Le Sud - Otago Festival of the Arts

Le Sud is a rollicking political satire that warmly pokes fun at three cultures, two islands and one country. Le Sud assumes that the French successfully colonised the South Island in 1839, with South Zealand or Le Sud becoming an independent French-speaking nation. Today Le Sud is a prosperous socialist country where people work only 30 hours a week, enjoy long wine-fuelled lunches and the popular Prime Minister, Francois Duvauchelle, is a renowned womaniser.

The English-speaking citizens of the North Island are far less happy. North Zealanders work long hours for little reward, their free-market experiment ended in disaster, and race relations are at rock bottom. Starved of much-needed electricity, North Zealand lives in permanent recession.

Le Sud is the story of a delegation from North Zealand, travelling South to the beautiful chateau at Wanaka au Lac to persuade their rich neighbours to provide them with cheap electricity.

Dave Armstrong’s play has received rave reviews and capacity houses throughout New Zealand and will open the Settlers Festival Theatre season with a flourish.

Warning- this play contains many hilarious jabs at the political, sporting, religious, racial and cultural values that New Zealanders hold dear!

“New Zealanders need to laugh more at ourselves, satire is part of a healthy nation. Armstrong said that he intended to insult everyone and he does tick all the boxes, the key is that it is done with affection and even handedly.” - Capital Times

Event listed by OFA

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