By Stuart McKenzie
Directed by Miranda Harcourt and Stuart McKenzie

The fight against Covid became a war with each other

From the elimination of the virus to the elimination of a government. TRANSMISSION: BETA is the powerful sequel to Stuart McKenzie and Miranda Harcourt’s acclaimed verbatim play TRANSMISSION (2021). TRANSMISSION recorded the white-knuckle battle to eliminate Covid-19 in Aotearoa. Now, drawn from ongoing interviews with iconic players, TRANSMISSION: BETA narrates the fallout from the virus. An emotional roller-coaster, this brand new show records the fiery protests and economic turmoil that followed the vaccination rollouts and mandates, ending with the downfall of a Prime Minister.

Starring Sophie Hambleton, Carrie Green, Sepe Mua’au, Nigel Collins and Simon Leary, TRANSMISSION: BETA features the voices of Jacinda Ardern, Grant Robertson; John Tamihere; economist Bernard Hickey; vaccine scientist Kjesten Wiig; epidemiologist Michael Baker; philanthropist Sam Morgan; Assistant Commissioner of Police, Richard Chambers; MIQ residents; medical practitioners; and anti-mandate protesters. Featuring original music by Rhian Sheehan.

A major new work, TRANSMISSION: BETA takes the temperature of a nation.

“I felt like I was preparing people for war. In a way, I guess we were.” — Jacinda Ardern

Reviews

“Gripping, amusing, insightful, unexpected, moving – and needs to go viral” — Theatreview

“a window into the unfathomable responsibility of political power, humane and complex” — The Spinoff” 

18 May to 15 Jun
Q&A Friday 31 May and Saturday 1 June
Extra performance Saturday 8 June, 2pm
Circa One
Tues – Thurs 6.30pm, Fri – Sat 8pm, Sun 4pm
$30–$55

Show runtime: 2 hours including intermission

Supported by:

Special acknowledgement to the following sponsors: 
eightyone, goodeye, Ann and Jamie Selkirk, Mark and Margarita Owen, Thomasin McKenzie