We had the pleasure of sitting down with Sameena Zehra and Helen Vivienne Fletcher, the creative duo behind The Magnificent Weirdos, to learn more about their bold and brilliant approach to access-led theatre-making.

To celebrate launching a new look, we threw ourselves a gala! A three-tier stage plus an immersive experience and music in the Halfway Up Bar and The Tasting Room showcased performances from more than 20 independent artists across the evening and exciting ways to use our iconic whare. Photography by Maeve O’Connell

It’s been all excitement and blue paint at Hannah Playhouse as we have worked behind the scenes to re-emerge with a new look. The Hannah: Theatre & Performance Lab, is a creative engine room dedicated to performance, experimentation, and professional development for Aotearoa’s boldest and most independent theatremakers.

EBKM is a force in contemporary performance. Their work is cinematic, literary, visceral, and deeply invested in the possibilities of live performance as both a storytelling and social influencer.

The Hannah is proud to be hosting EBKM as residents in 2025, giving them access to the space as a theatre and performance lab; allowing them to work on new and existing projects and affording them the time and space to develop their practice.

Murray Lynch’s life has been shaped by stories on the stage, behind the scenes, in rehearsal rooms, and by those who’ve worked alongside him. As a director, educator, mentor and now Chair of the Hannah Playhouse Trust, Murray's career spans five decades and countless productions, venues, and artists. And through it all Hannah Playhouse has been a main character.