from all angles. I heart this play' - Theatreview

'It’s more fun than a deflating airbed, dryer then a wet tent and I have no doubt everyone who sees this play will heart it.'- TV3

Starring: Sophie Henderson (Outrageous Fortune, The Scene, The Little Dog Laughed)

Curtis Vowell (Bare, Design For Living, The Cult)

Gareth Williams (Apollo 13: Mission Control, Assassins, The Lonesome Buckwhips)

Michelle Blundell (Holding The Man, Piece of My Heart, The Real Thing)

Directed by Cameron Rhodes (Christ Almighty!, Killer Joe, The Reindeer Monologues)  

I Heart Camping plays:

Tuesday 12^th – Thursday 21^st April

7:30pm

No show Sun/Mon

BATS Theatre, 1 Kent Terrace, Wellington

Tickets: Full $20 / Concession $14

Book at www.bats.co.nz or (04) 802 4175