As Anzac Day approaches, Rotorua and Tauranga audiences are invited to one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most powerful and moving theatrical works, Voices From Gallipoli.

Actor and playwright Mark Wright brings his solo show to Shambles Theatre, Rotorua, from April 10–11, and 16th Avenue Theatre, Tauranga, from April 23–26.

The show offers audiences a deeply personal reflection on the men and women who travelled halfway around the world more than a century ago and helped shape the Anzac legacy.

A one‑man tour de force, Voices From Gallipoli brings to life nine vividly drawn characters, inspired by real stories from World War I.

Seamlessly shifting between voices, ages and perspectives, Wright inhabits young conscripts and battle‑hardened veterans, medics and officers, as well as family members waiting anxiously at home.

The result is an intimate, human portrait of the Gallipoli campaign that moves beyond dates and battle plans to reveal the lived experiences, emotions and contradictions of those caught up in war.

The work has earned widespread praise for its emotional depth, historical insight and deft use of humour. Actor and director Peter Feeney has described the performance as “a tour de force” and Wright as “an actor at the height of his powers”.

Reviewers have applauded the production’s ability to balance tragedy and wit, calling it “sparsely but precisely staged, hilarious, and gut‑wrenchingly moving”.

Originally developed under the working title The Gallipoli Monologues, the play grew out of Wright’s long‑standing passion for history and his personal connection to the Gallipoli campaign.

Drawing on meticulous research and personal testimony, Voices From Gallipoli blends historical authenticity with compelling storytelling to create a theatrical experience that resonates across generations.

A graduate of Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School, Wright has worked with every major professional theatre company in Aotearoa and appeared in nearly 40 television productions, earning two New Zealand Film & Television Awards for Best Performance.

His extensive stage credits include The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night‑Time, The Audience, Six Degrees of Separation, Ladies Night and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, alongside film, voice work and upcoming international projects.

“Voices From Gallipoli isn’t just about history,” Wright said.

“It’s about people – ordinary men and women caught in extraordinary circumstances. These stories still speak to who we are today.”