Eli Kent
Eli Kent (born 1988) is a New Zealand playwright and actor.[1] Kent holds a master's in scriptwriting from Victoria University of Wellington's International Institute of Modern Letters.[2] Kent co-wrote, with James Ashcroft, the films Coming Home in the Dark and The Rule of Jenny Pen.[3]
Kent went to school in Wellington.[4]
Kent wrote his first play when he was 19,[5] called Rubber Turkey it caused kent recognition at the Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards with outstanding new playwright of the year.[4] The following year his play The Intricate Art of Actually Caring debuted in the 2009 New Zealand Fringe Festival to critical success.[6] This site-specific play was staged in his bedroom and won most original production the Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards and also a Bruce Mason Playwriting Award.[4]
Kent then made his Auckland Theatre Company debut with his play Black Confetti.[citation needed] The New Zealand Listener called him "the voice of a generation".[citation needed]
Kent and Michelle Savill wrote the film Millies Lies are Low (2021). Savill directed the film.[7] Kent and James Ashcroft wrote the feature films, Coming Home in the Dark (2021)[8] and The Rule of Jenny Pen, both directed by Ashcroft. The Rule of Jenny Penn was released in New Zealand in 2025.[9] The film starred actors John Lithgow and Geoffrey Rush.[10]
Awards
[edit]- 2015 – Auckland Theatre Company Patrons Fellowship[11]
- 2011 – Arts Foundation of New Zealand New Generation Award[1]
- 2010 – Bruce Mason Playwriting Award[12]
- 2008 – Peter Harcourt Award for Outstanding New Playwright[1]
- 2008 – Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards[13]
- 2025 – New Zealand Film Awards[14]
Plays
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 3 "Eli Kent". The Arts Foundation of New Zealand. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
- ↑ "Graduates Online". Victoria University of Wellington. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
- ↑ Papadatos, Markos (5 March 2025). "Oscar winner Geoffrey Rush talks about 'The Rule of Jenny Pen' horror film". Digital Journal. Retrieved 18 April 2025.
- 1 2 3 DEKKER, DIANA (31 August 2013). "Eli Kent in the spotlight". Stuff. Retrieved 10 September 2026.
- ↑ Yates, Siena (3 September 2015). "Eli Kent on pop culture and the meta generation". Stuff. Retrieved 10 September 2026.
- ↑ "INTRICATE ART extends". Theatreview. 19 February 2009. Retrieved 10 September 2026.
- ↑ "Millie Lies Low". New Zealand Film Commission. Retrieved 10 September 2026.
- ↑ Rodger, Kate (12 August 2021). "Review: Coming Home in the Dark is brutal, haunting and excellent storytelling". Stuff. Retrieved 10 September 2026.
- ↑ Casey, Alex (19 March 2025). "'I enjoy playing in the dark': Inside director James Ashcroft's latest nightmare". The Spinoff. Retrieved 10 September 2026.
- ↑ Leffler, Rebecca. "Charades, CAA break out thriller 'The Rule Of Jenny Pen' with Geoffrey Rush, John Lithgow (exclusive)". Screen. Retrieved 10 September 2026.
- ↑ "Eli Kent Awarded Auckland Theatre Company Patron's Playwrights Fellowship". Theatreview.
- ↑ "Bruce Mason Playwright Award". Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
- ↑ Dekker, Diana. "Eli Kent in the Spotlights". The Dominoon Post. Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
- ↑ Thompson, Peter (11 March 2022). "Merging commercial TVNZ and non-commercial RNZ won't be easy – and time is running out". The Conversation. doi:10.64628/aa.htf779dss. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
- 1 2 "Eli Kent". Playmarket. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
- ↑ Ed. O'Donnell, David (2015). Here / Now. Wellington: Playmarket. p. 13. ISBN 978-0-908607-59-4.
- ↑ "Black Confetti". Auckland Theatre Company. Archived from the original on 4 May 2016. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
- ↑ Wilson, Simon. "Auckland Theatre Awards Winners". Metromag. Metro Online. Archived from the original on 2 June 2016. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
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