Latest news with #TheNeuroSpiceGirls
Otago Daily Times
30-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
New neurodivergent show a ‘masterful performance'
THE NEUROSPICE GIRLS, by Lizzie Tollemache Hic Sunt Dracones Wednesday, July 23 Filleul St pop-up space A large and responsive audience gave a warm welcome to Christchurch-based playwright/actor Lizzie Tollemache's wildly engaging, high-energy exploration of the life-long impact of neurodivergence during last week's premiere performance of The NeuroSpice Girls. Described as "a funny and ferocious neurodivergent odyssey, from gut-punching denial to celebration," the show was directed by Kim Morgan, and produced through her local theatre company Hic Sunt Dracones (HSD). The NeuroSpice Girls centres on the challenges faced by Tollemache — as a child in the playground, as a teenager and as an adult, when she could finally set about dealing with her issues. Along the way, she shares intimate details — some hilarious and others heartbreaking — of the many times her unique thought processes led to embarrassment, anxiety and punishment. An entertaining and sympathetic performer, Tollemache's masterful performance was superbly supported by a "Greek chorus" of top notch local actors, Mārama Grant, Lexie Tomlinson, Ellie Swann and Destiny Carvell. Each with their own stories of neurodivergence and challenges, the chorus helped keep the energy levels high and add immensely to the show's frequent moments of hilarity with impeccable comic timing — especially during satiric moments like the wickedly hysterical "therapy for the patriarchy" sequence. They can really sing as well. Alongside its many very funny sequences, The NeuroSpice Girls was filled with relatable moments, such as the triumphant announcement of "boundaries" and the moving sharing of the women's whakapapa through their mothers, grandmothers and great-grandmothers. The HSD kaupapa to "go off the map" and find distinctive venues for each of its productions was brilliantly fulfilled with the space at 24 Filleul St, sourced with support from the Dunedin Dream Brokerage. Clearly, a lot of work went into turning the space into a black box theatre, complete with a simple, effective and adaptive set designed and created by Matthew Morgan. Lighting design by Garry Keirle, sound and music by Matthew Morgan as well as tech support by Jordan Wichman enhanced the theatricality of the piece, while also minimising potential sensory overload. All in all, HSD's production of Tollemache's The NeuroSpice Girls was a triumph, bringing a fresh, informative and thoroughly entertaining approach to an important subject. Congratulations to all involved on a superb show.
Otago Daily Times
24-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Exploration of neurodivergence in engaging show
Hic Sunt Dracones presents The NeuroSpice Girls, by Lizzie Tollemache Wednesday, July 23 24 Filleul St pop-up space Review by BRENDA HARWOOD A large and responsive audience gave a warm welcome to Christchurch-based playwright/actor Lizzie Tollemache's wildly engaging, high-energy exploration of the life-long impact of neurodivergence during last night's premiere performance of The NeuroSpice Girls. Described as ''a funny and ferocious neurodivergent odyssey, from gut-punching denial to celebration,'' the show is directed by Kim Morgan, who also produces through her local theatre company Hic Sunt Dracones (HSD). The NeuroSpice Girls centres on the challenges faced by Tollemache — as a child in the playground, as a teenager and as an adult, when she could finally set about dealing with her issues. Along the way, she shares intimate details — some hilarious and others heartbreaking — of the many times her unique thought processes led to embarrassment, anxiety and punishment. An entertaining and sympathetic performer, Tollemache's masterful performance is superbly supported by a ''Greek chorus'' of top notch local actors, Marama Grant, Lexie Tomlinson, Ellie Swann and Destiny Carvell. Each with their own stories of neurodivergence and challenges, the chorus help keep the energy levels high and add immensely to the show's frequent moments of hilarity with impeccable comic timing — especially during satiric moments like the wickedly hysterical ''therapy for the patriarchy'' sequence. They can really sing as well. Alongside its many very funny sequences, The NeuroSpice Girls is filled with relatable moments, such as the triumphant announcement of ''boundaries'' and the moving sharing of the women's whakapapa through their mothers, grandmothers and great-grandmothers. An important aspect of the HSD kaupapa is to ''go off the map'' and find distinctive venues for each of its productions and the space at 24 Filleul St (next to the Urgent Pharmacy), sourced with support from the Dunedin Dream Brokerage, is a real coup. Clearly, a lot of work has gone into turning the space into a black box theatre, complete with a simple, effective and adaptive set designed and created by Matthew Morgan, into a fantastic performance space. The large, accessible venue has allowed HSD to cater for diverse audiences as well, with sofas, cushions and mats, as well as a ''chill out room''. Lighting design by Garry Keirle, sound and music by Matthew Morgan, and tech support by Jordan Wichman enhance the theatricality of the piece, while also minimising potential sensory overload. All in all, HSD's production of Tollemache's The NeuroSpice Girls is a triumph, bringing a fresh, informative and thoroughly entertaining approach to an important subject. Congratulations to all involved on a superb show. The NeuroSpice Girls continues at 24 Filleul St until Sunday, with performances at 7.30pm, and also 3pm matinees on Saturday and Sunday. Performers (top from left) Marama Grant, Lexie Tomlinson, Lizzie Tollemache, Destiny Carvell and (bottom) Ellie Swann during rehearsals of The NeuroSpice Girls. PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSON
Otago Daily Times
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Personal experiences inspire play
Dunedin theatre company Hic Sunt Dracones (HSC) will present their premiere production of "funny and ferocious" new play The NeuroSpice Girls , by Christchurch playwright Lizzie Tollemache. Director Kim Morgan said the play, to be staged from July 23 to 27, was described as "a funny and ferocious neurodivergent odyssey, from gut-punching denial to celebration". The show had a broad appeal, but was also Tollemache's very personal journey. "So, she is here to lead the ensemble, which includes four fabulous, experienced local performers, who are also neurodivergent," Morgan said. "This is a disability-led company, telling our stories with pride, trauma-informed practice and lived experience." The local performers — Ellie Swann, Lexie Tomlinson, Destiny Carvell and Mārama Grant, form a kind of Greek chorus around Tollemache's storytelling, which is both hilarious and touching. Sound and projections have been created by Matt Morgan. Morgan said, in the casting stages for the show, the call went out for local actors who self-identify as neurodivergent to step up to tell their own stories, receiving a great response. "We are delighted with the mix of incredible performers we have assembled," she said. "And the process of working on this show has really helped us to explore who we are." The show is a vibrant singing, dancing, truth bomb-dropping experience, laden with '90s pop culture references, flights of fancy and relatable neurodivergent discoveries. "This is a story that applies to many people, and in development showings the unfiltered feedback showed that audience members felt represented," Morgan said. The NeuroSpice Girls started out as part of Playmarket's Te Hono programme, under the title Swimming Lessons , with Jo Randerson as script adviser. After a rewrite with comedy and sketch input from Brynley Stent, the show was renamed The NeuroSpice Girls . Tollemache said "we are currently seeing a tidal wave of late diagnosed women, and curiosity about neurodivergence is at an all time high. The time for this show is now". Morgan said HSD had honoured its kaupapa to "go off the map" and find distinctive venues for each of its productions and had worked with Dunedin Dream Brokerage to find a suitable space at 24 Filleul St. "The setting will allow us to craft a distinctive, non-traditional and immersive space for the show, where we can also mix seats, sofas, cushions and mats for our diverse audiences," she said. The space, which is next to the Urgent Pharmacy, is also accessible, with access via the main door, a ramped hallway, a flat auditorium and an accessible bathroom. "Our performances are "semi-relaxed" — while we will be using theatrical lighting, sound effects and projections, we are also attempting to minimise sensory overload. "Patrons will be welcome to step out to the 'chill room' at any time." Due to Tollemache's busy schedule, the performance season of The NeuroSpice Girls has had to be limited, with shows from Wednesday, July 23, to Saturday, July 26, at 7.30pm. There will also be 3pm matinees on Saturday and Sunday, July 26 and 27. "The show has a 70-minute duration, and then we will have talk-back sessions after every performance, if audience members want to stay and talk," Morgan said. Content warning: Discussions of mental health, addiction and ableism. Occasional bursts of spicy language. Suggested age 14 and over.
