Following an outstanding premiere at The Basement last year, New Zealand actor and theatre-maker Ryan Richards returns to the scene of the crime with his side-splittingly ridiculous one-man family-friendly show A Boy Wonder.
This three-night-only fundraising season precedes A Boy Wonder’s Otago and Southland tour set for May, as part of the Southland Arts Festival. The tour marks ex-Scout and ex-Otagonian Richards’ return to his grassroots to tour his original work in the region where he grew up, and where A Boy Wonder is set.
Written by Richards, A Boy Wonder is a heartwarming original Kiwi comedy centered around two scouts’ friendship, charting their heroic journey to save everything they have sworn to protect. A Boy Wonder is everything and nothing about scouting, essentially giving Scout’s honour new meaning…
A Boy Wonder stars Richards, who plays a multitude of colourful characters, and is astutely directed by Nic Sampson (2015 Billy T Award Nominee, Writer for TV3’s Jono and Ben) and Laura Daniel (2015 Winner Auckland Fringe Best Comedy Performance Award).
This fast-paced hour-long slice of Kiwiana is set in small town New Zealand during the late 90s. A Boy Wonder is about local take-out legend, Jimmy’s Pies, being under attack by the villainous Charlie Slaughter, an entrepreneurial cut-throat douche-bag who will do anything in his power to take down the little man - Jimmy (or ‘Scout Leader Jim’).
A Boy Wonder is a story of friendship, honour and ‘stupid knots’–all of which are crucial for the two heroes to succeed in taking down Slaughter culminating in the final battle which will determine whether they can save or destroy our great nation, our Queen and scouting forever.
Richards says: “I’m absolutely over the moon that I have the opportunity to take my show to the area where the story is set, to my home and the neighbouring towns in the South Island.
“I’m equally excited about being able to perform the show prior to leaving on tour particularly since the show has been redeveloped, with the help of our dramaturg Gary Henderson (Mo & Jess Kill Susie, My Bed My Universe, An Unseasonable Fall of Snow) as well as co-directors Nic Sampson and Laura Daniel. We are also thrilled to be able to reveal our brand new tour-ready set at The Basement as well.”
A very sharp, well-timed and slick comedy hour
- Theatreview
An hour of silliness and laughter
- The Lumiere Reader
You’ll find yourself just chuckling at the loveable clown that is Ryan Richards
- Gather and Hunt
Sharu Loves Hats in association with The Basement presents A Boy Wonder.
The Basement, Lower Greys Ave, 21– 23 April, 7pm. Tickets: www.iticket.co.nz or 09 361 1000. For details see www.aboywonder.co.nz. For media enquiries contact: Sharu Delilkan at Sharu Loves Hats - mob 021 652 175 or sharu@sharu.co.nz.
A Boy Wonder is proudly supported by Creative NZ, The Wallace Foundation and Scouts New Zealand.
