Photography: Smoke Photography.
The strongest female friendships are often forged through a slow burn – a sentiment certainly true for Kiwi actresses Ella Hope-Higginson and Brynley Stent. The pair first met in 2013, while at drama school in Wellington, with Auckland-based Ella particularly taken by Christchurch funnygirl Brynley’s creative chops.
“I vividly remember the solo piece Bryn did in her final year,” Ella, 33, tells us.
“Like something out of Labyrinth, she played this witchy creature with her entire set built so she could carry it on her back. I thought, ‘That’s my kind of girl!’”
Yet it wasn’t until the pair starred in a stage production of William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night that their relationship evolved from one of mutual admiration to friends for life.
From stage chemistry to collaboration
“We played accidental lovers Viola and Olivia, so we knew we had good stage chemistry,” explains Brynley, 36, who has gone on to appear in Taskmaster NZ and Celebrity Treasure Island.
“I also remember being jealous of Ella’s beautiful singing voice when she starred in Into The Woods. I wish I could sing like that.”
Deeply enamoured with each other’s talents, the pair decided to collaborate by working on what would become their award-winning comedy theatre show called Sweeties, which opens in Auckland this month.
Creating their own path
“We created it when we were between acting jobs and were taking action with our careers, rather than being in the endless grind of the audition cycle,” Brynley explains.
Ella – who has starred in Tinā, The Power Of The Dog, Time Bandits and My Life Is Murder – adds, “We wanted to make a high-energy piece that blends sketch comedy, surrealism and physical theatre to explore the absurdity of female rivalry, and our universal hunger to win.”
A twisted, hilarious world
Set in a warped game-show world, the friends describe Sweeties as “a cross between Squid Game and Toddlers & Tiaras”, with the two main characters battling through schoolyard challenges and a
daunting swimsuit category, accompanied by “unhinged and frenetic choreography”.
The results have proved captivating, dark, hilarious and popular, with the show nominated for several awards.
“We even won the Adelaide Fringe Tour Ready Award, which was great,” says Ella.
Friendship over rivalry
Rivalry is a major theme of their show, but Brynley insists it’s not something she experiences with Ella.
She tells, “Ella and I are both older sisters and social organisers, so we work well together because we’re kindred spirits. Ella gets me. We also have the perfect mix of similarities and differences – our friendship is both comforting and interesting.”
Audience feedback shapes the story
While they never set out to make a show about female competition, audience reactions steered its development.
Ella says, “When we showed early versions to people, they really reacted to our on-stage dynamic of competition. We leaned into that, which is how we ended up exploring female rivalry and how it seeps into everyday life.”
The swimsuit scene sparks conversation
One of the most popular scenes is a manic swimsuit competition inspired by US child beauty pageants.
“We think it’s wild that little girls and boys are paraded in swimsuits, with fake eyelashes, fake tans and full faces of makeup at such a young age,” tells Brynley.
Ella continues, “Seeing kids pitted against each other from babyhood is crazy. In our show, we imitate that, but as adult women prancing around the stage in our togs, vying to be the prettiest. It shows how weird it all is.”
Like all good comedies, there are also elements of grit and heart, which is another reason the women love working together.
“With this kind of material, even though it’s meant to be funny, I could only do it with someone I really love,” confides Ella.
Brynley agrees, “We often start rehearsals with a check-in, which usually turns into a deep and meaningful that eats into our work time. “Ella usually has to listen to me talk about my crushes and relationship woes, but luckily she’s very sage and gives amazing advice. Everyone deserves an Ella in their life!”
Sweeties opens Tuesday 18 November at Auckland’s Basement Theatre. For tickets and more info, visit basementtheatre.co.nz.
