Armstrong Creative
By Dave Armstrong

Le Sud is a rollicking political satire that warmly pokes fun at three cultures, two islands and one country.

As we know, a group of French settlers arrived at Akaroa in 1839 and declared the Southern Island of Nouvelle-Zélande a French colony. Assume that South Zealand, or Le Sud, has become an independent French-speaking nation and that today Le Sud is a prosperous socialist country where people work only 30 hours a week, enjoy long wine-fuelled lunches, and the popular Prime Minister, Francois Duvauchelle, is a renowned womaniser.

The English-speaking citizens of the North Island are far less happy. North Zealanders work long hours for little reward, their free-market experiment ended in disaster, and race relations are at rock bottom. Starved of much-needed electricity, North Zealand lives in permanent recession.

Le Sud is the story of a delegation from North Zealand, led by Prime Minister Jim Peterson, who head to Wanaka au Lac to persuade their rich neighbours to get the goodwill (and power) flowing.

From the pen of Dave Armstrong (The Tutor, Niu Sila, King & Country).

Warning: this play contains many hilarious jabs at the political, sporting, religious, racial and cultural values that New Zealanders hold dear!

Pre-show talk with playwright Dave Armstrong:

Wednesday 29 July, 6.30pm, Victoria Bar, Christchurch Town Hall