Big Birthday For Christchurch's Court Jesters

Turning 21, the Court Jesters are planning a big party and you’re invited.

Formed in 1990, the Jesters are celebrating their 21st next week with the usual embarrassing photos and stories, created with input and direction from their audience.

Unlike most 21st birthday parties, the festivities will be split over two nights – each 90-minute celebration starting at 8pm on Friday 2 December and Saturday 3 December at Heaton Intermediate (133 Heaton St).

Jesters Manager and performer, Kirsty Gillespie says “the Jesters 21st will include a twist on the usual 21st rituals of speeches inspired by the audience, embarrassing photos of every Jester from 1990 and the cutting of the cake at the end of the night. In this instance though, the audience will dictate the direction of the party,” she says.

“There’s a forty-year age range in the company which shows that improv spans the generations. However three members of the award winning improv group were born the same year as The Jesters’ first Scared Scriptless show so this celebration is particularly relevant to them.”

“As Jester Eddy Dever came kicking and screaming into the world, Pac Man was all the rage for gamers, and Sinead O’Connor and Madonna could be heard on the nation’s airwaves. Ngaire had just re-released Lulu’s hit “To Sir with Love” and John Grenell was still on the charts, serenading Jester and muso Jordan Smith in his cot. Lizzie Tollemache was probably in her play pen in front of the telly watching the 14th Commonwealth Games in Auckland,” she says.

Gillespie herself was still at Chisnallwood Intermediate…. but admits it was as the teacher!
All the Court Jesters will be performing over the weekend alongside some promising new rookies and she is encouraging one and all to come to their 21st birthday party; except perhaps the deaf grandfather or annoying younger sister, who might not get all the jokes.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Festive favourite “A Very Merry Scriptless” is also set to kick off on 8 December, with performances of the Christmas-themed show (this year a fully improvised musical) on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. With Scared Scriptless remaining on Fridays, the Jesters will be performing at Heaton Intermediate at 8pm every Wednesday to Saturday until December 23.

In early 2012 the Jesters will be given the “key to the door”, moving into the new Court Theatre in Addington to join the rest of the Company who will have been in the new theatre since December 10th. Their late-night timeslot on Fridays and Saturdays will continue there.
ENDS www.courttheatre.org.nz Bookings online or ph 9630870