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From acclaimed playwright Victor Rodger (Black Faggot), this sharp and darkly funny play sees family tensions rise to the surface.Robert, a half-Samoan ex-pat, returns to New Zealand to accompany his palagi grandmother Joan to his mother’s funeral, expecting a solemn occasion. But Robert quickly realises this is no ordinary family gathering.
Potty-mouthed, unpredictable, and larger than life, Joan smokes like a chimney, drinks like a fish, adores men, and harbours a burning grudge against Robert’s father — and she isn’t afraid to make everyone at the wake well aware of it. As secrets spill, rivalries flare, and old wounds are reopened, what should have been a quiet farewell descends into chaos, hilarity, and unexpected revelations.
With biting humour, unforgettable characters, and sharp observations about family, identity, and inheritance, At The Wake is a wickedly entertaining exploration of what happens when family issues are laid bare—and nothing stays polite for long.
“Insightful, compelling and humorous piece about life, love and loss.” – Theatreview
“A volatile mixture of outrageous comedy and raw emotion…has the force of a volcanic eruption that blows away the veneer of social convention to release layers of pent-up emotion and deeply embedded pain.” – New Zealand Herald
“Theatre at its best, where […] the end result is not a dry eye in the house through either tears or laughter.” – Sharu Delikan, Theatre Scenes
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Event Venue
129 Gloucester Street, Christchurch, New Zealand 8011, New Zealand
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