Bruce Mason's coming-of-age tale is of a bygone day of innocence, where through a child's eyes even the village idiot's tall stories are to be believed. Set in small-town New Zealand, The End Of The Golden Weather is a beautiful journey of growing up, friendship and a young boy's fantastical ideas.
Performed as a solo piece by Stephen Lovatt, this is pure storytelling. Lovatt is an actor displaying considerable talent as he steps in-and-out of a myriad of characters that inhabit Mason's tale. Dressed in a smart but simple black suit against a bare stage, Lovatt creates rich and colourful imagery without prop or gimmick. This is a master craftsman plying his trade.
Surprising then, that Lovatt is probably best known for his role as Max in Neighbours. We may scoff at the shaky sets & scripts of most soaps, but this is a piece of theatre which goes to show, it's all about having the right material. Lovatt's delivery is full of confidence and passion, which demands the full attention of the audience. And when the tale is done, you feel all the better for being swept along with it.
