Actress and teacher from same mould

• Published date: 29 April 2021

The oldest and youngest of four siblings, rounded out by Judy and Bill, the sisters have a sentence-ending relationship that becomes apparent as we talk via Zoom. They have gathered at Moulder’s Nelson home for a cousin’s 40th wedding anniversary.

Moulder is the one who keeps the family in contact as she travels freely with her various theatre endeavours. Palmerston North is an easy city to bring her shows to, a second home, as she gets to stay with Jeannette and her husband Neven.

Moulder’s latest offering, her fourth collaboration with Brisbane-based Sue Rider, The Bicycle and the Butcher’s Daughter, plays at the Dark Room from May 5-16.

She will take on five characters including Olivia Paterson, the CEO of a large meat exporting company with ideas of feeding the world; Jennifer who runs an art gallery in Palmy’s George St; and Alexi, a vegan stand-up comic.

MacEwan was there for the opening in an empty shop front in Nelson. Seating just 21, the show was originally supposed to open in a Nelson art gallery, which was unfortunately closed for earthquake strengthening.

It’s not the first time MacEwan has been present at one of Moulder’s premieres, she once joined in as roadie on Playing Miss Haversham, as it toured New Zealand and South Australia.

Her jobs included ironing costumes, welcoming guests, loading and unloading equipment, and rolling up the curtains. She remembers a particular show in Hawker, South Australia, where most of the town turned up to see Moulder perform at the local bowling club.

While Moulder was always heading toward a career in performance, MacEwan took the route of teaching, particularly reading, then later at Freyberg High School she taught pottery.

There are various artefacts from her pottery classes littered through her eclectic garden. I find them with a smile during our gardening sessions during which MacEwan has passed to me her mum’s love of natives, in...