‘That’s What Friends Are For’ is the latest project by Hobson Street Theatre Company, New Zealand’s only theatre company involving people who are – or have been – homeless.
The show’s director, Professor Peter O’Connor from the University of Auckland, describes it as ‘an experiment to see if the cast of a play can make friends with their audience in just an hour.’
‘In the show,’ says Peter. ‘We explore the basic human core of wanting to share your story as a human being. There are beautifully tender and funny moments, which is what theatre can provide, a space to bring those things together. It’s confirmed and reaffirmed for me the vital importance of the arts to bring communities together, to celebrate the basic core of who we are as human beings.’
‘People who’ve lived on the streets really understand friendship and what it means to survive in that environment. You watch these guys talk about friends, street whanau, street brothers and sisters, and you soon discover it hasn’t just been the about the hard times, but also the joyful, fun and passionate times. You need good mates and you need to be a good mate. These stories became all the richer because they knew about friendship and each wanted to tell the story of what it is to be a friend.’
‘It’s also a very interactive show. We’ve got a beautiful backdrop of Hobson Street, but the backdrop isn’t completed so we ask the audience to come and paint with us. We also have the audience operating the lighting gear from their seats.’
‘I think the great joy for me working with the Hobson Street Theatre Company was that I was made to feel so welcome. They’re an amazing bunch of people to work with. The fun we’ve had putting the show together has been a blessing.’
Peter speaks with Lyn Freeman on RNZ and the show is also featured in The NZ Herald.
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