PLAY FAVOURITES: Alison & Mark's 40-year bond

WHY OUR FRIENDSHIP IS NO ACT!

- Kelly Bertrand

The year was 1978 – Boney M’s Rivers of Babylon was top of the charts, weightlifter Precious McKenzie claimed his first gold medal at the Edmonton Commonwealth Games, and the average New Zealand house cost just $24,514.

It was also the year Kiwi acting royalty Mark Hadlow and Alison Quigan first met − and more than 40 years later, their bond has never been stronger.

Chatting to the Weekly in between rehearsals for their new play, Sir Roger Hall’s Winding Up, the pair can’t believe how much has changed since then, or the fact they’re still treading the boards together four decades on!

“You know, we know each other so well – we really care about each other,” Mark nods.

“But this is actually only the third time we’ve acted together! We see each other all the time, and compare notes and criticise each other regularly,” he laughs. “No, we don’t. We didn’t even do that at drama school.”

It was on the very first day of Theatre Corporate’s first-ever student intake that the pair met.

“I sort of remember the moment we met,” Mark says thoughtfully.

“Do you?!” Alison replies, before laughing, “I’ve forgotten most of it.”

“Yeah, there was a warm-up, we were all feeling a bit selfconscious… and then for some reason the boys and the girls were split up! That was quite sexist, upon reflection…”