Wanaka theatre director Gilly Pugh had a blast making people laugh and cry at the 2019 Wanaka Pantomimers’ second production, ‘Jac and the Beansprouts’. She reflects on her theatre career and promises more belly laughs early in 2019.

When you think about homegrown Wanaka theatre, Gillian Pugh and her family spring immediately to mind.

Gilly and her partner John Schwarz, a performer and dancer, have been at the forefront of Wanaka’s performance scene for several decades.

Their actor and musician sons Bene, Gabriel and Stefan had “no choice’’ but to follow in their parents’ footsteps.

“They would be sleeping upstairs while we were rehearsing downstairs,” she said.

Gilly and John became famous in Wanaka and New Zealand in the early 2000s when they toured their comedy show, Four Play With Friends.

Even the title got people giggling.

“It’s F-O-U-R. It was very funny. Gabriel once went to school and told his teacher, “My Mum and Dad do Four Play.’’

Over the years, Gilly and John shared the Four Play stage with many friends, including Mario de Bono, Miranda Schwarz, Vicky Billingham, Greg Inwood, Brian Cope and Denise Ward.

Gabriel Schwarz as Jac’s mother in ‘Jac and the Beansprouts’. PHOTO: Wanaka App

After that show ended, Gilly and John founded Wanaka’s Aspiring Children’s Theatre company and continued to perform in and contribute to many other productions.

Comedy is Gilly’s favourite genre. She found music and “serious acting’’ studies in Dunedin “a bit boring’’.

“I studied music at Otago University but it was all a bit boring so I left and went to a performing arts school in Christchurch, where I met John. We ended up travelling together on a road safety show. That was our introduction to a particular style of theatre.’’

Gilly attended every theatre course she could and was particularly influenced by directors Bryan Aitken, of Christchurch, and Hillary Norris, of Dunedin.

Her ethic for lifelong learning saw her collaborate with another homegrown theatre company, Silk Tent (with Lucy O’Hagan and Lizzi Yates).

They received funding from the Mental Health Foundation to develop a script for a multi media theatre performance exploring a community's responses to mental distress. It resulted in the play Girl with no Name.

Silk Tent is “now taking a holiday’’, Gilly said.

Gilly’s “patchwork life’’ of performance, festivals, event work, and teaching has been balanced by “real world jobs’’.

Her present administration role with a Wanaka accommodation provider allows her to continue exploring her creativity and support her family.

When Jac and the Beansprouts writer Liz Breslin invited Gilly to direct last year’s pantomime, Cindy and the Villanelles, she had to research the British genre thoroughly.

“I had no pantomime experience when I was young. I had never been to a pantomime in my life. I just jumped in. I had to spend a lot of time researching because it was not a normal directing experience. There’s all these conventions that you have to adhere to. Well, you don’t have to, but it would be at your peril!’’

To be true to tradition, audiences must be allowed to banter with the cast. No-one can control the improvisation.

“My normal had to change. But because of the cast we’ve got, we’ve been able to make it real.’’

Last year, Liz Breslin rose to the challenge of including the line “We reject your heteronormative realities’’ in Cindy and the Villanelles. Two formidable Dames (aka Bene Schwarz and Simon Brebner) stole every scene, Cindy’s heart was stolen by another woman, the prince didn’t mind and everyone lived happily ever after.

This year’s slapstick production continued to bend genders while poking fun at health and safety conscious helicopter parents.

Three professional actors living in Wanaka volunteered their services: Jay Simon (the villainous director), Becky Plunkett (the magic fairy), and Joel Herbert (the giant).

Gilly said opening night was “brilliant’’ with lots of high moments for her, including the hilarious dance scene and when Jac (Jennie Salter) climbed the beansprout.

Now pantomime season is over, the cast and crew will take a break before coming together next year to work on the third annual production, again including a fundraiser for Kahu Youth.

But Gilly and family will be taking just a short break, before hitting the boards again early in the new year.

“There has been some pretty serious rumblings from my family to do something together. It is hot on the heels of what we are doing now, before Gabriel goes overseas. It is a comedy. The biggest argument at the moment is what to call it.’’

Expect nothing serious. Just some special guests and a laugh.

“Making people laugh is much nicer than making them cry. But if you can manage to do both at once, that’s pretty cool!”

Click here to read the Theatreview review of Jac (who is resilient) and the Beansprouts.