Christchurch

A kingly debut at The Court Theatre

23 September 2025

Fundraising

A respected Kiwi performer, casting professional and producer, who came back to Christchurch after the Covid pandemic and retrained as a teacher, is returning to the stage for his Court Theatre debut.

After helping to cast Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power and Hunt for the Wilderpeople, together with TV appearances in shows such as Westside, Jason Hodzelmans now dedicates most his time to his years 4 to 6 class at Wharenui School in Riccarton.

However, the Ashburton native will shake off the teacher and take on the regal air of George VI when he steps on stage in a new production of The King’s Speech.

Playing the father of the late Queen Elizabeth II - who was known to his family as Bertie - has involved a detailed study of the period for Hodzelmans, who also worked with Canterbury-based speech therapist Tika Ormond to recreate a central factor of the story: the King’s speech impediment.

First performed on stage in 2012 and written by David Seidler, who also penned the Academy Award-winning film, the play takes an intimate look at the intriguing relationship between the soon-to-be crowned King of England and Australian speech therapist Lionel Logue, who helps the royal to present himself to the world.

A key player in one of the biggest royal scandals in history - the abdication of his brother David, Edward VIII - Bertie “doesn't want to be part of this, he’s forced into it [the monarchy],” Hodzelmans says, “the whole play, Bertie's driving force - it’s duty - he has to do it.”

As a teacher, Hodzelmans was struck by Bertie’s challenging childhood. “It’s devastating when you hear what happens … so much trauma.”

The young royal and his siblings were tormented by a mentally disturbed nanny for part of their childhoods, with Bertie wearing leg braces to treat his bowed legs and being forced to use his right hand, despite being naturally left-handed. It is believed his consequent distress may have partly explained his speech impediment.

Hodzelmans’ detailed study of Bertie’s vocal struggles will be clear as a bell for The Court Theatre audience, due to the use of a subtle microphone. That microphone will also allow the sound team to recreate the echo and atmosphere of his excruciating 1925 public speech at Wembley Stadium.

When not in his classroom or on stage, Hodzelman devotes time to Camp Quality New Zealand, which provides enriching camping experiences for children and young people living with cancer.

He has volunteered as a companion at the organisation’s Christchurch camp for the past two years and will return in January 2026 for a week in the Port Hills.

“We stay with our campers for the whole week and have lots of adventures. And they get to be kids. They have a pretty rough time and are having to deal with some pretty adult experiences - the really full on atmosphere of hospitals and different treatments.”

It is wonderful to hear the Camp Quality youngsters chatting among themselves, Hodzelmans says. “Normally they're a bit more shy about scars or different things, but when there's other people that have gone through the same thing they relax and they're more open and they talk.”

To support the organisation and Hodzelmans’ links with it, The Court Theatre will host a special The King’s Speech performance on October 14, where funds from every ticket sold will support Camp Quality’s Christchurch operation.

“Even if we get a full house for that night, that will pay for one child to come to camp and to be part of all of the activities,” Hodzelmans says. “So I think it'd be lovely if anyone has the ability to donate outside of that - that’s always a great thing.”

The King’s Speech, directed by Benjamin Kilby-Henson, opens at The Court Theatre on Saturday and runs until October 25. Tickets and information - including the Camp Quality fundraiser - are at courttheatre.org.nz.

https://www.thepress.co.nz/culture/360827193/kingly-debut-court-theatre

The Press - article by Victoria Meakin

19 September 2025