She’s back, as bossy, eccentric and risible as ever. The passing of time has not dimmed her belief that she is the most prima of all prima donnas. She is Mongolia’s pick as the greatest living soprano of all time. She is the Cynthia of the title: Cynthia Fortitude, dotty standard-bearer for opera in far-flung corners of the world and New Zealand, and an old habitue of the Wellington stage.

Tonight, Cynthia attends a meeting of the Island Bay Operatic Guild to introduce the locals to the delights of her favourite musical genre. She is diverted onto the topic of an opera she and her musical partner Gertie Rallentando are creating. From there, we’re transported to the bizarre world of Il Meraviglioso Pappataci di Aotearoa – this being the opera’s title, which I won’t translate here because it’s a joke in waiting.

A generous host, Cynthia freely shares the events, characters and emotional nuances of her life. She is given to bursting into song, which may be anywhere between canonical opera and the broadest of pastiche. She is also a musical director out of the strict schoolmistress school, who doesn’t just ask for audience participation, she demands it.

 

Helen is an award-winning actor/singer/writer, who has been working in theatre, television and film for nearly 50 years in the UK, NZ and Australia. Her work in NZ began in 1978 at Circa Theatre, Wellington, with A Toast to Melba and has included Two, Hens’ Teeth, Wit, Doubt, The Legend Returns, Meet the Churchills, Cynthia & Gertie Go Baroque and The Coven on Grey Street. Helen’s film and television credits include Pictures, Close to Home, Country GP, Erebus - the aftermath, The Wall, Food for Thought, Sweet As and Growing Still.
She has toured to Japan with Ken Hill’s Phantom of the Opera with Stetson Productions four times and last year she played Jean in the NZ tour of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. Helen and Australian writer/director Sue Rider have recently published in one volume, the four plays they have written together – Meeting Karpovsky (with Sir Jon Trimmer), Playing Miss Havisham, Gloria’s Handbag and The Bicycle & the Butcher’s Daughter.
This book will be on sale during Helen’s tour of Waiting for Gertie
This will be Helen’s 3rd visit to the 4th Wall Theatre after Meeting Karpovsky (with Sir Jon Trimmer) in 2015, Gloria’s Handbag with Arts on Tour in 2017.
She is delighted to be coming again!!