#StayHappening
Wed Nov 18 2026 at 07:30 pm to 09:30 pm UTC+13:00

Ripcord

  • Elmwood Theatre · Christchurch
Canterbury Repertory Theatre Publisher / Host Canterbury Repertory Theatre
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Ripcord
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For 4 years, irritable and sarcastic Abby Binder has kept a room to herself at the Bristol Place Senior Living Facility, through sheer force of her rude personality. Nursing disappointment at the direction her life has taken, she has no care for distraction. A sunny room on an upper floor is prime real estate at the living facility, but when bubbly, bright, and unbearably cheerful Marilyn Dunne is placed in her room, Abby resorts to her usual tricks but fails to scare her annoying new roommate away. She gets no sympathy from Scotty, the resident aide, who refuses to use any clout he may or may not have with management to remove Marilyn. Marilyn, for her part, loves the challenge of Abby’s bad attitude, and refuses to budge. Exercising her taste for competition and her love of pranks, Marilyn makes a bet: if Abby can break her endless patience and make her angry, Marilyn will move out. But if Marilyn can successfully frighten Abby, who claims never to get scared, she will claim the bed by the window. In her favour, Abby has a wide mean streak, which gives her no qualms about filling in Marilyn’s Sudoku, tearing up her grandson’s pictures, or digging up police reports about her violent ex-husband. But Marilyn has a devoted family on her side, as well as a the most dangerous thing of all, a genuine wish to see Abby happy… As this odd couple embarks upon increasingly emotionally and physically dangerous tricks in order to break each other, deep secrets are revealed, lives are jeopardized, and peach cobbler is enjoyed.
David Lindsay-Abaire’s Ripcord is sometimes absurd, always surprising comedy-with-heart – an enemies-to-friends story for a pair of excellently well-rounded, mature women.
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Event venue

Elmwood Theatre, Aikmans Road,Christchurch, New Zealand

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