MEET THE DIRECTOR: Mike Friend founded Lyttelton Arts Factory to embody his vision to create a dedicated space designed to enable and support Christchurch’s performing arts community to come together – specifically in order to devise, rehearse, and present original works in one place.
Mike studied drama and dance in England and has worked on shows in London’s West End and at the Edinburgh Festival. He has a postgraduate degree in teaching drama, and it was his work with final year Circo Arts students at ARA (then Christchurch Polytechnic) that saw the creation of the critically acclaimed The Butler. Mike and the cast of The Butler went on to create the Loons Circus Theatre Company, which opened its own Lyttelton venue in 2007.
From 2007 up until the devastating earthquakes of 2011, the Loons Circus Theatre Company staged performances in Lyttelton and nationwide to critical acclaim.
Since the Loons Theatre Trust opened its new Lyttelton Arts Factory venue momentum has been regained, with more than 7000 people attending shows in the first year.