Hannah Smith

Hannah is a graduate of the Victoria University of Wellington Theatre Programme (Bachelor of Arts, honours degree in Theatre).

Lysander's Aunty is her debut production at The Court Theatre. Her other recent theatre credits include Public Service Announcements: The Ghosts of Christmas Parties (No FeFe Collective); Puppet Fiction (Present Company); Troll; The Devil’s Half-Acre; The Bookbinder and The Road That Wasn’t There for her own company, Trick of the Light Theatre.

Hannah is co-founder and co-director of Trick of the Light Theatre alongside Ralph McCubbin Howell. Their work is regularly performed around Aotearoa and the world and, in the last year, she has toured to Australia, the UK, USA, Canada and South Africa. She received a nomination for Most Promising Director at the 2011 Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards for her work on their play The Engine Room, and received the same award in 2013 for The Road That Wasn’t There. 

TRICK OF THE LIGHT THEATRE

Trick of the Light is an award-winning theatre company from Wellington founded by Hannah Smith and Ralph McCubbin Howell. Their shows have ranged from cross-over dark fables for adults and older children to biting political satire, but are unified by their attention to narrative, inventive visual design, and belief that theatre should resonate with the wider world. Previous works include The Road That Wasn't There (Outstanding New NZ Play, Most Promising Director, and Production of the Year - Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards 2011; Best Children's Event - Fringe World, Perth, and Adelaide Fringe), Broken River, BEARDS! BEARDS! BEARDS! (Best Theatre - Dunedin Fringe), The Devil's Half-Acre, Tröll (Outstanding Theatre Award Winner - Fringe Review, Edinburgh, 2019, Children’s Weekly Award and West Arts Editor Weekly Award  - Fringe World, Perth, 2019), and The Bookbinder (Best Theatre, Best in the Fringe - NZ Fringe 2014, International Excellence Award - Sydney Fringe 2014, Best Children's Event - Fringe World, Perth - 2015).

Trick of the Light is thrilled to be collaborating with The Court Theatre on this production of Lysander’s Aunty. Follow what we’re up to on Twitter @stagetrick, on Facebook @trickofthelighttheatre, and on Instagram @trickofthelightnz. Find us online and sign up to our mailing list at www.trickofthelight.co.nz.