Ralph McCubbin-Howell

Ralph is a graduate of Victoria University (Bachelor of Arts, honours in English and Theatre), Bristol Old Vic Theatre School (Certificate of Higher Education, Acting), and Wellington’s International Institute of Modern Letters (Masters in Scriptwriting).

He is co-director of Trick of the Light Theatre, and writer/performer of The Bookbinder - an award-winning solo show which has toured venues around the world ranging from The Lincoln Center, New York, to the attic of New Zealand's oldest bookbindery. Outside of the company his credits include writing Second Afterlife (Young and Hungry) and performing in Puppet Fiction (Present Company) and Peter and the Wolf (Silo Theatre). He received the Chapman Tripp Outstanding New Playwright Award in 2011, the Chapman Tripp Outstanding New NZ Play Award in 2013 and the Bruce Mason Playwriting Award in 2014.

Ralph has been an improviser with The Court Jesters on and off since 2003 and toured to London’s Globe Theatre with the New Zealand Young Shakespeare Company in 2005. Other run-ins with Shakespeare include directing Romeo and Juliet (Three Spoon Theatre), and playing a decidedly unpleasant Goth in Titus Andronicus (The Court Theatre).

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.