ULSTER AMERICAN
By David Ireland

21-24 March 2019
ASB Waterfront Theatre, Wynyard Quarter
www.aaf.co.nz

The most talked about show of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2018 is on its way to Aotearoa for the Auckland Arts Festival in March.

Following a hugely successful season at the famous Traverse Theatre, audiences in Tāmaki Makaurau will get the chance to experience exactly why Ulster American took out the coveted Carol Tambor Best of Edinburgh Fringe Award.

An actor, director and playwright clash with explosive results in this outrageous, at times confrontational and frequently gasp-inducing black comedy.

Jay is the Oscar-winning American actor determined to connect with his Irish roots. Leigh is an up-and-coming British director who will do anything to get noticed. And Ruth is the Northern Irish playwright desperate for her voice to be heard.

Tasked with staging a play together on the West End, this trio of ambitious artists and their explosive opinions come together and very quickly cross all manner of lines.

David Ireland’s sensational new play is a no-holds-barred satire of art as a political flashpoint in a climate heavy with abuses of power, issues around consent and the silencing of female voices.

“*****Riotous… [a] brilliantly brutal satire.”

– The Guardian

Touching down in New Zealand exclusively for Auckland Arts Festival before it heads to New York for the first time, Ulster American’s razor-sharp dialogue and viciously funny performances have turned genuinely shocking material into an uproarious smash hit.

Formed in 1963 by a group of passionate theatre enthusiasts, the Traverse Theatre was originally founded to extend the spirit of the Edinburgh festivals throughout the year. Today, the Traverse Theatre’s annual season comprises urgent and diverse work spanning theatre, dance, performance, music and spoken word.

SEASON DETAILS

REVIEWS
★★★★★ “Riotous… [a] brilliantly brutal satire.” — The Guardian
★★★★★ “Brilliantly feisty… outrageous and uproarious.” — The Times
“Explodes on to the stage… a theatrical hurricane.” — The Scotsman