Stephen Lunt is an émigré actor and writer from the familiar shores of the UK.  In his short time here, he’s got stuck into a huge amount, appearing in several plays, taking part in the arts collaboration project Metonymy, and now, writing his debut New Zealand show.

Stephen Lunt is an émigré actor and writer from the familiar shores of the UK.  In his short time here, he’s got stuck into a huge amount, appearing in several plays, taking part in the arts collaboration project Metonymy, and now, writing his debut New Zealand show. An extension of a short play which was short listed in the Playmarket: Plays for the Young competition, it’s “a touching tale of survival and brotherly love, where fantasy masks reality and tragedy is met with poignant comedy.”

Renee Liang chats to Stephen about theatre, acting and writing and producing his first play.

How did you get the idea for The Wrong Side?

I started writing The Wrong Side as part of a writing course I was doing in the UK.  I was intrigued by the idea of a story, told so many times and being so much better that the reality of a situation, that it becomes real.  It got me thinking about how your mind could get to the stage of thinking a fantasy is real.  I’ve always loved the fact that kids could suspend belief so much easier than us and always loved performing for younger kids as they really get into the story.  The Wrong Side isn’t a kids story though, it’s very dark, something I’ve always seen it as being.  I’m hoping the fact that I’ve chosen the characters to be kids will jar their innocence with the disturbing stories they tell.  It’s also adults playing the kids, so I’m hoping the audience will connect to them as adults, empathise with their child characters and suspend their belief like kids do, that’s the idea anyway.  It’s like a big experiment, will you let yourself believe?

What was it about your childhood that made you want to be an actor/writer?

I think I wanted to be an actor because I could be someone else and no-one could judge you for that.  I was really quiet when I was a kid and thought the quieter I was, the less people would notice me, then the less I could be picked on and for the most it worked.  Acting was a chance to be different, confident, to not be that quiet boring person.  I always liked writing stories in school, but actual writing only came in drama school, when I started writing the other students’ monologues.  Only then did I find out that I was actually quite good at it and that I really enjoyed it.  I think it’s that moment you long for though, that you dream about.  Sitting at the back of a theatre, hearing an actor saying your lines and watching an audience enjoying it, involved, laughing and crying and thinking, I did that.

Of writing, producing and acting, which one are you first? Or are they impossible to separate?

I think I’ve always been an actor but more recently I been adding “but I write as well” onto the end of the title.  I think I was very naive in my youth when I thought the actor is the only one an audience notices, only when I started writing did I start really listening to the writing when I went to the theatre.  It has really enriched my theatre experience because I notice the techniques and cleverness, but it also lays bare pieces that I really didn’t like.  It’s true that you have to watch bad theatre in order to know what good theatre is.

This is my first producing experience and I have to say, it’s been a lot of hard work and rather lonely.  I don’t know how many favours I’ve asked of people I don’t know.  I’m going to be repaying them for the rest of my life.  It’s been a steep learning curve but I’ve enjoyed it.

What have been some of your theatrical forays in the UK?

A lot of Theatre In Education.  I don’t think I can afford for another part of my soul to die whilst trying to perform issue theatre to bored teenagers.  I’ll have none left.  The things we have to do for money!  But the shows I’ve really enjoyed have made up for it.  I’ve toured around England, Wales and Ireland many times performing outdoor theatre with Off the Ground Theatre.  Rain or shine there’s nothing like performing to an audience relaxing on a rug with a glass of pinot and a good picnic enjoying themselves.  But only if I get some of their picnic.

What have you found different about the Kiwi "scene" (if there is one?)

There’s so much more opportunity here.  It’s expensive to live in the UK, everything costs money.  To put on a show you need to lay out all the money up front because the arts scene is in dire straights, desperate for funding.  Then you don’t get any audience because no-one has any spare money and they don’t want to brave the cold and rain to get to the venue.  There’s a lot to be said for good weather and a decent quality of life.  You can put on a show here without outlay, because there’s the expectation, there will be an audience.  There’s more of a buzz around the arts scene here, people are excited by it.  Of course it’s smaller than London but it’s just as rich and so much easier to get involved.  I’ve had more auditions here in the last year, than I’ve had in my entire life in the UK.  To get the work you need the opportunity and I have that here.

What are you planning next?

I’ve got lots more ideas for plays and for my next project I’d love to produce a show that spans the UK and New Zealand, half set in each.  To perform the same show in both countries would be amazing but a big task.  I still have a lot of contacts in the UK and the beginnings of relationships here so when I’m happy with the writing, my producing guns will start blazing…so to speak.

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The Wrong Side

Two young kids hide in an abandoned flat, living only on Tom’s charity handouts. Tom would do anything to stop ‘them’ taking his brother Midge away. But how do they survive? What happened to their parents? And what is lurking outside the front door…?

The Wrong Side explores what happens when the story that protects, starts to become more than just a fairytale.

Auckland Fringe Festival

Wednesday 2 March to Friday 4 March at Te Karanga Gallery - 208 Karangahape Road, Auckland. Performances begin 8pm – entry is free and no tickets are required. Koha/donation is optional.