Kia ora!
We are delighted to share the Ryman Healthcare 2024 Season with you! Our partnership with Ryman Healthcare reflects our shared investment in human connection and in experiencing life to the fullest.
Prepare for a season brimming with artistic brilliance and entertainment featuring a captivating array of vibrant, playful, and awe-inspiring shows. We've sought out the best of New Zealand playwriting, complementing these works with brilliant international plays to create theatre for Aotearoa, delivered locally. To honour what our audiences have told us they love we have programmed plenty of variety throughout the year. There is comedy, drama, new works, classics, world-class musicals, shows to delight our youngest audiences, and of course the improvised genius of our Court Jesters.
Inclusivity is a core value for The Court Theatre and as part of that, we are committed to accessibility by offering relaxed performances, NZSL interpreted shows, communication friendly performances, and audio described shows throughout the year.
Subscriptions are currently on sale, and you can purchase tickets to individual shows.
Like what you see? A subscription is a great way to ensure that you don't miss out on your favourite show! Subscriptions (and all their benefits!) can be created with as few as three shows, or book every single show with a Season Subscription.
How Subscriptions Work
As a valued subscriber, you empower us to confidently plan seasons. Enjoy the best deals on your favourite shows as a token of our gratitude!
Design your own subscription package with as few as three plays to suit your theatre thirst this year.
Or complete a form; visit our Box Office between 1:00pm - 5:00pm, Monday to Friday; or call 0800 333 100 to create your subscription.
Why Subscribe?
Subscribing to at least three shows means that you receive a range of benefits, which include:
Benefits
NO QUEUES
Avoid the lines - all of your bookings can be made at once and we can either post out your tickets or hold them here for collection at the theatre.
PRIORITY BOOKINGS
You'll get first dibs on your favourite seats, ensuring you're booked in for our sell-out shows. You'll also get the option to renew these seats next season!
GREAT VALUE
Subscribing means you can save up to 30% on the cost of your tickets!
TICKET SECURITY
If you lose your tickets, we can replace them, making sure you keep your reserved seats.
BRING A FRIEND
Invite friends and whānau to join you, with additional tickets available at our discounted earlybird ticket rate.
FREE TICKET EXCHANGE
Plan in advance, but enjoy the flexibility to change your dates once booking is open to the general public.
THE SHOWS
Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express
2 March - 6 April 2024
Ken Ludwig's clever adaptation of the Agatha Christie classic boasts all the glamour, intrigue, and suspense of Dame Agatha's celebrated novel, with a healthy dose of humour to quicken the pace.
Just after midnight, a snowdrift stops the Orient Express in its tracks. The luxurious train is surprisingly full for the time of the year, but by the morning it is one passenger fewer. An American tycoon lies dead in his compartment, stabbed eight times, his door locked from the inside. Isolated and with a killer in their midst, the passengers rely on detective Hercule Poirot to identify the murderer – in case they decide to strike again.
Every Brilliant Thing
6 April - 4 May 2024
Sometimes the little things can create something big and beautiful.
A young child attempts to bring their mother out of depression by making her a list of every brilliant thing in the world. Decades pass, the list grows and what was once a game eventually becomes a new way of looking at the world – a world where there is joy to be found in every corner of our world, if we can open ourselves to the possibility.
Show Sponsor: Stuff
The Lost Sock
6 April - 27 April 2024
Did you ever wonder what happened to your missing sock?
If you were a sock, what would you do if you woke up and your best friend had disappeared?
Join Jo the sock on their quest to find their other half. Will they have the courage to face dirty undies, broken boots, and the ever-feared WASHING MACHINE?
It’ll all come out in the wash!
The Lost Sock is a musical adventure full of puppets and songs.
Recommended for people aged 5 – 9 years old.
Mr and Mrs Macbeth of Heathcote Valley Road
18 May - 22 June 2024
Jo and Tom Macbeth are professional actors who have a reputation as Shakespearean specialists. It is the opening night of a production of Macbeth, 30 minutes before curtain up. In the dressing room, something major has happened. Not great timing.
Crisp, sharp dialogue, revelations and discoveries on both sides provide moments of emotion, accusations, and crackling synergy. With a crisis just before the interval, disaster seems imminent. The second half is filled with every actor's nightmare - being in the wrong play at the wrong time, especially when Taika Waititi is in the house casting for his Amazon-funded film version of the Shakespearian tragedy.
Enjoy a rollercoaster ride of comedy, drama, poignancy, and explosive conflict, as these two stage dynamos reveal the highs and lows of partnerships, on and off the stage. Mr. & Mrs. Macbeth of Heathcote Valley Road will appeal to all, including people who hated Shakespeare at school.
Show Sponsor: Christchurch Casino
Disney’s The Little Mermaid JR.
9 July - 21 July 2024
In a magical underwater kingdom the young mermaid Ariel longs to leave behind her ocean home—and fins—to live in the world up above.
But first, Ariel will have to defy her father, King Triton, make a deal with Ursula (arguably the best Disney villain of all time), and convince Prince Eric that she’s the one whose enchanting voice they've been seeking. Featuring two alternate casts of talented young performers from Ōtautahi Christchurch, Disney's Little Mermaid Jr. brings this classic Disney “tail” (get it?!) to life for the school holidays.
Show Sponsor: Toyworld
Early Early Late Show
9-20 July & 8-12 October 2024
Get ready for an unforgettable adventure as the young ones seize the spotlight in the theatre! Geared towards seven to twelve-year-olds, this show promises entertainment for the entire family! The Court Jesters, experts in the art of improvised comedy, turn audience suggestions into whimsical scenes, sketches, and songs. With each performance crafted on the spot, every show is a one-of-a-kind experience. Buckle up for a rollercoaster of laughter and excitement!
Show Sponsor: Rova
The Court Jesters present Game of Unknowns
25 - 27 July 2024
Full of larger-than-life characters, surprise twists and turns, epic battles and questionable relationships... Step back into a world of fantasy which will be as cunning as Littlefinger, as hot as dragon fire and as confusing as the three eyed raven! With a new range of families vying for the throne and distant threats more ominous than the white walkers, you won't want to miss the battle of these bastards* (*no insult to the improvisers intended). Experience fantastical storytelling where you, the audience, get to have a say on the outcome and the fates of our characters. 'Chaos isn't a pit. Chaos is a ladder’.
Show Sponsor: Rova
Fun Home
10 August - 14 September 2024
Adapted from Alison Bechdel’s 2006 best-selling graphic memoir of the same name, Fun Home is a Tony Award-winning musical by the celebrated musical-writing duo, Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Kron. Fun Home is funny, heartfelt, and moving, with an incredible score.
Alison is embodied by three actors of different ages and is, in turn, funny and heartbreaking. Filled with sensational musical numbers, Fun Home is a refreshingly honest, wholly original musical about seeing your past and your parents through grown-up eyes.
A smash 2013 season at The Public Theatre in New York saw it moved to Broadway and the West End, where it continued to be a sensation. It has since played around the world to great acclaim.
Show Sponsor: John Rhind
She Kills Monsters
20 August – 31 August 2024
She Kills Monsters tells the story of high schooler Agnes Evans as she deals with the death of her younger sister, Tilly. When Agnes stumbles upon Tilly’s Dungeons & Dragons notebook, she finds herself catapulted into a journey of discovery and action-packed adventure in the imaginary world that was her sister’s refuge.
Award-winning playwright, TV and screenwriter (Marvel Studios, Disney) Qui Nguyen weaves a high-energy, dramatic comedy blending reality with supermodel elves, warrior women, and ogres. This tale, performed by the talented Court Youth Company, explores friendship and acceptance, offering a heart-pounding homage to the inner geek and warrior in us all, with more than a touch of humour.
Join the adventure whether you are a D&D enthusiast or newcomer.
Show Sponsor: Spark
Paradise or the Impermanence of Ice Cream
19 - 28 September 2024
Having enchanted audiences in North America and at the Sydney Festival, The Court Theatre is delighted to welcome the latest production from legendary Aotearoa theatre company, Indian Ink:Paradise or the Impermanence of Ice Cream.
Take a wild ride to paradise with Indian Ink’s powerful new play about impermanence – of life, love … and ice cream! This glorious production is inspired by Ernest Becker’s Pulitzer prize-winning book, Denial of Death, and the vibrant, life–filled chaos of India’s most cosmopolitan city, Mumbai. Jacob Rajan delivers a dazzling solo performance as he channels seven characters, weaving the afterlife and a dash of Bollywood disco into the real-life mystery of India’s vanishing vultures. A man trying desperately to avoid death is flung between limbo and his past where a rebellious young woman holds the key that may guide him to paradise. Infused with serious laughter, exquisite puppetry and inspired sound design this show is guaranteed to melt your heart.
A Doll’s House
12 October – 9 November 2024
Henrik Ibsen’s 1879 ground-breaking, realist classic A Doll’s House (in a translation by Christopher Hampton, The Father) centres on an ordinary family—Torvald Helmer, a bank lawyer, his wife, Nora, and their children. Torvald supposes himself the ethical member of the family, while his wife assumes the role of the pretty and irresponsible little woman.
In this enduringly powerful drama, through an intricate story of reputations, secrets, love, and betrayal, Nora finds her way out of the “doll’s house” constructed by a restrictive society, ready to discover who she really is.
Famous for “the door slam heard around the world”, A Doll’s House stands as one of the most important plays in the theatrical canon.
Show Sponsor: Spark
Baz Luhrmann’s Strictly Ballroom – The Musical
23 November 2024 – 1 February 2025
Meet Scott Hastings: ballroom dancer, future champion, rebel. When Scott’s radical dance moves raise eyebrows with the Australian Federation, he finds himself dancing with Fran, a beginner who has no moves at all. Inspiring each other, the couple find the courage to defy both convention and their families – and discover that to be a winner, your steps don’t need to be strictly ballroom…
Based on Baz Luhrmann’s award-winning worldwide film phenomenon, Strictly Ballroom: The Musical features smash-hit songs "Love is in the Air,” “Perhaps Perhaps, Perhaps” and “Time After Time,” and all new music written by internationally acclaimed artists including Sia, David Foster and Eddie Perfect. This feel-good ballroom sensation is sure to make for an unforgettable evening under the glitter ball that will send your heart soaring and get your toes tapping!
Show Sponsor: PWC
Apprentice Santa
3 December – 21 December 2024
Bounding into the lounge on Christmas Eve, little Billy unintentionally bumps Santa toward the fireplace, creating a precarious situation. However, Santa miraculously survives the incident! Billy is astonished but relieved to find out that instead of any harm, Santa has a special message. Santa informs Billy that whoever accidentally causes him distress must temporarily take on the role of spreading joy and delivering presents. Embracing the newfound responsibility, Billy embarks on a thrilling adventure with the help of the audience. Together, they navigate challenges such as spirited reindeer, mischievous elves, sizzling chimneys, and perhaps even a run-in with the mischievous Grinch.
Join the Santa Brigade and assist The Jesters in ensuring Christmas is a time of merriment once more!
Show Sponsor: Rova
Scared Scriptless
19 Jan – 20 Dec 2024 | Late Friday nights
High calibre, quick and naughty, The Court Jesters deliver Ōtautahi Christchurch’s favourite unscripted-laugh-fest. Every week our outrageous comedians craft totally unique, no-holds-barred, and no-planning-permitted improvised killer comedy. What could possibly go wrong?!
Follow @scaredscriptlesschch on Instagram for the latest news and special prime time shows.
Show Sponsor: Rova
How to Subscribe
Design your own subscription package with as few as three plays to suit your theatre thirst this year.
Or complete a form; visit our Box Office between 1:00pm - 5:00pm, Monday to Friday; or call 0800 333 100 to create your subscription.