Latest news with #EllieSmith
Scoop
08-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
One Theatre Icon, One Stage And One Life On A Loop
Press Release – Elephant Publicity Peach Theatre Company presents LIFE ON A LOOP Written by and starring Ellie Smith Directed by Jesse Peach One of our most treasured theatre stars, Ellie Smith returns home this November with her uplifting and poignant new one-woman show, Life on a Loop, a heartfelt exploration of dementia, love and care. Straight off the back of a return London season during World Alzheimer's Month at Golden Goose Theatre, Life on a Loop lands at Q Theatre from 11 – 16 November, marking Smith's first Aotearoa stage performance in over 15 years. For Grace, Christmas Day is just like any other – filled with the same songs and stories playing on a relentless loop, echoing the rhythms of the dementia and elderly residents she cares for. After thirty years in a rest home, the repetition can wear her down, but Grace still turns up with spark, energy, and a glint in her eye. In Life on a Loop, Ellie Smith's vibrant one-woman show, we meet this exhausted but fiercely likeable carer who finds joy, absurdity, and real connection in the monotony. With cracking humour, this show is a deeply moving and refreshingly honest look at the toll of caregiving, and the unexpected beauty found in life on repeat. Smith brings this world to life with seven central characters and a chorus of vivid personalities, each painted with detail and care. Directed by acclaimed theatre-maker Jesse Peach, Life on a Loop features a score by Victor Chaga (whose film credits include Music Editor of Back to Black), adding a surreal atmosphere to Grace's world. The production is anchored by set design from award-winning theatre designer and artist John Parker, whose design captures the intimate setting of a care home at Christmas. Having spent time singing in care homes in the south of England, Ellie Smith became close to many of the residents and experienced first-hand the isolation many of them faced. 'My time with them gave me such pleasure,' she reflects. 'And while there was sadness, it was often balanced by joy and fun. I've woven a lot of the residents' words into the characters of this play and hopefully found a lot of humour in something that can be so serious.' Ellie Smith is one of Aotearoa's most respected stage actors, known for starring roles in Shirley Valentine, Piaf, and Auckland Theatre Company's End of the Rainbow. She was one of New Zealand's original Lotto presenters and received the NZ Order of Merit in 2004 for services to theatre. Life on a Loop is her first New Zealand stage appearance since Ruben Guthrie (Silo Theatre, 2009). Director Jesse Peach, now based in London, was moved to bring the show home after its London premiere. 'As soon as it opened in London, I knew New Zealand audiences had to see it. People laughed, cried, and then laughed again. Ellie has created a story that raises serious issues without preaching—it's moving, accessible, and full of heart. I also want to bring Ellie home. She's a taonga of the New Zealand stage, and her play has had such a powerful impact overseas.' says Peach. Peach has directed acclaimed productions in New Zealand and Australia including The History Boys, Death of a Salesman, Othello, and Sweeney Todd.
Scoop
07-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
One Theatre Icon, One Stage And One Life On A Loop
Peach Theatre Company presents LIFE ON A LOOP Written by and starring Ellie Smith Directed by Jesse Peach One of our most treasured theatre stars, Ellie Smith returns home this November with her uplifting and poignant new one-woman show, Life on a Loop, a heartfelt exploration of dementia, love and care. Straight off the back of a return London season during World Alzheimer's Month at Golden Goose Theatre, Life on a Loop lands at Q Theatre from 11 – 16 November, marking Smith's first Aotearoa stage performance in over 15 years. For Grace, Christmas Day is just like any other - filled with the same songs and stories playing on a relentless loop, echoing the rhythms of the dementia and elderly residents she cares for. After thirty years in a rest home, the repetition can wear her down, but Grace still turns up with spark, energy, and a glint in her eye. In Life on a Loop, Ellie Smith's vibrant one-woman show, we meet this exhausted but fiercely likeable carer who finds joy, absurdity, and real connection in the monotony. With cracking humour, this show is a deeply moving and refreshingly honest look at the toll of caregiving, and the unexpected beauty found in life on repeat. Smith brings this world to life with seven central characters and a chorus of vivid personalities, each painted with detail and care. Directed by acclaimed theatre-maker Jesse Peach, Life on a Loop features a score by Victor Chaga (whose film credits include Music Editor of Back to Black), adding a surreal atmosphere to Grace's world. The production is anchored by set design from award-winning theatre designer and artist John Parker, whose design captures the intimate setting of a care home at Christmas. Having spent time singing in care homes in the south of England, Ellie Smith became close to many of the residents and experienced first-hand the isolation many of them faced. 'My time with them gave me such pleasure,' she reflects. 'And while there was sadness, it was often balanced by joy and fun. I've woven a lot of the residents' words into the characters of this play and hopefully found a lot of humour in something that can be so serious.' Ellie Smith is one of Aotearoa's most respected stage actors, known for starring roles in Shirley Valentine, Piaf, and Auckland Theatre Company's End of the Rainbow. She was one of New Zealand's original Lotto presenters and received the NZ Order of Merit in 2004 for services to theatre. Life on a Loop is her first New Zealand stage appearance since Ruben Guthrie (Silo Theatre, 2009). Director Jesse Peach, now based in London, was moved to bring the show home after its London premiere. 'As soon as it opened in London, I knew New Zealand audiences had to see it. People laughed, cried, and then laughed again. Ellie has created a story that raises serious issues without preaching—it's moving, accessible, and full of heart. I also want to bring Ellie home. She's a taonga of the New Zealand stage, and her play has had such a powerful impact overseas.' says Peach. Peach has directed acclaimed productions in New Zealand and Australia including The History Boys, Death of a Salesman, Othello, and Sweeney Todd.
Herald Sun
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Herald Sun
The Qld seats and candidates to watch this federal election
Don't miss out on the headlines from Federal Election. Followed categories will be added to My News. After David Crisafulli ended Labor's nine-year grip on power at the state level, the LNP will be hoping there is momentum to increase its already huge presence in Queensland at the federal level on May 3. It holds 21 of the state's 30 federal seats, against Labor's five and the Greens' three. Even before Mr Crisafulli's win, Labor looked in trouble after backsliding in last year's Brisbane City Council election where it only just held on to five out of the 26 wards. The LNP won 18 (plus the lord mayoralty) and the Greens won just two. Seats to watch — not least Dutton's But after his party was leading in the polls for months, incredibly LNP Opposition Leader Peter Dutton could — at least according to internal Labor and Teal polling — lose his northwest Brisbane seat of Dickson. At 1.7 per cent, Dickson has the tightest margin in the state. Labor's Ali France, who has battled the loss of a leg in a horrifying car accident and the death of a teenage son, could benefit from preferences from Climate 200-backed independent Ellie Smith. Ms Smith has run a well-funded and organised campaign, but courted controversy after revelations she tied herself to a coal power plant in her youth and also equated an anti-coal activist to civil rights leader Rosa Parks. Climate 200 candidate Ellie Smith is running against Peter Dutton in Dickson. Picture: Liam Kidston The LNP could also be in trouble in the must-win Cape York-based seat of Leichhardt where hugely popular LNP incumbent Warren Entsch is stepping down. His replacement, former paramedic and LNP candidateJeremy Neal, has previously blamed feminists for aiding Donald Trump's election loss, railed against Covid-19 restrictions and vaccines, labelled China a 'grub of a country' and his supporters were photographed in MAGA caps. The LNP meanwhile hopes to unseat the Greens' Elizabeth Watson-Brown in the affluent western Brisbane seat of Ryan. Ms Watson-Brown, a former partner in a leading architectural firm, was one-third of the party's so-called 2022 'Greenslide'' but is on a tight 2.4 per cent margin. She is up against a well-funded push from fresh-faced LNP hopeful Maggie Forrest who began actively campaigning last year and has a legion of volunteers supporting her. Labor's Rebecca Hack could, however, win the seat on preferences if she can edge past Ms Watson-Brown and take second place on the primary vote count. Brisbane a wildcard The LNP and Labor are also vying to wrest the inner-north seat of Brisbane from the Greens' Stephen Bates and the inner-south seat of Griffith from the Greens' Max Chandler-Mather. The high-profile Mr Chandler-Mather, who has campaigned relentlessly on affordable housing and other hip pocket issues, will be a tough adversary and sits on a comfortable margin. Brisbane is a wildcard, with a tight 3.7 per cent margin and experienced candidates in Labor's Madonna Jarrett and the LNP's Trevor Evans, who was defeated in 2022. Mr Evans, one of the first openly gay MPs in his party, campaigned hard on aircraft noise at the last election. Greens incumbent Max Chandler-Mather campaigns in the seat of Griffith, Picture: NewsWire/Tertius Pickard Rely on the 'Man in the Hat' So did Mr Bates, but with little real progress on tackling the issue he could be in trouble. Australia's longest serving and arguably its most colourful federal politician, Katter's Australia Party's Bob Katter, will easily win his northwest seat of Kennedy after holding it since 1993. Nothing short of a fatal snake bite or a frontal charge from a scrub bull can defeat the 'Man In The Hat'', who sits on a whopping 13.1 per cent margin. He has been accorded with the rare honour of an official parliamentary portrait for his service to the people of the bush since 1974. He recently launched his own election beer brand, Patriot. While the KAP held their three seats in last year's state election, they fell far short of their goal and will struggle to add seats federally. But in the event of a minority government Mr Katter wield considerable influence on the cross benches. Another interesting seat is Moreton, a cosmopolitan inner-south electorate which has been a bellwether over many years, swinging from red to blue and back again since 1944. Popular Labor MP Graham Perrett is stepping down after 18 years, however Labor's Julie-Ann Campbell should temper much of the swing usually experienced when a longtime MP retires. Member for Kennedy Bob Katter is expected to continue his record-setting run. Picture: Evan Morgan A former Labor state secretary, she is a local mum and has strong party backing. The Greens' Remah Naji could play a vital role in the outcome after developing a profile campaigning on homelessness and Palestine. Whether that helps the LNP's Henry Swindon or Ms Campbell remains to be seen. Lilley in Brisbane's north has been held by Labor since 1998 and Labor incumbent Anika Wells has a healthy margin of about 10 per cent. She has a high profile as Sports Minister but could see her margin chipped away by the LNP's Kimberley Washington, who cannot fail to do better than her LNP predecessor Vivian Lobo in 2022. Mr Lobo spectacularly detonated his chances of winning after wrongly claiming to live in the electorate, later pleading guilty and being fined $1000 by a magistrate. The seat of Bonner in Brisbane's east could be interesting this time despite being held by the LNP's Ross Vasta since 2004 (with a blip in 2007 when Labor claimed it). The margin is now down to 3.4 per cent and Labor's Kara Cook, a former Brisbane councillor for the area, is making what she hopes will be her political comeback. She stepped down from council in 2023 after expanding her family with a third child. A popular and well-known face in the area, she could cause an upset, particularly as there is a mini-Melbourne Cup field of eight candidates ranging from the Libertarian Party to the Legalise Cannabis Party. Minor party preferences might prove crucial. Originally published as The Qld seats and candidates to watch this federal election
West Australian
21-04-2025
- Politics
- West Australian
Federal election 2025: Labor outspends rivals in social media ad blitz, Chaney biggest spending politician
The Labor Party poured more than half a million dollars into advertising on Meta in 30 days, almost $349,000 of which was spent in a single week of the election campaign. The Liberal Party in the same period spent $383,300 between March 18 to April 16 on Facebook and Instagram, while their spend between April 10-16 was $72,762. The Nightly's fresh analysis of the Meta ad library also found Curtin independent MP Kate Chaney was the highest spending parliamentarian, shelling out almost $105,000 in the 30-day period — about a third of which was spent in the past week. Climate 200 spent almost $362,000 in the 30-day period, $133,000 of which was in the last seven days. Independent incumbent MPs and candidates in Kooyong, Bradfield, Wentworth and Flinders all spent above $50,000 in the 30-day period, while Ellie Smith – taking on Peter Dutton in Dickson – spent $46,000. Clive Palmer's Trumpet of Patriots has also ramped up its social media spending as the May 3 election nears. The newly formed party spent just over $324,000 in the last 30 days of which $170,000 was in seven days. Political marketing expert Andrew Hughes said he would expect ad spending to increase across the board from Tuesday, when pre-poll opens. He said the content itself hadn't been as creative this time around, and that negative ads were not an effective use of money. 'Once we realise it's a negative ad, people switch off… It's rare to see that cut through,' he said. An analysis of the Labor Party's ad library found they had started running four videos in the last 30 days that had pulled in between 600,000-700,000 impressions. Two of those were labelled 'Labor for Griffith' and featured candidate Renee Coffey, who is taking on the Greens' Max Chandler-Mather. A candidate-specific ad for Andrew Charlton in Paramatta had between 400,000-450,000 impressions since it went live on April 5. Other ads for in-strife MPs in Richmond, Paterson and Reid were also launched on April 17. Jerome Laxale, whose marginal electorate of Bennelong is now notionally Liberal, spent just over $29,000 in the 30 day period. Analysis of Labor's total ad spend found they had directed at least 15 per cent of their expenditure between April 10-16 targeting Bennelong. WA Labor spent $24,000 in the same period. Dr Hughes said Labor's spend so far wasn't as high as he would have expected, but the types of ads the party was pushing were telling. 'They've switched to boring mode. It's consistent with what we're seeing on the campaign trail with Anthony Albanese, they're not taking any risk,' he said. 'The party with the lead will need to campaign flat, so there's nothing for the Opposition to work with on you. You do the same thing with your ad strategy – a bit boring, a bit plain, and lots of reinforcement on existing messages.' In the Liberal camp, meanwhile, at least 20 per cent of ad spend was in Bennelong postcodes. About 30 per cent was spent in Werriwa. In the same 30-day period, the Victorian branch spent $63,000, the NSW division $26,000, and the WA arm $45,000. The Queensland LNP spent $124,000, of which just over $53,000 was in the last seven days. The Liberals also put money behind a campaign called 'Teals Revealed' backed by the federal, NSW and Victorian divisions, which spent about $200,000 in 30 days combined. The Coalition also put hundreds of thousands of dollars for candidate-specific ad spends. The highest was in Liberal held Bradfield – under serious threat from teal candidate Nicolette Boele – where the party spent $45,000 on their candidate. Significant money was spent on candidates in Bennelong, Curtin, Pearce, Wentworth and Parramatta as well. Advance Australia spent $186,000 in the same 30 day period, plus $110,000 as part of 'Election News', another $100,000 for 'Albanese is weak, woke and sending us broke', and $31,000 for 'Greens Truth' related ads.
