Historical tale a splendid production

• Published date: 24 May 2023
• Publication title: Courier, The

A true labour of love for writer and director Carol Angland, after an incubation period of 20 years, this is a play conceived with its community firmly in mind

Captain Henry Cain was not only Timaru’s founding father, but an astute businessman who became its second mayor.

His untimely demise, poisoned at the hand of his son-in-law, shocked the town and nation.

The play brings the early history of Timaru and South Canterbury to life. Through the action on stage and reportage from newspapers, we witness the challenges and risks faced by our early settlers and their struggles and triumphs in developing a social and political structure.

Angland has deftly melded her cast of 23 adults and eight children — playing 69 named characters, plus ensembles — into a dynamic unit.

Taking a restrained, minimalistic approach to her set design was the perfect complement to working with such a large cast.

The changing historic photographs of the port area, early Timaru streetscapes and rural views projected above the stage add to that.

Performances across the board were consistently strong, but lead Joe Smith must be acknowledged.

His Captain Cain is a commanding presence, affable and good humoured, while authoritative in his narrator...