Story: Actors and acting

Father's Day, Downstage, 1966 (1st of 3)

Father's Day, Downstage, 1966

The disturbing comedy Father's Day, by Peter Bland, was the first locally written play performed at Wellington's Downstage Theatre. This poster for the original 1966 production shows (from left) Nicolette McKenzie, Pat Evison and Jennifer Dakers. Evison had been awarded a scholarship to London's Old Vic theatre in 1940. She later became known throughout New Zealand for her role as the storekeeper in the 1971 TV drama series Pukemanu. Evison was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1993.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, Downstage Theatre Company Collection
Reference: 1/2-071563-F
Photograph by Warwick Teague

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Laurie Atkinson, 'Actors and acting - The rise of professional theatre, 1960 to 1980', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/ephemera/42191/fathers-day-downstage-1966 (accessed 19 March 2024)

Story by Laurie Atkinson, published 22 Oct 2014