Michael Galvin Photo: Matt Klitscher
Rather than Boys II Men, it’s Boys II Middle Age: playwright and actor Michael Galvin has written a play about boy bands, with a difference.
The plot? Matthew Mann is still the greatest songwriter he knows. But the judges on TV’s Kiwi Talent are far more interested in the boy band he fronted 27 years ago. Determined to win the competition, Matthew reforms the group BoyburNZ and renames them ‘Mannbannd’, setting out to “redefine music as we know it”.
Michael Galvin is known to most of us as Dr Chris Warner of Shortland Street. There from its inception, he is the longest serving television soap opera actor in New Zealand history.
But Michael is also a rather good playwright. His plays include Station to Station, The Ocean Star and New Gold Dream and in 2007 won New Zealand's most significant playwriting award, the Bruce Mason.
Boys II Men, One Direction, New Kids on the Block, NSYNC and the Monkees… What is it with boy band culture? Michael Galvin joins Cultural 101’s Mark Amery to explain, and give some shout-outs to some favourite Aotearoa thespians and musicians.
Galvin’s play Mannbannd premieres in time for the pre-Christmas party trade at Palmerston North’s Centrepoint Theatre from November 18.
One Direction in Glasgow, 2013 Photo: Fiona McKinlay, JuanDirection
