Shoreside Theatre and Phoenix Theatre are joining forces for Shore Shorts, a limited season of short plays giving audiences three distinct performances for the price of one.

The on-stage collaboration between both groups comes after sharing the same Forrest Hill rehearsal space for over 15 years. “Shoreside are a much-loved group on the Shore, with their regular Shakespeare and Agatha Christie productions firmly embedded in their calendar,” says Phoenix Theatre production manager Braydon Priest. “We were excited to join forces and combine the range of expertise across both groups. As regular performers at The PumpHouse Theatre, and as part of a brilliant tapestry of theatre companies on the Shore, working together to continue strengthening the local theatre scene here is for the good of everyone.”

The result is Shore Shorts, a special collaborative season bringing three compelling short plays together in one theatre experience. Each performance features all three works, offering a trio of stories in a single performance. It is an ideal night out for audiences who enjoy variety, emotional depth, and the energy that comes from seeing different creative voices share the same stage.

The season includes four evening performances and two matinees, giving theatre lovers multiple chances to catch the full programme.

Importantly, all three plays are written by New Zealand playwrights, highlighting the strength of local storytelling.

This Particular Room by Jess Sayer, directed by Lauren Wilson, won the Adam New Zealand Play Award in 2020. The play follows Max and Kate, who have been in love, in secret, for a year. Told through fragments of memory that unfold in one continuous rush, it explores heartbreak, hindsight, and the search for clarity when everything feels uncertain.

Roses Are Red by Paul Topliss, directed by Helen Topliss, is set in Germany in the days leading up to the fall of the Berlin Wall. With a simple setting and strong focus on performance, the play explores conflicting ideologies and asks whether love can truly overcome division. The script has previously found success at a national theatre festival level, and now returns to the stage in this intimate new staging.

Completing the trio is Never Say Never by Joanna Pearce, directed by Kierron Diaz Campbell. Set during the Blitz in London, it follows two women working in a factory who begin living together and form a relationship. Their fragile domestic world is shaken when one woman’s husband returns from the war, forcing deeply human choices and impossible decisions.

By pooling their talent and resources, Shoreside Theatre and Phoenix Theatre are presenting three powerful stories, while demonstrating the magic that happens when community arts organisations choose collaboration over competition.

Shore Shorts is being performed at The PumpHouse in Killarney Park, Takapuna, from Wednesday 18 to Sunday 22 March:
Evening: Wed 18, Thurs 19, Fri 20 and Sat 21 March at 7.30pm
Matinee: Sat 21 and Sun 22 March 2pm

Tickets are on sale now at pumphouse.co.nz/whats-on/show/shore-shorts