We are so excited to welcome award-winning playwright Sam Brooks, to discuss his play Em, a queer retelling of Jane Austen’s masterwork Emma, turned around, flipped and set in our very own Queenstown.

Emmett Woodhouse, handsome, clever and rich, with a comfortable home and a gay disposition has lived nearly [redacted] years in the world with very little to distress or vex him.

Until now.

Em won the Dean Parker Adaptation Award at the 2023 Adam New Zealand Play Awards.

Attendees get an exclusive 10% discount at Unity Books

Bring a friend: purchase 2 or more tickets and get a 10% discount

Sam Brooks is an award-winning and prolific playwright and journalist, who is largely noted for his critically acclaimed LGBTQ+ work, including Riding in Cars with (Mostly Straight) Boys, Queen, and most recently This is My Story of Us, which was co-winner of the 2024 Adam New Zealand Play Award. He won the Bruce Mason Playwright's Award, New Zealand's most prestigious award for playwrights. In 2018 his political work, Burn Her, was performed as part of Q's Matchbox Season and won the Auckland Theatre Excellence Award for Best Overall Production. He has been shortlisted multiple years for the Adam New Zealand Play Award, and won the Dean Parker award in 2023.

As a journalist, he has written for The Spinoff and has had bylines at the Pantrograph Punch, Metro and the NZ Herald.

Who this event is for:

People who love Austen
People who love the theatre
Fans of Sam's work
Writers
Actors
Directors

Afternoon tea provided

(If you have issues paying via credit card you can pay via invoice or contact us - this should be fixed now)

FAQs

Do I need to know about Jane Austen?

No. Everyone is welcome.

Do I need to see the play first?

It hasn't been staged (yet) so I'd be surprised if you had!

Do I need to be a member of the society?

We don't technically have membership, if you turn up we think of you as a member.

I have accessibility or dietary requirements

We aim to meet at venues that are accessible and provide for all dietary requirements. Please check out the accessibility section or contact us if you're unsure. We want you to be there and we want you to be comfortable.

What are the meetings like?

We meet at two/fiftyseven which is accessed via lift. There is a talk, a break with afternoon tea, then we come back together for questions. You can choose to engage with others, or not. We're happy to assign you a buddy for your first meeting too.

Contact the host of After Austen: Em

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