A play based on the life and writings of Quentin Crisp is coming to Auckland’s Basement Studio next month. The multi-award winning Resident Alien, by Tim Fountain, will feature Roy Ward as the gay raconteur. Ward is looking forward to bringing Crisp back to life, pointing out he died in 1999 just as the first production of this play reached the stage. He is recreating Crisp’s notoriously shabby East Village apartment in the Basement Studio, with the help of set designer Jessika Verryt. Ward hopes the play will attract a wide audience. “Quentin hated the idea of being ghettoised in the gay community. He says in the play ‘I see my life as a slow journey from the outer suburbs of ostracism almost to the heart of the world – assuming it has a heart. I would not wish to be shunted into a siding.’ It’s intriguing to wonder what he would have made of gay marriage.” This is the first solo show of Ward’s 30-year acting career. He is a former Associate Director of Auckland Theatre Company where his directing credits include My Name Is Gary Cooper by Victor Rodger and Noel Coward’s Design For Living. His most recent production Black Faggot, also by Victor Rodger, played at the Basement earlier this year and won four Auckland Fringe Awards including Best Theatre Production. Resident Alien plays at the Basement Studio from August 20-24. Tickets are on sale from iticket.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Friday, 19th July 2013 - 9:04am