FOUR FLAT WHITES IN ITALY Gets Extended At The Court Theatre, Additional Shows Booked For 10/14

Runaway box-office smash, FOUR FLAT WHITES IN ITALY, will enjoy a special extended season at The Court Theatre due to popular demand.

Roger Hall's phenomenally popular comedy about four middle-aged tourists in search of la dolce vita has broken box office records at The Court, selling out 82% of all of the show's performances by opening night. Despite several matinees being added, the six-week season was completely sold out by the end of the first week of performance.

"When the reviews started being printed and audiences started telling their friends our box office, if anything, got busier." says Artistic Director Ross Gumbley. "we knew we had to find a way to ensure that no-one would miss out."

After careful consideration, it was decided that the best option was to reschedule the biographical comedy-drama ON THE ROCKS to the end of the 2009/2010 TelstraClear Season and allow FOUR FLAT WHITES IN ITALY to extend its season into October.

There will be one casting change for the extended season. "Sandra Rasmussen is about to begin directing our summer musical ANYTHING GOES," says Gumbley "but fortunately Lara Macgregor (who was set to direct ON THE ROCKS) found a sudden opening in her schedule and volunteered to step into Sandra's six-inch heeled shoes". With a wealth of acting experience, this will be Macgregor's first on-stage role at The Court Theatre - or, as she puts it "a number of roles, considering I'll be playing every Italian woman they meet in the play."

"Audiences are the life-blood of any theatre," says Gumbley, "and in this economic climate there has been something of a nervousness in the performing arts. To see so many people embrace this play is heartening to say the least; extending the season is our way of saying ‘thank you'."

The additional performances of FOUR FLAT WHITES IN ITALY are scheduled from 14th October and will be released for sale at 9am on Monday 14th September - book at The Court Theatre on (03) 963 0870 or online at www.courttheatre.org.nz.