Described by The Theatre Times as “one of New Zealand’s most daring, intelligent, and political directors”, Eleanor Bishop is now focused on her latest venture, Auckland Theatre Company’s rendition of the international hit play Girls & Boys. Verve chats with Eleanor to learn more.
A raw and unflinching drama, Girls & Boys tells the story of a love that goes terribly wrong and will have you on the edge of your seat from the very beginning. The ending will leave you questioning whether it’s ever possible to truly know the people we love. As her story unfolds, from being madly in love, through frazzled interactions with her two squabbling kids, to confessional moments of heart breaking intimacy, what went wrong with their relationship is slowly revealed.
To book tickets, head to atc.co.nz
When did you become interested in theatre?
Putting on ramshackle outdoor shows as children on family holidays. Also, my mum used to take me to the ballet. All so magical and freeing and delicious.
How do your processes differ between writing and directing, and do you have a preference out of theatre, opera and film?
Writing is a lot about quiet and space and dreaming into possibilities. Preparing to direct is also quiet – I like listening to music, drawing storyboards, feeling into the material. But there’s nothing quite like shooting or a theatre production week – fast-paced processes where everything comes together. As for a preferred medium, making theatre feels like home.
What skills do you apply when directing?
Listening, paying attention with your whole body, being supportive, curious, receptive. Being determined and dogged, being open to what’s really there. Storytelling skills, people management skills and pragmatism are also essential.
What’s the most rewarding element?
Seeing exist the images carried around in your head and heart, sometimes for many years. A cinematic screen or a big stage are grand places, so to see your ideas up there is a very special thing.
What does leadership mean to you?
Having a strong and clear vision that leaves space for collaborating artists to get involved. And continually trying to push boundaries.
Tell us about your upcoming show, Girls & Boys.
It’s rare to feel like you intimately know and love a character just from the page. She’s so funny and dry and wise and flawed and human. I also love shows that don’t necessarily feel like ‘theatre’, where an actor just really talks to you. That, combined with some big themes about relationships, gender and power, well I’m hooked!
Without giving away the play’s conclusion, what can audiences expect?
Comedy, drama and indeed a rollercoaster of emotions! It’s very relatable. So many of us have experiences with falling in love and building lives with a partner and navigating relationship issues and kids and all that comes with it. But the play has a very shocking twist that you shouldn’t google so you can truly gasp when it happens. When the amazing actress Beatriz Romily first read the play out loud, I laughed so hard but by the end was in tears.
Girls & Boys runs 10-22 September. Visit atc.co.nz/auckland-theatre-company/2024/girls-boys to learn more; and eleanorbishop.org to discover more about Eleanor.
