Verity George's new role as the pirate of Garnet Station

Verity George – café owner, venue manager, actor, juggler, tutor, nude model. Is there no end to this charismatic Aucklander’s skills?

One of the people behind the popular Garnet Station venue in the city’s western suburbs has finally succumbed to her desire to get back into acting.

She has reunited with Tim Bray, a teenage friend, and is appearing in his production of Margaret Mahy’s cherished children’s tale The Great Piratical Rumbustification.

“I have more than enough to juggle and, in fact, in the play I do juggle,” the 58-year-old says.

“I’m the oldest in the company,” tells Verity. “I noticed the billboards and thought it might be fun. I was just delighted that Tim would consider me, so it’s been quite a sentimental and lovely reconnection.

Lisa (left) and Verity bring humour to their work. “We’re like Fawlty Towers.”

Helping her achieve her dream is a special woman in the wings, her wife Lisa Prager, who is looking after Garnet Station and cooking the pizzas.

The pair have been together for 28 years and married for five. When Covid hit, they were forced to literally shut shop at a time when both were also looking after ailing parents.

“I looked after my mum for two years, commuting up to Mahurangi East [in Snells Beach],” Verity says. “Lisa looked after her dad, who lived with us full-time for five years.”

Lisa’s father has now passed away, while Verity’s mother Kate recently celebrated her 89th birthday.

After some soul searching and time, the couple thought about what they wanted to do and how to pursue it.

“Acting life is all about making sure you look good,” says Verity.

“It feels like it’s time to officially relaunch my acting career,” says Verity. “I did a BA in performing arts in Sydney and a diploma in drama at Auckland University. I was in Jane Campion’s The Piano and I’ve been directed by Steven Spielberg.

“And I’m really good at hospitality, but just because you’re really good at something doesn’t mean you should do it.

“We’re like Fawlty Towers – my nickname is Severity George,” Verity laughs. “To work both the business and the show at the same time is quite taxing. They really are different brains.

“When I’m an actor, I don’t tend to pay the bills and do invoices. Acting life is making sure you look good, and you’re sleeping and eating well and exercising. It’s not particularly compatible.”

So Lisa, 65, stepped in, looking after Garnet Station, a venue they’ve had for 17 years. Although in her heart, the wax sculptor knows she, too, needs an outlet for her creativity.

“I was working on the opening night of Rumbustification,” tells Lisa. “I was making the pizzas and suddenly remembered I forgot to buy her flowers.”

Verity is keen to share the creative limelight, saying, “Lisa is actually a very good artist. We’re constantly pivoting. We re-opened as the George Prager Art Gallery – it’s our surnames. Lisa sold a lot of work, but got busy looking after her dad. And then the business got busy.

“The next segue is us being a creative duo and that balance of letting go of what you’ve created to sustain yourself, and just taking that leap of faith.”

Verity paid for university by being a nude model for life drawing classes. She had to convince Lisa to use her. Lisa took a photo and then drew on top of it to depict Verity nude and make her wife “an amazing piece of art”.

They’ve also created the Verity George Variety Show – “a skit that’s a cross between Absolutely Fabulous and Graham Norton”, where Verity would interview local celebrities and they’d perform skits. Lisa did a political rap at one of them, a nod to her political leanings. She unsuccessfully stood for mayor against John Banks in 2007 and has a monthly political column as Lisa Prager in a local magazine.

Lisa’s artwork took a back seat while she was caring for her dad.

“I might have to hang up my pizza hat because it’s interfering with the things I like to do politically,” tells Lisa. “I know [Auckland mayor] Wayne Brown quite well, but it doesn’t stop me criticising him.”

Verity jokes that she helps finesse Lisa’s column before it goes to print. She says, “I panel beat it… well, I polish it!”

Lisa, who was an original Theatre Corporate actor trained by New Zealand director Raymond Hawthorne, doesn’t take offence, adding, “There’s just so much comedy in life. I know there’s a lot of tragedy too, but if you can see the funny side, it does make the journey a bit easier.”

The Great Piratical Rumbustification is at venues across Auckland until May 11. For details, visit timbray.org.nz.