Theatre previews

Hamlet: The Video Game (The Stage Show). Herald Theatre. October 4-7. Te Rerenga — The Flight. Mangere Arts Centre. October 3-5. Oliver provides a live backing track.

The cast includes members of the popular Christchurch improv troupe The Court Jesters: Dan Bain, Kathleen Burns and Jared Corbin.

Because it’s interactive, there’s a high level of audience engagement expected. The audience chooses Hamlet’s costume; for battle scenes, they’re armed with Nerf guns.

Everything gets a score and no one leaves until every level has been conquered and Hamlet’s dad’s death has been avenged (about an hour and 15 minutes with no intermission).

“We’ve performed it at the Taranaki Arts Festival, too, and we would like to take it elsewhere so we really shouldn’t have made a show with a huge video screen and lots of costumes and props to lug around,” says Cooper.

But the pay-off is seeing youngsters — the play is recommended for those 10 years and older — excited about Shakespeare. Not surprisingly, Cooper says he wishes he could have seen a show like this one when, back in high school, he was struggling with The Merchant of Venice and Othello.

“We do take liberties but the basic plot is all there and maybe, as a first taste of Shakespeare, it’s a great way to see that the stories are really exciting with ghosts and backstabbing relatives . . . you just have to get past the scary language.

“It’s great to watch young people who are so actively engaged.”

Meanwhile, the October school holidays brings another NZ first in theatre for young people. Toro Pikopiko Puppets are touring the world’s first Maori Rock-Art Puppet Musical in collaboration with Te Ana Ma¯ori Rock Art Centre in Timaru.

Made by Jeffrey Addison (Ngai Tahu) and Whaitaima Te Whare (Ngati Tuwharetoa), Te Rerenga — The Flight is an acoustic rock musical.