Messy | NZ Fringe 2026
Schedule
Tue Mar 03 2026 at 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
UTC+13:00Location
BATS Theatre | Wellington, WG
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Gracie & Freya’s lives are a mess.They’ve graduated art school but they still need to make it.
Until then, they are still crammed together in their one bedroom flat with Freya sleeping in the living room. Gracie has caved and gone back to retail work at the house of G. Which leaves no time for art, even if she could bring herself to think about it.
Freya is home all day making mushrooms . Clay mushrooms that are starting to pile up around the house and send Gracie mad.
Also, Freya might- accidentally -sort of -kind of -have become drug dealer .
Everything is copasetic, except that Gracie can’t stop having panic attacks at work and plotting people’s deaths- especially her therapist. She’s so filled with anger she can’t see straight.
She certainly can’t see Freya who might need more support than she lets on.
Messy is a dark comedy from Writer Tara Weston-Webb. Fresh off a development run in 2025. The work has been re-configured for the random stage and a fringe audience.
“The intelligent, quipping dialogue is somewhere between Gilmore Girls and an Aaron Sorkin series. Most twenty to thirty somethings will recognise themselves or their friends in these characters, their relationship and experiences. The audience is a third, silent confidant in their rhythmic relationship.” (Niven, The Wellingtonista)
The subtle underpinning of the play looks at our art industry; how tough it can be not to give up on this career & how necessary mental health support is for our resilience.
The writing is snappy but humanising. It pokes fun at the mundane drudgery of life and highlights the beauty of creating art and leaning on your artistic community for support.
The play came about from real conversations between Tara and her peers- actors, clothing designers, visual artists,, musicians, photographers, directors, singers, dancers and chefs who all felt that education in their field, or time in the field itself kicked the stuffing out of them, and left them utterly drained on the doorstep of real life. But who also were not willing to give up on their dreams.
It’s also for anyone who’s battled with their mental health and through the hurdles of asking for and accepting help.
Viewers of Messy are in for an evening of physical and intellectual comedy. As well as an introspective look at the different ways mental health struggles present. With detailed set design and gorgeous lighting design from Em Maguire.
Come ready to laugh and stay for the emotional heart of the relationship between two devoted friends.
Messy is a dark comedy; quippy with fast intellectual dialogue.
It pokes fun at the mundane drudgery of life, and highlights the beauty of creating art and leaning on your artistic community for support.
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Where is it happening?
BATS Theatre, 1 Kent Ter, Mount Victoria, Wellington 6011, New Zealand, WellingtonEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
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