Extra Show Added To Invercargill’s World Premiere of 18 Eden Avenue

Repertory Invercargill is excited to announce that an extra show will be added to its up and coming musical 18 Eden Avenue, as a result of strong pre-sold ticket sales.

Director Jason Fraser said Invercargill has never seen anything like this before, where the entire show has been written and performed by all local (or former local) talent.

Sydney-based lawyer Roger Gimblett, who lived in Invercargill years ago, wrote the script and lyrics to the 11 original songs, along with Dr Sally Bodkin-Allen who has provided the music and musical direction.

The pair have written a Christmas show and other musicals together, and this latest labour of love was first started around 25 years ago, before being given life again 2.5 years ago.

In Jason’s 30 years involvement with theatre this collaboration has never been seen on such a scale in Invercargill.

“This is on a different level. It’s a full musical and it has taken this long to get it onto the stage. This is something to be proud of. It’s an enormous achievement and undertaking.”

Roger and Sally wanted to workshop the show in a “small intimate theatre,” and are very thankful that Repertory Invercargill has given them the opportunity to do this. The hope is the show will be picked up in and performed in Sydney next year, he said.

“They had to find a company that was willing to take the risk and stage it. We’re really the guinea pigs, and I’m very proud of the product we’ve produced, it’s going to be a great show.”

Featuring what he described as ‘the creme of the crop’ of talent in Invercargill, over half of the available seats from August 31-September 3 show have now been sold. They’ve decided to add an extra matinee session on the Saturday 3^rd September at 2:00pm, due to demand.

The cast is made up of Liv Cochrane, Craig Waddell, Julie Smith, Travis Luke, Meadow Bodkin-Allen and George O’Connell.