Hudson & Halls Live!

Peter Hudson and David Halls. It’s the mid-80s in New Zealand and the two flamboyant television chefs are cooking up a Christmas storm in front of a live audience. Hudson and Halls are New Zealand’s original great gay love story, a real-life couple that got drunk and rowdy on live TV while cooking – and the nation loved it. Fast-forward to the present and this June at the Giant Dwarf audiences will have the opportunity to witness a theatrical re-enactment of one of Hudson and Halls’ live shows, with the icons being played by two renowned Kiwi actors Todd Emerson and Chris Parker. 

Todd co-wrote Hudson & Halls Live! with his husband Kip Chapman, also the director of the piece, and after successfully touring it throughout New Zealand the team are finally bringing it to Australia. Of the show’s inception, Todd told City Hub, “We just thought that the idea of recreating one of their live shows was such a theatrically interesting idea. What we wrote was a farce, essentially, but based on a true story. The audience gets to see what happens on and off the air.” 

Unlike most theatre productions, Hudson & Halls Live! will be messy, out of control and very loosely choreographed.

“The great thing about cooking live is anything can happen and often does. We have the most amount of fun when things are going wrong, and that’s when the audience enjoy it most as well,” said Todd. 

The show will be a completely immersive, hilarious and unforgettable one, with Australian actress Emily Barclay also jumping in on the fun. With the set being a functioning, full-equipped kitchen and the likelihood of culinary disaster extremely high, Todd can assure audiences that Hudson & Halls Live! is one show this year that’s not to be missed. 

“It’s the fully immersive nature of being in a TV studio, you can smell the food and everyone loves a big broad comedy with heart, and I think that’s what we’ve made.”

June 26-29. Giant Dwarf Theatre, 199 Cleveland Street, Redfern. $29-$39+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.giantdwarf.com.au

By Madison Behringer