Miss Cynthia Fortitude, the legendary diva, is coming to give a musical lecture to the newly formed Greytown Opera Guild, GOG.
Her indefatigable accompanist, the equally legendary Miss Gertrude Rallentando, is nowhere to be found, so Cynthia must battle on without her.
In this hilarious and touching one woman show, much loved actress Helen Moulder returns as operatic diva, Cynthia Fortitude, who is in the twilight of her musical career. Despite Miss Gertrude Rallentando’s non-appearance, Cynthia soldiers on alone, determined to deliver a worthwhile performance of music by Haydn, Mozart, Elgar, Wagner and more.
Helen has been working as an actor and singer for nearly 50 years. Two of her theatre highlights, Playing Miss Havisham and The Legend Returns, have been performed in Greytown. She began her professional career in the UK in 1974, singing in musicals and pantomime, and spending a year in the D’oyly Carte Opera Company. She returned to NZ in 1977 and has worked since as a singer and comedienne in theatre, radio, television and film, here and in Australia, Japan and San Francisco.
Reviews for Waiting for Gertie! (under its original name of Cynthia and Gertie Ride Again!) are overwhelmingly positive, praising Helen’s performance as the eccentric Cynthia Fortitude, the show’s charm, and its blend of comedy and music with audience participation. Ed and Juliet Cooke, organisers of this concert, attended a performance at Circa Theatre last year, and had such a good time they have arranged this concert exactly a year later. Helen will also be performing the show at 23 other venues from Auckland to Golden Bay between September and November.
The show was written in honour of Rose Beauchamp (1946-2022) who played the delicious character of Gertie for 30 years.
Helen Moulder: Waiting for Gertie! will be performed at 4pm on Sunday 19 October at 57 Wood St, Greytown. Admission $30, $10 for children. Contact Ed and Juliet Cooke for bookings on 06 304 9497 or efjacooke@gmail.com
