The latest play from Magic Mirror Theatre Company, the debut of Melanie Allison's next drama

“Don’t try and take this away. This business is everything to me. I know you think it’s silly, but it’s all I’ve got…”

Sisters Lucy and Margo return home to care for their stubborn mother, Rita, who, after a cancer diagnosis, continues to run a demanding business selling her woodwork to the residents of their small town.

The reunion is uneasy. Old frustrations resurface, conversations go in circles, and no one quite knows how to move forward. Possum, Rita’s flatmate and a small-time dealer, does his best to support her while dealing with problems of his own. Arthur, a long-time neighbour, has commissioned Rita’s latest project: a handmade coffin for himself.

The Last Thing We Build is a darkly funny play about the hard work of facing what we’ve left too long. Set in a cluttered garage in small-town Aotearoa, it asks what we’re really leaving behind and what’s worth fighting for before it’s too late.