Eli Kent

Eli Kent (born 1988) is a New Zealand playwright and actor. Kent holds a master's in scriptwriting from Victoria University of Wellington's International Institute of Modern Letters. Kent co-wrote, with James Ashcroft, the films Coming Home in the Dark and The Rule of Jenny Pen.

Kent went to school in Wellington.

Kent wrote his first play when he was 19, called Rubber Turkey it caused kent recognition at the Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards with outstanding new playwright of the year. The following year his play The Intricate Art of Actually Caring debuted in the 2009 New Zealand Fringe Festival to critical success. This site-specific play was staged in his bedroom and won most original production the Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards and also a Bruce Mason Playwriting Award.

Kent then made his Auckland Theatre Company debut with his play Black Confetti.[citation needed] The New Zealand Listener called him "the voice of a generation".[citation needed]

Kent and Michelle Savill wrote the film Millies Lies are Low (2021). Savill directed the film. Kent and James Ashcroft wrote the feature films, Coming Home in the Dark (2021) and The Rule of Jenny Pen, both directed by Ashcroft. The Rule of Jenny Penn was released in New Zealand in 2025. The film starred actors John Lithgow and Geoffrey Rush.

Awards

Plays

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Eli Kent". The Arts Foundation of New Zealand. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  2. ↑ "Graduates Online". Victoria University of Wellington. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  3. ↑ Papadatos, Markos (5 March 2025). "Oscar winner Geoffrey Rush talks about 'The Rule of Jenny Pen' horror film". Digital Journal. Retrieved 18 April 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 DEKKER, DIANA (31 August 2013). "Eli Kent in the spotlight". Stuff. Retrieved 10 September 2026.
  5. ↑ Yates, Siena (3 September 2015). "Eli Kent on pop culture and the meta generation". Stuff. Retrieved 10 September 2026.
  6. ↑ "INTRICATE ART extends". Theatreview. 19 February 2009. Retrieved 10 September 2026.
  7. ↑ "Millie Lies Low". New Zealand Film Commission. Retrieved 10 September 2026.
  8. ↑ Rodger, Kate (12 August 2021). "Review: Coming Home in the Dark is brutal, haunting and excellent storytelling". Stuff. Retrieved 10 September 2026.
  9. ↑ Casey, Alex (19 March 2025). "'I enjoy playing in the dark': Inside director James Ashcroft's latest nightmare". The Spinoff. Retrieved 10 September 2026.
  10. ↑ Leffler, Rebecca. "Charades, CAA break out thriller 'The Rule Of Jenny Pen' with Geoffrey Rush, John Lithgow (exclusive)". Screen. Retrieved 10 September 2026.
  11. ↑ "Eli Kent Awarded Auckland Theatre Company Patron's Playwrights Fellowship". Theatreview.
  12. ↑ "Bruce Mason Playwright Award". Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  13. ↑ Dekker, Diana. "Eli Kent in the Spotlights". The Dominoon Post. Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  14. ↑ Thompson, Peter (11 March 2022). "Merging commercial TVNZ and non-commercial RNZ won't be easy – and time is running out". The Conversation. doi:10.64628/aa.htf779dss. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
  15. 1 2 "Eli Kent". Playmarket. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  16. ↑ Ed. O'Donnell, David (2015). Here / Now. Wellington: Playmarket. p. 13. ISBN 978-0-908607-59-4.
  17. ↑ "Black Confetti". Auckland Theatre Company. Archived from the original on 4 May 2016. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  18. ↑ Wilson, Simon. "Auckland Theatre Awards Winners". Metromag. Metro Online. Archived from the original on 2 June 2016. Retrieved 23 April 2016.