Michael Hurst Now.com

This website was created to showcase the post-Hercules career of New Zealand actor and director, Michael Hurst.  We will also announce the professional activities of Michael's wife, Jennifer Ward-Lealand . . . More


HOMEPAGE / CURRENT PROJECTS INDEX

* THE GOLDEN ASS

* HANNA
* KING LEAR

* MYSTERIOUS WAYS
* NO HOLDS BARD
* POWER RANGERS COSMIC FURY

* NORTHSPUR
* ROCK FOLLIES FOREVER
* THE UNRULY TOURISTS
* WAITING FOR WAITING FOR GODOT

Look beyond the homepage--use the links below to explore Michael's career:

ALPHABETICAL INDEX       RECENT PROJECTS         FUTURE PROJECTS

MICHAEL ON TV IN THE 80'S: NEW ZEALAND ONSCREEN

RADIO INTERVIEWS            WHAT'S AVAILABLE ON DVD

 




  

WHAT'S NEW ON THE SITE?


Michael and Jennifer, November 2022


Michael is on Instagram @raunchy_twyford.

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Or for Michael news follow:

      


WHAT'S NEW ON THE SITE

19 February  Added No Holds Bard and Hanna and additional performances of The Golden Ass to homepage

3 December  Added Princess of Chaos, and The Golden Ass and Rock Follies Forever at Hamilton Arts Festival, to homepage

12 November  Added link to buy tickets for Waiting for Waiting for Godot; added new profile pic to homepage

29 October  Added King Lear, Power Rangers Cosmic Fury, Feel the Love, Waiting for Waiting for Godot, The Unruly Tourists and Sui Generis to homepage

2 August  Added Northspur trailer to homepage

16 June  Added The Genius of Sondheim to homepage

22 May  Added Mystic in the US, My Life is Murder on Acorn TV in NZ, and the world premiere date for Northspur to homepate

15 May  Added Mysterious Ways to homepage

18 March  Added My Life is Murder and distribution deal for Northspur to homepage

5 February  Added Hollywood Experience podcast to homepage

4 December  Created My Life is Murder page; created Classical World New Zealand interview page

2 December  Added The Golden Ass to homepage

4 November  Created Power Rangers Dino Fury page

1 November  Created Estradiol Illusions Podcast page

9 October  Added Michael's Instagram account to homepage

19 September  Created Dead page

30 August  Created page for The Landing (2019)

25 August Created Mystic page

25 July  Added The 13th Floor interview to The Life of Galileo page

14 July  Created The Life of Galileo page

24 April  Created Department of Conversation Podcast page

4 March  Created Birdland page

14 December  Created Between Two Worlds page

19 August  Added video feature 'Directing the Rebelllion' to Spartacus: Vengeance page

14 August  Added The Daylight Atheist tour reviews and pics to The Daylight Atheist page

16 March  Created The Dead Lands page

6 March  Added 2020 performances info and reviews to An Iliad page

2 October 2019 Added Northspur to homepage

 



CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE, DETAILED SITE HISTORY


This is not an official site, but we will keep it current with news of Michael's professional activities, as well as an archive of his projects.  We will also announce the professional activities of Michael's wife, Jennifer Ward-Lealand; see her official site for more on her career.

See also:  Michael's curriculum vitae on his official website: www.michaelhurst.co.nz and his listing on IMDB.  Michael is represented by Johnson & Laird Management.

 

MICHAEL IS THE GOLDEN ASS

Last year Michael premiered his newest solo showThe Golden Ass and toured it to 25 towns with Arts on Tour New Zealand Trust.  He's bringing it to more places in 2023.

A modern take on Apuleius' first century novel, this fantastical, hilarious, and sometimes terrifying tale is catapulted right into the twenty-first century.  This is the tale of Lucius, a young man who, driven by desperate desire and insatiable curiosity, performs an act of magic on himself and accidentally transforms into a donkey.  Perilous adventures follow, with Lucius falling into the hands of bandits, maidens, bakers, cultists, witches, slaves, circuses, soldiers, and more.

Hamilton Arts Festival:  26 February and 6 March
Stratford Shakespeare Festival: 2 April (also performing No Holds Bard at Stratford on 1 April).
Q Theatre, Auckland: 11-15 April
Artworks Theatre, Waiheke: 28-29 April

 

Theatreview:  "This is classic story telling: a simple set, simple tech, damn good acting and a relevant tale to tell.  The verbal vernacular may burn very delicate ears but essentially this is a plea for empathy in a world, nearly 2000 years ago, gone mad.  Relevant now?  I think so.  Hiarious?  Totally.  Good theatre?  Absolutely".


JENNIFER IN ROCK FOLLIES FOREVER

Jennifer will perform in Rock Follies Forever at Hamilton Arts Festival, 25-26 February 2023.  Click here for info and to book.

Jackie Clarke, Laura Daniel, and Jennifer Ward-Lealand fan-girl over the best 1970's British girl-group that never was.  Rock Follies Forever is an ode to the fabulousness of the cult British TV series Rock Follies, a show chronicling the ups and downs of three fierce women climbing the ladder to success in the macho world of 1970's rock.

Featuring original songs from the TV show alongside a glam selection of stonking mega-hits of the era.


JENNIFER DIRECTED HANNA

Jennifer directed Cassandra Woodhouse in this one-woman play by Sam Potter.  Click here to book.

Being a young mum is supposed to be hard, but for Hanna, raising her beloved daughter Ellie is the only thing she's ever been brilliant at.  That's until a DNA test reveals the staggering news that Ellie is not Hanna's child and her 'real' parents want to meet her.  Is Hanna obliged to let these strangers into her daughter's life?  And how do you explain a mix-up in an overstrained maternity ward to a three year old?

This funny, heartfelt and compelling play asks, what does "family" actually mean in today's society?


 

MICHAEL TO DIRECT WAITING FOR WAITING FOR GODOT

Michael will direct Waiting for Waiting for Godot by Dave Hanson for Boyd & Brodie Productions, at Q Theatre 30 March - 6 April 2023.  It will star Callum Brodie, George Maunsell, and Acushla-Tara Kupe.

Two hapless understudies wait to go on in a production of Waiting for Godot, but will their time ever come?  They occupy their time backstage trying to understand art, life, theatre, and their precarious existence within it.  This hilariously witty comedy ponders Beckett, showbiz, and just what on earth it's all about.  Turns out, the only people who truly understand Beckett's Waiting for Godot are the understudies.

Click here for info and to book.

 


NO HOLDS BARD

Michael will perform his Shakespearean solo show No Holds Bard at Stratford Shakespeare Festival on 1 April 2023.  Click here to book.  (He will also be performing The Golden Ass at Stratford the next day).

A glorious tour de force in which four of Shakespeare's greatest creations (a foul-mouthed Macbeth, a confused Hamlet, a know-it-all Othello, and a really humgry King Lear) come kicking and screaming into the bursting, deranged brain of a single man.

Edinburgh Spotlight:  " ... a tsunami of a performance ... a breath of fresh Shakespeare air and a comedic head bashing all in one!"


JENNIFER IN THE UNRULY TOURISTS

Cancelled last year because of Covid, The Unruly Tourists will now premiere at the Bruce Mason Centre, Takapuna, on 22-26 March 2023, presented by New Zealand Opera and the Auckland Arts Festival. 

In a tale from living memory, a flock of badly-behaved tourists spread a trail of rubbish, fuel a national obsession, make international headlines, and land the visitors in local courtrooms.  This genre-defying comedy is written by the award-winning duo of Livi Reihana and Amanda Kennedy (The Fan Brigade), composed by Luke Di Somma, and directed by Thomas de Mallet Burgess.  Jennifer plays Margaret Murphy.

Click here for info and to book.


MICHAEL TO DIRECT AND STAR IN KING LEAR

Michael will direct and star in King Lear for Auckland Theatre Company, 13 June-1 July 2023.  Benjamin Henson will assist with direction, and Jennifer will also be in the cast, along with Fasitua Amosa, Andi Crown, Andrew Laing, Jessie Lawrence, Colin McColl, Cameron Rhodes, Beatriz Romily, Hester Ullyart, and Tatum Warren-Ngata.

Tender, violent, moving, humbling, King Lear navigates the complexities and contradictions of human nature like no other piece of storytelling.  At a time when we are all reconsidering the role of monarchy, Shakespeare's great meditation on succession, family, and country couldn't be more potent.

Click here for info and to book.


MICHAEL DIRECTED POWER RANGERS COSMIC FURY

In October-early December 2022, Michael directed six episodes of Power Rangers Cosmic Fury.  It is expected on Netflix in 2023.


MICHAEL IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS

Michael has a small role in the New Zealand film Mysterious Ways, filmed in May 2022.  It is directed by Paul Oremland and stars Nick Afoa and Richard Short.

Mysterious Ways tells the story of a vicar who decides to have a wedding with his Samoan boyfriend, Jason.  A church marriage for gay Anglicans is prohibited.  God is forced to step in.

Click here for the film's press release.


MICHAEL IN NORTHSPUR FILM

Northspur had its world premiere in Blenheim, NZ on 1 September 2022, followed by a run in cinemas throughout New Zealand.  It is expected to have a North American release in 2023.

Michael plays Green in this film set in a violent, post-apocalyptic world.  The film also stars Marshall Napier, Josh McKenzie, and Delaney Tabron, and is directed by Aaron Falvey.  It was filmed in the Marlborough district of New Zealand in November 2019.

After an electro-magnetic pulse attack, people must survive as best they can, without power, cars, technology, and government.  Only the strong survive.  A year after the attack, Kellen and his wife Melinda have carved out a life for themselves up a remote and peaceful valley, thanks to Kellan's ingenuity and Melinda's resourcefulness.  But slowly, intruders are starting to threaten their cottage.

 


 

 

 

 Recent Projects    Future Projects
 
Note: We try to ensure that everything here is correct, but mistakes do happen,
and things can change, so please contact the venues directly for verification.

This site is non-commercial and no money is being made from it. No copyright infringement
is intended. All copyrighted materials remain the property of the original copyright holder.
We believe that everything on this web site falls within the legal description of "fair use".
The site has no formal affiliation with Michael Hurst.

For site update history, click here (latest update 19 February 2023).

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