This spring, the PumpHouse stage becomes The PumpHouse shed as Phoenix Theatre brings Michelle Amas’s acclaimed comedy 'The Pink Hammer' to life. A Kiwi favourite with warmth and hilarity, the play takes audiences into the world of four women who sign up for a carpentry class, only to discover that their tutor has disappeared and the only one left to pick up the pieces and lead the workshop is the reluctant Woody, a gruff carpenter.
The humour comes not only from the clash of personalities, but from the deeper stories each character brings with them. Beneath the gang-nails and ginger crunch, The Pink Hammer is about reinvention, resilience, and the surprising ways people can build each other up when life takes them apart.
For Phoenix Theatre, producing the show is both a chance to highlight a sharp and witty New Zealand play and to celebrate the strength of community theatre. With a cast of five stacked with Shore locals, the production balances quick-fire comedy with moments of real poignancy that may even catch audiences off guard. It is a play that will make you laugh out loud, but it also touches on themes that stir genuine emotion and connection.
Director Kate Birch and the creative team have leaned into the play’s workshop setting, with a set designed to feel like a real backyard shed, complete with tools, workbenches, and the half-finished projects of life. It is a world the audience can almost smell: sawdust, paint and old engine oil.
'The Pink Hammer' is a timely reminder that while life may not come with a manual, there is strength to be found in humour, resourcefulness and connection. Much like carpentry, it is often about working with what you have and finding a way to make it fit.
Phoenix Theatre invites audiences to join in the fun at The PumpHouse, Takapuna, from 30 October to 8 November.
Tickets are on sale now, and as any carpenter will tell you: measure twice, cut once, and don’t miss the chance to see this Kiwi gem brought to life on stage.
The Pink Hammer: pumphouse.co.nz, 30 October – 8 November
