By Jeff Clark in Christchurch

Well, that buggers the blog I was writing last week. Like it or not, aftershocks can be a powerful editing tool and I felt obliged to write a new version that more accurately reflects the current situation. Hopefully I won’t use the “an earthquake ate my homework” excuse too often from here on in...

Shudder

There is a definite change of mood in the news coverage of Christchurch following June 13’s series of aftershocks. The general theme seems to be “how much can Cantabrians endure”, “when will it end” or “how many people are giving up and leaving”? A recent online poll says that one-fifth of Christchurch residents are planning to leave.

It is harder for me to say if that accurately reflects the mood in the city itself – mostly because the bulk of my social circle are theatre folk and arty types, who have never at the best of times accurately mirrored the mindset of the overall population. The majority of people who were most likely to leave did so after February 22 - off to other theatres, projects or cities with opportunities that weren’t six months away.

I have been lucky enough to have been out of the city for a while and away from the almost siege mentality that can occur with ongoing geological instability, so while I have had a “tough week”, it hasn’t been insurmountable. However, some of the people I have talked to are definitely less stoic in the face of what is now approaching nine months of instability.

On the flip side, a Ballantynes sale in CBS Arena recently had massive queues with people waiting over two-hours to get in, suggesting spirits have not been totally dampened.

Stability

The Court’s plans have not been harmed by the recent aftershocks. A fresh engineer’s assessment found no damage to the structure and so the plans for The Shed proceed full steam ahead (literally, in some cases; they just steam cleaned the new curtains for the office area). Phones and internet are almost set up and then the marketing and administration department will, at long last, be under one roof.

I think the value of having a company of any kind all together in one location is underrated. Logistically, for one thing, it makes things much easier. Email has carried us reasonably well (the term “wireless office” is getting put to the test in Christchurch, I suspect) and when we do have meetings they tend to be long and intense but also invigorating. But more importantly, there is a camaraderie that carries people through times such as these. Community unity has sprung up in suburbs in more plentiful amounts than the silt pushed up through the pavement.

The arts community as a whole seems to have been unified by adversity. Arts Voice Christchurch has been formed and the various arts groups are, for the most part, working collaboratively rather than competitively. To be honest, I personally look forward to the arts in Christchurch going back to having a myriad of voices (often saying completely different or contradictory things). For now, having a smaller number of loud voices ensuring the arts aren’t overlooked amongst the din of demolitions and (eventually) reconstruction is a welcome thing.

July

There are three separate productions The Court is putting on in July.

Carry On Court is the first: a musical showcase on 7 July at the Aurora Centre that is our “fundraising” show - all tickets are $100; and the artists involved are performing pro bono to ensure every cent goes towards The Court’s fundraising appeal.

Five Women Wearing the Same Dress has had an extremely successful season in Dunedin and everyone involved will be warmly welcomed back to Christchurch for their season in the Aurora Centre from 14 July. Hansel And Gretel will be escapist fun for families during the last few days of the school holidays.

Of course, that means there are three quite different shows to promote to the people of Christchurch, as well as maintaining the momentum of the fundraising appeal and keeping the public aware of The Court’s activities. The irony is that the bulk of this work takes place out of the public eye (or even the eyes of the cast and crew) – getting bums on seats is as much of a process as rehearsing and staging a show itself.

Closure

It has been a very odd couple of weeks. Last Monday, a new aftershock rattled everyone profoundly and had many spirits sinking. As of yesterday, some answers have been given to chunks of Christchurch’s population (fun fact: I now live just over a block away from the “red zone”) and there is some feeling of things moving on. For The Court, we have done what we always do: keep pushing forward and ensure that the show – or shows – will go on.

Read more Afterthoughts Blogs by Jeff Clark >>