Audiences will be thrust into the Battle of Gallipoli with the performance of Maurice Shadbolt's searing classic Once on Chunuk Bair.
The date is August 8, 1915, and the Wellington Regiment, under British orders, is commencing an offensive to seize Chunuk Bair from the Turkish, who are defending their homeland.
The audience will see the frustration, disbelief and exhaustion through the telling of this, a soldier's, tale.
Not only is this play a tribute to those soldiers but Shadbolt is primarily talking about the birth of New Zealand culture, according to director Richard Rugg.
As inept British generals direct, New Zealand lives are sacrificed.
"Our culture is being forged here. Shadbolt is showing the ripple effect of these events, forming a New Zealand identity, a rejection of authority, and an independence from outside interference," he said.
Audiences will experience the humour as well as the horror, the absurdity and the adversity, bringing to life a day that our soldiers tasted both victory and defeat. The final night of the Rotorua Little Theatre production, August 8, marks the 100th anniversary of the Chunuk Bair offensive, and audiences will leave with an incredible sympathy for the Kiwi soldiers who fought, under orders from foreign commanders.
Details
What: Once on Chunuk Bair
Where: Shambles Theatre
When: Until August 8
Tickets: 0800 289 849