The Twits
28 September – 20 October, 2007
Glen Hancox
Glen is excited to be returning to his city of birth and to the Fortune Theatre where he made his stage debut. He performed there in Treasure Island in 1998 before heading across the ditch to start an acting career in Melbourne. Glen has since worked regularly on stage, in film, television, theatre in education and of course in children's shows, even writing and directing an adaptation of Treasure Island! He has been a regular producer and performer of outdoor Shakespeare, playing Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing and roles in As You Like It and Twelfth Night. Other theatre highlights include Look Back in Anger, Death & Downsizing in the Melbourne Fringe Festival and Lucky at the famous La Mama theatre. Television credits include Neighbours, Blue Heelers, MDA, Scooter Secret Agent and Nightmares & Dreamscapes. Glen has also appeared in many independent films, but finds that corporate gigs pay the bills!
Children's shows include, Snow White, Charlottes Web, Jack & the Beanstalk, Peter Pan, Cinderella, Hansel & Gretel, Stuart Little and Wind in the Willows.
Mark Neilson
Mark has lived in Otago for most of his life, a fact made evident by his glaringly pasty skin, and his fondness for the mutton pie. He received his training at the Otago Institute of TV, Theatre and Radio, and has worked extensively as an actor, radio personality, writer and presenter for the last ten years. He has been involved in many memorable Fortune Theatre productions, including The Witches, American Buffalo, Charlottes Web, Hitchcock Blonde and The Jungle Book. TV appearances include TV3's hit political mockumentary The Pretender, and operating a slightly annoying puppet, Jay, for The Go Show. Mark and his lovely wife Jo also write, direct and produce educational theatre pieces for the TBA Charitable Trust. Mark looks forward to bringing his own unique brand of masculine femininity to the role of Mrs Twit.
Jodie Bate
Jodie is delighted to return to the Fortune stage after two years in television as a presenter and writer on TV2's The Go Show, and a puppeteer on TVNZ's new Kidzone. A graduate of Toi Whakaari, New Zealand Drama School, Jodie was first wooed to the Fortune Theatre in 2004 to appear in The Pied Piper, during which she met her husband in this very theatre. Jodie went on to be in The Fortune's 2004 production of Lend Me a Tenor. Jodie also has a passion for Dance and toured with contemporary dance company Scrambled Legs in 2003 and 2004. Mrs Muggle Wump is Jodie's second appearance as a monkey in a Roald Dahl play having been in a Christchurch production of The Giraffe and The Pelly and Me. Jodie is excited to be working with such a great cast!
Sara Georgie Tunoka
Formerly a Johnston for her performances since 2003 at the Fortune Theatre, including A Perfect Wedding and Lend Me aTenor, Sara has had a busy year touring the country with THeTA's The Best Thing and is delighted to return to the stage as a Tunoka having recently got married in Fiji! Happy to be part of a second Roald Dahl production, she appeared in The Witches last year as well as My Heart Is Bathed in Blood and Waiting For Gateaux. Having trained at the University of Otago, Sara has enjoyed acting in TV and film, teaching drama and dance, choreography and directing. Creatures she has played include a rabbit, pig, weasel and hedgehog, however she is most happy being covered in feathers and thoroughly loving being the Roly Poly Bird.
Marisiale Tunoka
Marisiale is well known to Dunedin audiences as he is the only resident Fijian actor. Siale last appeared on the Fortune stage as the deliciously black chocolate wedding planner Flip in The Paradise Package and as the foul mouthed Phillip in The Shape of Things. Recently he has been performing an educational theatre show called The Best Thing for the THeTA Trust and is glad to be back on stage in Dunedin.
Danny Still
Early baby photos of Danny do reveal a certain monkeyness which is still apparent if you see his ears. For this role Danny drew inspiration from nature documentaries and All Black after match interviews. His favourite things of spring are Emerson's APA and daffodils.
Anna Nicholas
Anna graduated from the Otago Institute of Theatre, Television and Radio in 2003. She has been involved in numerous amateur productions and Fortune audiences may remember her previous performances here in Netballers, 'The Witches and world premieres Home Land and My Heart is Bathed in Blood. This year Anna has been involved as an Actor/Educator for the Theatre in Health Education Trust touring a show around NZ schools about healthy eating. This was a highly rewarding and enjoyable experience. Anna is delighted to be back on stage again at the Fortune as a monkey in this Roald Dahl adaptation after starring in Roald Dahl's The Witches last year.
