Director’s NoteHumor is an almost physiological response to fear.

-Kurt Vonnegut

A comedy about a David Bowie fan fighting depression... with Ziggy Stardust as her side-kick.

How could you say no? Kate’s layered and ever-tightening script follows

an unconventional narrative of days spiraling out of control and arrested by an array of scenarios real and imagined. When I first read the script in late December, I was struck by the motifs and musical phrasing of the language, as well as its bold narrative structure. Between that and the prospect of two months of actively listening to David Bowie, I was sold, and already emailing Steph about shaping Kate’s world.

Depression’s hard enough to deal with when you’re trying to ignore it - looking it straight in the eye while you’ve got me hanging over your shoulder takes a special courage, and I applaud Kate for undertaking the process with such honesty and good humour.

Julia worked with Kate from the start, devising and molding the Churchillian (Caryl and Winston!) script and brought this knowledge of Kate and the work to bear fruitfully in rehearsals. And she drove furniture. A lot.

Thanks to everyone who made this show possible, and you, dear reader, for watching it.

Writer’s NoteI wrote the first draft of Diamond Dogs on Christmas day. I was dogsitting Roy and he lay on his tuffet and watched me type. I went to bed and Roy cried so I let him sleep on the bedroom floor.

Steven and Julia liked the script. Steven did a lot of work, as a dramaturge, helping me rearrange and rewrite parts of it. Julia was on board from July last year coming up with concepts with me and helping support me through a “black dog” winter. Diamond Dogs could not have happened without Julia, she was with me from the start and stands here with me now.

All three of us changed bits and pieces on the floor in rehearsal and it came to life. It’s the first script I’ve written on my own.

Is it a diamond, is it a dog? No matter how incredible or rubbish it is, it’s Diamond Dogs and I dedicate it to you, you who is reading this at this moment.

The TeamCreators Kate Fitzroy and Julia HarrisonWriterKate FitzroyDirector and DramaturgSteven WhitingDesignerSteph ProwseTechnical Design David Lawrence, Steven Whiting and Jason MorphettSound and Lighting OperatorDavid Lawrence Performed by Kate Fiztroy and Julia Harrison Production and Stage Manager Ricky Beirao Blogger Sylvia Giles Set Constructed by Conrad Coom Construction

Produced by Kate Fitzroy and Julia Harrison for Art Supportwww.diamonddogsnz.wordpress.com

A special thank you to...The Moorings whanau, Conrad Coom, Jason Morphett, Rachel Lenart, Kerryn Palmer, Sonia Hardie, Jo Randerson, Camille Keenan, Aidan Grealish, Jess Mannins, Jenn Hadley, Jean Sergent, Felix Preval, Irene Flanaga, Kirsty Bruce, Ash Moore, Helen Gray, Kelly, Stu, Pip and Roy, the Metcalfs, the Kemps, Anna, Sarah, Arlo, Louis, Sarah, Josh, Iris, Phoebe, Lily, Tessa Campbell, Dorothy Parker, Rosaleen and Emily Macbrayne, Martha, Niki, Leanne, Anneke, Hamish, Lou, Kimberley, Paul, Malcolm Giles, Eileen Joyce, Eric Ladd, Tacy St, Key We Way, Clare Fitzroy, Alex Greig and... David Bowie!