THEATRE AND FILM – Emily Perkins

The Made

What if you could hand your caregiving duties to a humanoid robot with real feelings? Visionary scientist Alice is at the cutting edge of her field, striving to generate emotions in robots. But, when those robots are used for domestic service, how will they feel? As Alice nears her goal, family accusations and workplace betrayals are unleashed – along with an artificial intelligence (AI) creation that is far beyond anyone’s control. Alice and her family – child Sam and ex-husband David – are forced to grapple with what this new technology will mean for humanity and the tension between creator and creation, mother and child, perfect cyborg and imperfect human. Read more about The Made on the Auckland Theatre Company website.

Emily talks about The Made on TVNZ Breakfast

Play Video

Reviews and Media for The Made

REVIEWS

‘It’s been a long time since I heard a theatre audience laugh so wholeheartedly’ New Zealand Herald (PDF)

‘Sharp, hilarious and thought-provoking’ Theatrescenes

‘A hilarious romp’ NZ Arts Review

MEDIA

Talking about The Made with Emily Simpson for The Spinoff

The Made production highlights, ATC 2022

Bronwyn Bradley as Nanny Ann and Alison Bruce as Alice. Photo credit: Jinki Cambronero

Hannah Tasker-Poland as Arie and Joe Dekkers-Reihana as John. Photo credit: Jinki Cambronero

A Doll’s House

Adapted from the play by Henrik Ibsen

Nora appears to have a picture-perfect marriage, living by her environmentally conscious, family-centred values. Her husband Theo, a builder, is ambitious, successful and sexy, and their two children are bundles of joy.

But all is not what it seems in the Helmer household. As they prepare to celebrate their first Christmas in the new home they are renovating, events from the past come crashing in on the festivities. Nora’s seemingly idyllic domestic bliss suddenly becomes a suffocating trap of secrets, lies and bald truths. And Nora is left dancing for her life.

Reviews and Media for A Doll’s House

REVIEWS

‘The drama is thick, and tense… Perkins has lobbed a grenade onto the stage’ Metro review of the 2015 ATC production.

‘Radically revised… potently relevant’ Theatreview review of the 2015 ATC production.

‘Powerful’ Pantograph Punch review of the 2017 Circa production.

MEDIA

Emily and director Colin McColl talk about adapting Ibsen on Radio New Zealand.

Interview with NZ Herald.

Trailer for the 2019 touring production, directed by Katherine McRae

The Rehearsal

Co-written with Alison Maclean

Adapted from the novel by Eleanor Catton

Stanley, a naïve first year drama student, meets Isolde and begins a sweet, first love affair. Goaded by Hannah, the charismatic Head of Acting, Stanley uncovers a talent and ambition he didn’t know he had. When his group hits on a sex scandal involving Isolde’s tennis prodigy sister, as fertile material for their end-of-year show, Stanley finds himself profoundly torn.

Festival Selections, Reviews and Media for The Rehearsal

FESTIVALS

2016 Toronto International Film Festival
2016 New York Film Festival
2016 BFI London Film Festival
2016 New Zealand International Film Festival
2016 Melbourne International Film Festival
2016 Vancouver International Film Festival
2016 Philadelphia International Film Festival + nominated, ‘Best Narrative Feature’
2017 Palm Springs International Film Festival
2017 Dublin International Film Festival

REVIEWS

‘crackles with intelligence and wit from its first second to its very last’ Metro Magazine

‘A narratively teasing, structurally taut and emotionally textured adaptation… sensitive and audacious in its approach to both style and story’ Screen Daily

‘the rare paean to art and performance that makes you want to join in on the experience’ Indiewire

MEDIA

Emily and director Alison Maclean talk about adapting Eleanor Catton’s novel for the screen, on RNZ

Trailer for The Rehearsal