A comedy play that’s guaranteed to have you in fits of laughter and teetering on the edge of your seat is on in Tauranga this month at 16th Ave Theatre until September 23.

‘They Came From Mars’, written by David Mcgillvray and Walter Zerlin Jnr, is basically a play within play – where a group of Tauranga actors play a group of townswomen trying to put on their own sci-fi play as amateur performers . And it all goes horribly wrong – making it an absolute hoot to watch!

“Our actors play a group of ladies from the Farndale Townswomen’s Guild who are performing a play about Martians coming from Mars to take over Earth,” says Dennis Fenwick, who is co-directing ‘They Came From Mars’ with Geraldine Broderick.

“The Townswomen don’t know how to act or run a play and everything goes wrong. For example, in Act 1, the director, a Mrs Reece says: ‘Bring everything on-stage!’

They end up with a stage crammed with props, ensuring chaos as actors try to perform on a stage full of junk, having to climb over ladders, tables and chairs etc. It’s just very, very funny,” says Dennis, who is in stitches at rehearsals.

Dennis loves this ‘Active theatre’ style, saying: “I can’t imagine the audience will not love this to bits! It’s funny and definitely keeps you on the edge of your seat!”

“It’s Charlie Chaplain-style. It’s really silly, active and at the  end the actors are shattered because it’s very busy – with everything going every which-way, all over the place.”

 ‘They Came From Mars’ is on show at 16th Avenue Theatre until September 23.

Purchase tickets at: https://www.iticket.co.nz

SunLive has one double pass to ‘They Came From Mars’ to give to one lucky reader who can tell us what theatre style the play is? Enter online at www.sunlive.co.nz under the competition tab.

Entries must be in by Tuesday, September 19.