EROTICA BY THE FIRE Comes to Basement Theatre in July

From the brilliant mind of International Emmy winner, Shoshana McCallum, and starring double Billy T nominee Donna Brookbanks and the actor who brought Sir Edmund Hillary to life on screen, Andrew Munro, comes a provocative jaunt through erotic fiction.

Part improv, part sketch, and full hilarious romp, Erotica by the Fire comes to Basement Theatre, 5-9 July, as part of the Basement Winter Season.

Rita Goldring (Donna Brookbanks - Snort, 7 Days, Funny Girls) , a well-known erotic fiction writer, has been struck down with writer's block right as the deadline for the final novel of her sexy trilogy approaches.

In an effort to get the creative juices flowing, her publisher, Chuck Manning (Andrew Munro - Hillary, Hounds), has sent Rita away to a country manor that is definitely not haunted for the weekend. That night, Rita lights the fire and settles down with her pen with the feathers on the end and her notebook, ready to be inspired.

But the ghosts of Deflower Manor (a rotating cast of sexy, spooky NZ celebrities) have other plans for Rita.

This isn't the first time Shoshana has taken on such a (t)horny topic, as much of her theatre work to date has explored taboo themes, like moral sexpectation in her debut play Leopard, and the shame culture around mental health in small towns in Looking at Stuff in Clouds (an earlier collaboration with Donna). But while these topics can be darkly awkward, Shoshana manages to infuse them with a kind of joy and humanity that audiences don't quickly forget.

Having long been interested as to why the subject of sex turns people into "f-ing weirdos", it only made sense that Shoshana turned to the horniest and weirdest to bring Erotica by the Fire to light. Although a trained actor herself, Shoshana always imagined actor/comedian Donna Brookbanks and actor/model Andrew Munro to take centre stage. While the threesome have a long history of collaboration (Leopard, and International Emmy winning INSiDE), they're also best friends, and lived together for years.

One part Drunk History, one part My Dad Wrote A Porno, and one part fireplace, Erotica by the Fire is a cavort through some seductive improv, titillating comedy and arousing fiction you won't want to miss.

Erotica by the Fire plays:
Dates: Tue 5 - Sat 9 Jul, 6.30pm
Venue: Basement Theatre
Tickets: $18 - $38
Bookings: www.basementtheatre.co.nz or phone iTicket 09 361 1000

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