Phoenix Theatre is delighted to announce Vikki Cottingham as director of our 2026 production of Glide Time by Sir Roger Hall.

Many of you will recognise Vikki from the stage. She made her Phoenix Theatre debut last season, playing Annabel in The Pink Hammer, a role she brought to life with the kind of warmth and comic precision that left a lasting impression. Now she steps behind the lens, and the committee could not be more excited about what she brings to this project.

Vikki's relationship with theatre stretches back over four decades. She grew up at Titirangi Theatre, joining her first production at thirteen and spending decades performing, producing, costuming, directing, and doing just about everything in between. She is a long-standing member there and a recent Life Member, a recognition that speaks for itself. She has also worked in television, appearing in Shortland Street in three separate roles over the years, as well as Xena and various short film and festival projects.

Her directing experience is varied and impressive. She has helmed youth and adult drama classes, written and directed original end-of-year productions, and competed in 24-hour theatre challenges where scripts are written, cast, rehearsed and staged inside 48 hours. In 2012 she took out the Best Director award at the Re-Think Theatre Challenge at Q Theatre, as voted by the audience.

What draws Vikki to Glide Time is personal as much as artistic. She works in a government department and sees the world Roger Hall captured fifty years ago playing out around her every day. Her vision for the production is clear: celebrate it as the iconic 1970s workplace comedy it is, keep the period intact with strong ensemble performances, and let the humour come from genuine emotional truth rather than nostalgia alone. She is also alert to the moments where dated attitudes offer the contemporary audience something to sit with, handled with honesty rather than apology.

Her approach to the rehearsal room is straightforward. Be present, be prepared, listen, and do your best. She leads with warmth and a direct manner, and has spent long enough in community theatre to know that trust between cast and crew is what makes or breaks a production.

Phoenix Theatre is thrilled to have her on board. Glide Time opens 18 September 2026 at The PumpHouse Theatre, Takapuna.