Barnie Duncan
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Barnie discovered his love of theatre at the age of four, after enrolling at the Theatre Arts Workshop in his hometown of Palmerston North, New Zealand. When he was seven he moved to London for a year with his mother, and attended the famous Bromley Clown School. Since moving to Auckland as a teenager Barnie participated in theatre, music, TV and film, steadily. His theatrem credits include The Butcher’s Daughter, Whistle Solo, Paniora! and a stint in Barcelona in 2000 performing Harold Pinter’s The Hothouse. Barnie was also part of Taki Rua’s national touring hit Strange Resting Places. His television credits include Terry Teo, Shortland St, Power Rangers, Outrageous Fortune, Xena and Nothing Trivial. On film Barnie has appeared in The Great Maiden’s Blush, (NZ, 2016), When The Man Went South (Tonga/USA 2013), Good For Nothing (NZ, 2011), Bliss (NZ, 2011), Show of Hands (NZ, 2008), and Labou (United States, 2008).
In 2003 Barnie also co-founded the company Theatre Beating with Trygve Wakenshaw, and later Geoff Pinfield. The company has produced, written, directed and performed numerous shows: Happy Hour for Miserable Children (Best Comedy, 2004 Wellington Fringe Festival), This Is A Plum (Best Outdoor 2006 Wellington Fringe Festival), and the international children’s theatre hit The Magic Chicken. |
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Barnie has written, directed and performed in a number of hit festival shows such as Constantinople, (Winner STAMP Award 2011 Auckland Fringe Festival and Hackman Theatre Award for Most Original Production, 2012) … him (Winner Fringe Award, Auckland Fringe 2013. In 2013 he invented his alter ego Juan Vesuvius, the Venezuelan Calypso DJ and maraca maestro in the show Calypso Nights (Nominated for Best Newcomer, New Zealand International Comedy Festival 2013, Winner Skinny Magazine Fringe Genius Award for Most Original Production, Edinburgh Fringe, 2014, Nominated Best Newcomer Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2015) and the sequel to Calypso Nights - Juan, Two? which has toured Europe, Asia and Australia. In 2014 Barnie wrote and directed Ollie Is A Martian performed by his nephew Oliver Cox, which was included in the Pantograph Punch’s Top Ten Plays of 2014.
2017 saw Barnie come up with three new pieces of work - Different Party with long time collaborator Trygve, Weekend At Barnie’s with Brisbane based moustachioed hunk Dani Cabs, and the third instalment in the Juan chronicles - Juan Vesuvius: I Am Your Deejay.
Barnie also has a love of music and co-founded the 15 piece afro-soul band The Hot Grits, the psychedelic highlife punk outfit History of Snakes and is currently the guitarist for global-dance juggernaut Weird Together. Barnie also DJ’s and produces radio documentaries under the cunning alias Uncle Barnie.
