Waiting for Gertie

Her longsuffering accompanist Miss Gertrude Rallentando, is nowhere to be found, so Cynthia must battle on without her. A generous host, Cynthia freely shares the events, characters and emotional nuances of her life. She is given to bursting into song, which may be anywhere between canonical opera and the broadest of pastiche. She is also a musical director out of the strict schoolmistress school, who doesn’t just ask for audience participation, she demands it.

Starring Helen Moulder
Director/dramaturg - Jeff Kingsford-Brown
In honour of Rose Beauchamp, (1946 - 2022) who played the delicious character of Gertie for 30 years.

Theatre Review: "What really brings this concoction of delicate whimsy together and breathes life into it, is the charm, energy and vivacity Helen Moulder brings to her creation ... Moulder’s highly-polished skills as a singer, comedian and storyteller”

Helen is an award-winning actor/singer/writer, who has been working in theatre, television and film for nearly 50 years in the UK, NZ and Australia. Her work in NZ began in 1978 at Circa Theatre, Wellington, with A Toast to Melba and has included Two, Hens’ Teeth, Wit, Doubt, The Legend Returns, Meet the Churchills, Cynthia & Gertie Go Baroque and The Coven on Grey Street.
Helen’s film and television credits include Pictures, Close to Home, Country GP, Erebus - the aftermath, The Wall, Food for Thought, Sweet As and Growing Still. She has toured to Japan with Ken Hill’s Phantom of the Opera with Stetson Productions four times and last year she played Jean in the NZ tour of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. Helen and Australian writer/director Sue Rider have recently published in one volume, the four plays they have written together – Meeting Karpovsky (with Sir Jon Trimmer), Playing Miss Havisham, Gloria’s Handbag and The Bicycle & the Butcher’s Daughter.