The Canary, the latest play by hot young Auckland playwright Tom Sainsbury, is in development this week at The PumpHouse Theatre.

The 2010 PumpHouse Development Season hosts Tom’s Sainsbury’s ‘The Canary’ being workshopped this week at The PumpHouse Theatre in Takapuna.

This is the second year The PumpHouse has provided the opportunity for an emerging talent to bring their new work to life on stage. In 2009, with funding from The Becroft Foundation and The PumpHouse, Auckland actor and writer Jonny Brough developed a new one-man-show with the working title of ‘1953’. Now a fully formed theatrical work, ‘1953’ has this year been performed around the country as ‘The Second Test’.

This year’s development season is funded by The PumpHouse via a grant received from North Shore City ARST Fund giving up-and-coming talent Tom Sainsbury a rare opportunity to use The PumpHouse Theatre as a workshop with all The PumpHouse resources at his disposal.

The Canary was selected from a shortlist of new New Zealand plays held by Playmarket, New Zealand’s playwright’s agency. Tom ensured that no fewer than six of his plays went on in Auckland last year, plus one in Wellington. Every play was well received and it is expected that The Canary will be no exception.

Playmarket believed that the script and Sainsbury, being an extremely prolific writer/producer would benefit enormously from having time to workshop The Canary in a professional environment.

He has engaged talented young director Jesse Peach and a cast of accomplished Auckland actors keen to work with him on this development project.

The Canary is the story of the outsiders of this world, and their struggle to fly free.

On the edge of the city, amongst a thicket of thistles, is a dilapidated house In this dilapidated house lives a mother and two daughters. The mother is too stubborn to move, the older daughter is too stubborn to stay, the youngest daughter sings like a caged canary and, like a canary in the caves, she is becoming increasingly ill. The city is getting closer every day, swallowing everything in it's path and the canary may just not be strong enough to survive.

Sometimes those confined to the smallest cage sing the sweetest song.

The Canary, A new play by Tom Sainsbury. Directed by Jesse Peach.

Starring: Rima Te Wiata, Annie Whittle, Chloe Lewer, Bruce Phillips, Milo Cawthorne, Antonia Prebble, Mike Edward.

On Wednesday April 7th at 6pm a public reading will take place at Cafe Tziki at The Pumphouse, allowing feedback.

Entry to the reading is by Koha

Then on April 9th and 10th there will be a 3-performance season to test public reaction. This is a wonderful opportunity for members of the public to observe the early stages in the creation of a theatrical work by two of the 'bright young things' of New Zealand theatre (Sainsbury and Peach) with some of New Zealand's most well-known and seasoned actors.

Tickets on sale now. Adults $15/Conc $10
Be quick to book for this limited season.

Media enquiries gill@pumphouse.co.nz or Ph. Gill Saker at The PumpHouse on 09 486 2386.