A Vote for Cynthia - Press release

Touring Comedy Show in Darfield


While on holiday in Wellington 18 months ago, Margaret and John Park from Darfield visited Circa Theatre and spent a very entertaining and humorous evening with the magnificent Cynthia Fortitude as portrayed by Helen Moulder. The show was hilarious with Cynthia encouraging much audience participation and sharing many intimate details as she took us on her journey.

Our immediate thought was “this show would go down really well in Darfield,” and we are so pleased that the Malvern Community Arts Council have organized Helen to perform here in April.

The show is a MUST and will certainly brighten and enlighten you on an April evening. “Don’t miss it!” say John and Margaret.


Actor Helen Moulder, known for touring her one and two person plays around the country, is to visit Darfield with her new solo comedy show, A Vote for Cynthia – the musical! Helen is one of New Zealand’s best known actors, she has twice been Best Actress in the Wellington Theatre Awards and has performed in over 100 venues throughout the country – theatres, community halls, art galleries, libraries, private homes, churches, even woolsheds. A Vote for Cynthia – the musical! features her well-loved comic character Cynthia Fortitude. “Cynthia is a fading opera singer who badly wants to be Prime Minister, so is launching a new political party with lots of rather impossible policies, firstly to do with music, which she thinks will appeal to the female demographic and secondly to do with rugby to appeal to the men,” says Helen.
Helen developed the character of Cynthia Fortitude twenty years ago in the women’s comedy troupe Hens’ Teeth and her first show, The Legend Returns, with accompanist Gertrude Rallentando, played by Rose Beauchamp, is often heard on National Radio, and in fact is one of RNZ’s most popular requests.
Helen has performed in Darfield once before in the 90’s with the women’s comedy troupe Hens’ Teeth, but she did live here as a girl from 1953 – 6, when her father was postmaster. “I’ll never forget my time in Darfield,” she says. “The wide plains, the water races, the snow on the ground in winter and our phone number at the post office, which was “ONE”! I’m really looking forward to coming back.”
A Vote for Cynthia – the musical! opened in July 2008 at Circa Theatre in Wellington and since then has been playing in many parts of NZ. “It’s been tremendous fun,” Helen says. “Audiences have been really enjoying it.” Face the Future with Fortitude is the slogan for Cynthia’s new party and the one hour 20 minute show promises an evening of wit, laughter and song.
A Vote for Cynthia – the musical! is on Thursday 22nd April 2010 at the Darfield Recreation Centre at 7.30pm.
Tickets are $20 and are available at Selwyn Gallery or by phone at 03 3188702.
More information about the show can be found on Helen’s website: www.willowproductions.co.nz