The Golden Ass
1 April 2023 at Stratford Shakespeare Festival (book)
Note that Michael will also perform No Holds Bard at the Festival.
11-15 April 2023 at Q Theatre, Auckland (book)
28-29 April 2023 at Artworks Theatre, Waiheke (book)
Following a 25-town tour in 2022, Michael is continuing to bring his newest solo show to more New Zealand locations.
A modern take on Apuleius' first century novel, this fantastical, hilarious, and sometimes terrifying tale is catapulted right into the twenty-first century. This solo show is the tale of Lucius, a young man who, driven by desperate desire and insatiable curiosity, performs an act of magic on himself and accidentally transforms into a donkey. Perilous advantures follow, with Lucius falling into the hands of bandits, maidens, bakers, cultists, witches, slaves, circuses, soldiers, and more.
Theatreview: "classic strong story telling: a simple set, simple tech, damn good acting and a relevant tale to tell. ... a plea for empathy in a world, nearly 2000 years ago, gone mad. Relevant now? I think so. Hiarious? Totally. Good theatre? Absolutely".
Waikato Times: "Ass-tonishing tale a comedic tour-de-force for Hurst … Hurst makes a four-course meal of the material, switching from character to character and from species to species with gusto. In sum, it's a riveting, salacious and very funny spectacle".
30 March-6 April 2023: Waiting for Waiting for Godot
Michael is directing this play by Dave Hanson for Boyd & Brodie Productions at Q Theatre. It will star Callum Brodie, George Maunsel, and Acushla Tara-Kupei.
Two hapless understudies wait to go on in a production of Waiting for Godot, but will their time ever come? They occupy their time backstage trying to understand art, life, theatre, and their precarious existence within it. This hilariously witty comedy ponders Beckett, showbiz, and just what on earth it's all about. Turns out, the only people who truly understand Beckett's Waiting for Godot are the understudies. Click here for info and to book.
1-2 April 2023: Stratford Shakespeare Festival
Michael will perform two solo shows at the Festival, No Holds Bard on 1 April and The Golden Ass on 2 April. Click here to book.
No Holds Bard is a glorious tour de force in which four of Shakespeare's greatest creations (a foul-mouthed Macbeth, a confused Hamlet, a know-it-all Othello, and a really hungry King Lear) come kicking and screaming into the bursting, deranged brain of a single man.
Edinburgh Spotlight: " ... a tsunami of a performance ... a breath of Shakespeare air and a comedic head bashing all in one!"
The Golden Ass is a modern take on Apuleius' first century novel. This fantastical, hilarious, and sometimes terrifying tale is catapulted right into the twenty-first century, telling the tale of Lucius, a young man who, driven by desperate desire and insatiable curiosity, performs an act of magic on himself and accidentally transforms into a donkey. Perilous advantures follow, with Lucius falling into the hands of bandits, maidens, bakers, cultists, witches, slaves, circuses, soldiers, and more.
Theatreview: "classic strong story telling: a simple set, simple tech, damn good acting and a relevant tale to tell. ... a plea for empathy in a world, nearly 2000 years ago, gone mad. Relevant now? I think so. Hiarious? Totally. Good theatre? Absolutely"
13 June-1 July 2023: King Lear
Michael will direct and star in the Shakespeare play for Auckland Theatre Company. Benjamin Henson will assist with direction, and Jennifer Ward-Lealand will also be in the cast, along with Fasitua Amosa, Andi Crown, Joe Dekkers Reihana, Andrew Laing, Jessie Lawrence, Shadon Meredith, Colin McColl, Cameron Rhodes, Beatriz Romilly, Hanah Tayeb, and Hester Ullyart.
Tender, violent, moving, humbling, King Lear navigates the complexities and contradictions of human nature like no other piece of storytelling. At a time when we are all reconsidering the role of monarchy, Shakespeare's great meditation on succession, family, and country couldn't be more potent.
Click here to book.
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