![Bats Theatre](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3c/Bats_Theatre.jpg)
BATS Theatre is a theatre venue in
Wellington
Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by me ...
,
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
. Initially founded as the Bats Theatre Company in 1976, then established in its current form in 1989. BATS Theatre has seen the development of many performing arts talents of New Zealand.
History
Bane Austin Touring Society (BATS)
The BATS Theatre Company was founded in 1976 by Rodney Bane and David Austin. BATS is an acronym of "Bane Austin Touring Society".
Initial plans were to tour one-act plays in Wairarapa, Manawatu and Wellington. Bane and Austin took over the current building at 1 Kent Terrace in the late 1970s and the building was renamed BATS Theatre in 1979.
BATS Theatre
By the 1980s, Bane and Austin had moved on to other things, BATS Theatre venue became a space that could be leased and was 're-opened as a professional theatre' in 1989 by
Simon Bennett (director) and Simon Elson after months of renovations. Bennet went on to become a television director including
Shortland Street
''Shortland Street'' is a New Zealand prime-time soap opera centring on the fictitious Shortland Street Hospital, first broadcast on TVNZ 2 on 25 May 1992. It is New Zealand's longest-running drama and soap opera, being broadcast continuously ...
and
Power Rangers
''Power Rangers'' is an entertainment and merchandising franchise built around a live-action superhero television series, based on the Japanese tokusatsu franchise ''Super Sentai''. Produced first by Saban Entertainment, second by BVS Entert ...
. Because of the vision setting up BATS Theatre, Bennett and Elson won the Mayor's Award for Significant Contribution to Theatre in 2014 at the Wellington
Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards
The Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards were the main theatre awards in New Zealand's capital city, Wellington, from 1992–2014, and have been succeeded by the Wellington Theatre Awards.
Established in 1992 and sponsored by law firm Chapman Tripp, ...
.
BATS celebrated their 30th anniversary in 2019 with an event called ''BATStravaganza Birthday'' at the
Embassy Theatre.
In an interview about the early days of BATS as a professional theatre Simon Elson said:
"... (the) philosophy for Bats was not to have an artistic director making decisions of what shows could be staged there. Instead, the theatre helped facilitate what people wanted to stage. The theatre's small size was very important; there was less financial risk in staging new shows."
For many decades BATS Theatre operated the theatre space in the lower floor, while the building owners
Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes
The Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes (RAOB) is one of the largest fraternal movements in the United Kingdom, The order started in 1822 and has since spread throughout the former British Empire and elsewhere in the world. It is known as the ...
(RAOB) used the space upstairs with regular meetings.
According to playwright
Ken Duncum
Ken Duncum is a New Zealand playwright and screenwriter. His plays ''Cherish'' and ''Trick of the Light'' won best new New Zealand play at the Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards in 2003 and 2004. His script for television drama series ''Cover Story'' ...
, BATS Theatre in the 1980s "existed as a place that could be rented for 60 dollars a day – they didn't mind what you did in it".
BATS was a venue for the work of young and emerging theatre practitioners.
Staff members have included theatre manager Guy Boyce, appointed 1993 - 1994, who went on to
Downstage Theatre
Downstage Theatre was a professional theatre company in Wellington, New Zealand, that ran from 1964 to 2013. For many years it occupied the purpose-built Hannah Playhouse building. Former directors include Sunny Amey, Mervyn Thompson, and Coli ...
,
Playmarket
Playmarket is a not-for-profit organisation providing script advisory services, representation for playwrights in New Zealand and access to New Zealand plays. Playmarket was founded in 1973 to encourage the professional production of New Zealand p ...
and the
Christchurch Arts Festival.
Building
The building that BATS now occupies was built in 1923 for the Manchester Unity Oddfellows Society, with a meeting room upstairs and a purpose built performance space on the ground floor as a dance hall and theatre venue, also were two shops on the street front. The architects were
Frederick de Jersey Clere
Frederick de Jersey Clere (7 January 1856 – 13 August 1952) was an architect in Wellington, New Zealand.
Biography
He was born in Walsden, near Todmorden, Lancashire and trained as an architect before emigrating to New Zealand with his family ...
and his son, Herbert Clere. From the 1930s – 1960s the hall was hired out for concerts, dances and other events. It became the Savage Club Hall in 1944 after the Wellington Savage Club (WSC) purchased the building. It was bought in the 1976 by the
Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes
The Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes (RAOB) is one of the largest fraternal movements in the United Kingdom, The order started in 1822 and has since spread throughout the former British Empire and elsewhere in the world. It is known as the ...
(RAOB) to serve as the site of their lodge temple.
Unity Theatre leased the ground floor theatre space from WSC and RAOB until 1978.
Renovations and upgrades
In 2011, the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes (RAOB) decided to sell the building, asking a price of $1.9 million, potentially leaving the theatre without a home. BATS attempted to purchase the building but was unable to raise the funds.
The building was purchased by film director
Peter Jackson
Sir Peter Robert Jackson (born 31 October 1961) is a New Zealand film director, screenwriter and producer. He is best known as the director, writer and producer of the ''Lord of the Rings'' trilogy (2001–2003) and the ''Hobbit'' trilogy ( ...
and
Fran Walsh
Dame Frances Rosemary Walsh (born 10 January 1959) is a New Zealand screenwriter and film producer.
The partner of filmmaker Peter Jackson, Walsh has contributed to all of their films since 1989: as co-writer since '' Meet the Feebles'', and ...
later that year with the intent to provide a stable home for the theatre.
After the sale, the building underwent extensive renovation and earthquake strengthening, and was closed from February 2013 to November 2014. The renovations added two more performance spaces, which included taking over space formerly used by the ROAB.
During the renovations BATS relocated to a temporary theatre space on the corner of
Cuba Street and Dixon Street. This space was branded BATS: Out of Site and had a 78-seat venue and bar.
About
Part of the philosophy of BATS is to be accessible, supportive of emerging artists and to allow theatrical risk with experimental work. Nearly all the productions at BATS had been New Zealand works, and their current policy is 80% New Zealand work. They programme three to six months in advance and invite anyone to propose a show. Ticket prices are kept low ranging from $14 to $25.
BATS is largely funded by
Creative New Zealand
The Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa (Creative New Zealand) is the national arts development agency of the New Zealand government, investing in artists and arts organisations, offering capability building programmes and developing markets ...
and the
Wellington City Council
Wellington City Council is a territorial authority in New Zealand, governing the country's capital city Wellington, and ''de facto'' second-largest city (if the commonly considered parts of Wellington, the Upper Hutt, Porirua, Lower Hutt and ...
.
The theatre employs six full-time staff, and uses volunteers as ushers. The BATS Theatre Board has about five volunteer board members, the current Chair is Cathie Sheat. The current General Manager is Jonathan Hendry who has been in the role since 2018.
Venue
BATS Theatre is at 1 Kent Terrace in the suburb of
Mount Victoria. On the ground level is the larger performing space with fixed seating of 86 people, the box office and a bar. On the upper levels are two more performance spaces seating 80 and 40 people, office space, a green room, and dressing room.
COVID-19 response
The theatre closed on 19 March 2020 in response to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
. During its closure, it presented some live shows streamed over the internet. It has since reopened.
Works
BATS Theatre has a busy programme with 60 to 70 seasons of shows each year although after moving back into their newly renovated premises, 2015 was a particular busy year, there were seasons of 101 shows. Ninety per cent of its annual programme of 60 to 70 shows are New Zealand and world premieres.
Many New Zealand playwrights, actors, directors, crew and designers have mounted shows at BATS Theatre, often as a spring-board to their careers.
Notable performances
Many productions which started at BATS have gone on to national and international success, including many significant new New Zealand plays. Some examples include ''The Sex Fiend'' (1989) by
Stephen Sinclair and
Danny Mulheron
Danny Mulheron is a New Zealand actor, writer, and director who has worked in theatre, television and film.
Mulheron graduated from Toi Whakaari, Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School in 1983 with a Diploma in Acting.
In 2012, he directed ''Fr ...
, ''Blue Sky Boys'' (1991) by
Ken Duncum
Ken Duncum is a New Zealand playwright and screenwriter. His plays ''Cherish'' and ''Trick of the Light'' won best new New Zealand play at the Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards in 2003 and 2004. His script for television drama series ''Cover Story'' ...
, ''Verbatim'' (1993) by
Miranda Harcourt
Miranda Catherine Millais Harcourt (born 1962) is a New Zealand actress and acting coach.
Harcourt's acting career began playing boy characters on Radio New Zealand in the early 1970s. She is best known for her role as Gemma in the 1980s TV d ...
, ''Frangipani Perfume'' (1998) by
Makerita Urale, ''Banging Cymbal, Clanging Gong'' (2002) by
Jo Randerson, ''Vula'' (2002) directed by
Nina Nawalowalo
Nina Nawalowalo is a New Zealand theatre director and co-founder of the contemporary Pacific theatre company The Conch. She is known for directing the stage plays ''Vula'' and ''The White Guitar.'' The first film she directed ''A Boy Called Pi ...
, ''And What Remains'' (2006) by
Mīria George and ''
Apollo 13: Mission Control'' (2008) by Kip Chapman.
''Krishnan's Dairy'' by
Jacob Rajan
Jacob Rajan is a Malaysian-born-New Zealand playwright and actor. His highly successful plays include the trilogy ''Krishnan's Dairy'', ''The Candlestick Maker'' and ''The Pickle King''. Another work was ''The Dentist's Chair''. In 2002, he r ...
, which premiered at BATS in 1997 and has toured New Zealand many times has been announced for adaptation into a feature film.
Other successful New Zealand names in theatre and comedy have presented early works at BATS, including
Flight of the Conchords
Flight of the Conchords is a New Zealand musical comedy duo formed in Wellington in 1998. The band consists of multi-instrumentalists Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement. Beginning as a popular live comedy act in the early 2000s, the duo's comed ...
,
Duncan Sarkies
Duncan Sarkies is a New Zealand screenwriter, playwright, novelist, stand-up comic and short story writer.
Sarkies grew up in the South Island city of Dunedin and is the brother of Robert Sarkies a New Zealand film director who is also a scrip ...
,
Rhys Darby
Rhys Montague Darby (born 21 March 1974) is a New Zealand actor and comedian, known for his energetic physical comedy routines, telling stories accompanied with mime and sound effects of things such as machinery and animals. He was nominated for ...
,
So You're a Man,
The Naked Samoans and
Māori
Māori or Maori can refer to:
Relating to the Māori people
* Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group
* Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand
* Māori culture
* Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the C ...
playwrights
Hone Kouka
Hone Vivian Kouka is a New Zealand playwright. He has written 13 plays, which have been staged in New Zealand and worldwide including Canada, South Africa, New Caledonia and Britain. Kouka's plays have won multiple awards at the Chapman Tripp T ...
and
Riwia Brown
Riwia Brown (née Taylor; born 1957) is a New Zealand playwright. She is the screenwriter of the popular and award-winning New Zealand movie ''Once Were Warriors'' (1994). The ''Once Were Warriors'' screenplay, adapted from the book of the sam ...
. The comedy play ''Benedict Cumberbatch Must Die'' written by Abby Howells, premiered at BATS temporary 'Out of Site' venue in June 2014.
Experimental theatre and annual events
The venue continues to be a home to much of Wellington's young and experimental theatrical talent, with titles such as ''
On the Conditions and Possibilities of Helen Clark Taking Me as Her Young Lover'', ''The Intricate Art of Actually Caring'' and ''After Kafka''. To encourage experimentation BATS also runs the ''STAB'' season annually (STAB is BATS backwards) which is a commissioned programme running since 1995. Some STAB productions have been at BATS and used technology as a focus such as ''Aaargh! The Live Movie Experience'' (2000) by
Jemaine Clement
Jemaine Atea Mahana Clement (born 10 January 1974) is a New Zealand actor, comedian, musician and filmmaker. He has released several albums with Bret McKenzie as the musical comedy duo Flight of the Conchords, and created a comedy series of the ...
,
Bret McKenzie
Bret Peter Tarrant McKenzie (born 29 June 1976) is a New Zealand musician, comedian, music supervisor, and actor. He is best known as one half of musical comedy duo Flight of the Conchords along with Jemaine Clement. In the 2000s, the duo's com ...
,
Duncan Sarkies
Duncan Sarkies is a New Zealand screenwriter, playwright, novelist, stand-up comic and short story writer.
Sarkies grew up in the South Island city of Dunedin and is the brother of Robert Sarkies a New Zealand film director who is also a scrip ...
,
Taika Waititi
Taika David Cohen (born 16 August 1975), known professionally as Taika Waititi ( ), is a New Zealand filmmaker, actor, and comedian. He is a recipient of an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and a Grammy Award, and has received two nominations at t ...
and Gentiane Lupi which was short films made live on stage. Some were off-site performances such as the immersive theatrical experience of ''Sniper'' (2004) and ''Pandemic (2013)'' by Kerryn Palmer. Using the whole building has occurred including a site-specific theatrical installation ''Demeter's Dark Ride'' (2005) by Madeline McNamara. The first STAB show at the newly renovated building in 2014 was ''Watch'', directed by Uther Dean and
Meg Rollandi exploring day-to-day surveillance. STAB shows feature highly in the annual
Wellington Theatre Awards
The Ngā Whakarākei O Whātaitai / Wellington Theatre Awards are the main theatre awards in New Zealand's capital city, Wellington established in 2015 after the previous awards sponsor ended their support. They are awarded annually.
The prev ...
(formally
Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards
The Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards were the main theatre awards in New Zealand's capital city, Wellington, from 1992–2014, and have been succeeded by the Wellington Theatre Awards.
Established in 1992 and sponsored by law firm Chapman Tripp, ...
), summarised in a 2016 article as receiving since STAB started in 1995 as twenty-eight nominations and twenty wins.
The
Young and Hungry Season was run annually at BATS from 1994 – 2017 to provide youth 15–25 years with a platform to create and experience theatre, and expanded to include works in Auckland.
BATS hosts shows each year part of the annual
New Zealand Fringe Festival
The New Zealand Fringe Festival is an open access arts festival in Wellington, New Zealand held over several weeks in February and March each year. The 2020 programme marked the festival's 30th anniversary.
Background
The festival was establish ...
, and the national New Zealand Comedy Festival.
References
External links
Bats Theatre website
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Theatres in Wellington City