Following in the footsteps of many a town in New Zealand with their outdoor Shakespeare productions (Invercargill, Wellington, Palmerston North, Taranaki, Auckland and probably others), a new resident of Whanganui decided that the Bason Botanic Gardens would be the perfect place to stage Whanganui’s own Outdoor Shakespeare.
Karen Craig and her family arrived in Whanganui in early 2013. A visit to the Bason Botanic Gardens early in that year immediately excited thoughts of an outdoor performance of Shakespeare. She was especially entranced with the “Disk Golf” area because of the natural amphitheatre-like “bowl”.
In 2014 Karen approached the Bason Botanic Gardens Trust’s Chair Terry Dowdeswell about staging a production of “Macbeth”. This coincided with the Bason wanting to find ways of publicising the existence of the Gardens and encouraging people to visit, and their own plans for a Medieval Fayre, so approval and support was given.
The 2016 production of “Macbeth” was a roaring success. Budgeted on the expectation of an audience of 100, the other 700 people who came to see it over the 4 performances were a welcome surprise.
2018 saw a production of “The Tempest”, 2020 “Merchant of Venice” and 2023 (delay due to Covid) “The Merry Wives of Windsor” all come to fruition.
Questionnaires distributed after all of the performances confirmed a core group of theatre goers who had been to see all 4 productions, with new audience members attending each year.
The execution was the same for all: an amateur cast and crew, support from both Amdram and The Repertory (the local amateur theatre companies in Whanganui); involvement by specialists (musicians Ingrid Culliford, Errol and Sally Christiansen, the local bagpipe group) and a reliance on volunteers.
Funding was applied for from the Whanganui Creative Communities, Lions and Rotary, which paid for the lighting and sound and some advertising. Donations were gratefully received from Ali Arc (a container in which to store props and costumes near the performance area) and a generator with fuel and a specialist. “Macbeth” and “The Tempest” relied on original sets built from scratch (in the case of “Tempest” also bamboo collected from Paloma Gardens); “The Merchant of Venice” benefitted from a “permanent” set built by The Men’s Shed and this was used also for “Merry Wives of Windsor”.
“Merchant of Venice” Photo: Steve Caudwell, Whanganui Photography
As the only way to experience the Bason Botanic Gardens after dark (the gates close at sunset), enjoying an evening picnic (with pre-purchased hampers or homemade delicacies) with entertainment on a summer night, this was a unique Whanganui event.
“Merry Wives of Windsor” Photo: Paul Brooks
Do you have an idea for a public performance or event that you would like to see happen in the Bason? Contact us to discuss!
For more information about the performances, check out www.shakespeareintheparkwhanganui.com.