Fast, funny & a little bit strange
What happens when your personalities go to war?
This innovative production explores how we navigate our inner voices through order and chaos to find our true selves.
A psychological drama exploring the hidden mechanics of the mind
Fast-paced, funny, surprising, and just a little bit strange, Unconscious is a brand-new story in both play and film form. The play premiered at The Meteor in Hamilton in late 2025. Before this, we built the set at Gaslight Theatre and filmed it over 10 days. This is in post-production, due for release…mid to late 2026.
The story? On the surface, it follows Sophia Ignari, a young biotech founder under pressure. But as the story unfolds, the mechanics of her mind are revealed. It’s theatre that is sharp, entertaining, and layered with weird ideas.
Think Inside Out (for adults) meets Severance.
At its heart, Unconscious is about psychological trauma, but told in a way that makes you laugh, keeps you guessing, and sparks conversations we often avoid. The premiere production was been shaped by a team of more than 25 Waikato creatives, all working together to bring a brand new story to the stage.
Production team
Nigel Slaughter
Author & Director
Nigel is the author of Unconscious and will be directing the first production of the play. Alongside writing, he’s primarily a maker of pretty things – posters, paintings, props, etc – but also dabbles in acting from time to time.
Janine Swainson
Producer & Wardrobe
Janine is the ultimate theatre nerd, having studied it, seen hundreds of performances, acted in countless shows and been behind the scenes in many more. She is currently directing her first show – Our Town – at Gaslight.
Kevin Lawrence
Assistant Director & Production Manager
Kevin’s worked behind the scenes on a wide range of shows and has an eye for the intricacies of the text and subtleties of expression, guiding actors towards stand-out performances. He’s also incredibly organised!