Veteran Tauranga designer Alf Weston’s return to the stage has been capped with a major honour, winning a Zony Award for costume design for Tauranga Repertory Society’s 2025 production of Nell Gwynn.

The Zonys – representing theatre groups across the Central Zone from Hamilton through Thames, Cambridge, Tauranga and as far as Rotorua – were presented at a formal ceremony at Classic Flyers Aviation Museum late last year.

Weston, 77, was unable to attend the awards evening, but the production’s director accepted the accolade on his behalf.

Gold, rich tones

“I was very pleased with it,” Weston said. “They were quite elaborate costumes. It was full Renaissance styling, and fortunately I had references of portraits of Nell Gwynn herself and the King that I could refer to and take a lot of information from.”

Some of Alf Weston’s costume designs for Tauranga Repertory Society’s 2025 production of Nell Gwynn. Photo / Jo Jones.

Several of the lead character’s gowns were directly inspired by historical portraits of the 17th-century actress and mistress of King Charles II. Rather than dressing her in the predictable scarlets of a former courtesan, Weston drew on the rich gold tones featured in paintings from her time at court.

“You expect her to be in low-cut red dresses,” he said. “But many of her portraits were in gold, so I was researching rich gold fabrics and dressing her from that.”

Thank others

Weston was quick to credit the people who brought his designs to life.

“I thank the team of 10 fantastic machinists who actually sewed the costumes – they did a stunning job,” he said.

“And a big thanks to my wife Cherie, who has helped me right through my career and, even though it is not her field, has always pitched in on projects like these – and also put up with me.”

The win was part of a strong night for Tauranga, with the 16th Avenue Theatre company taking home five awards. Dennis Fenwick was named Best Director, Brendon Weatherley received Best Actor, Sarah Bate won Best Supporting Actor Female, and Jason Chamberlain was awarded Best Supporting Actor Male.

Talent reflected

Heather Graham, president of 16th Avenue Theatre, described the recognition as “a proud moment for the society, reflecting the depth of talent within the local theatre community”.

Some of Alf Weston’s costume designs for Tauranga Repertory Society’s 2025 production of Nell Gwynn. Photo / Jo Jones

For Weston, the award marked another milestone in a career spanning more than five decades across community theatre, professional stage and television. He began sewing as a schoolboy in rural Waikato before joining the Hamilton Operatic Society in the 1960s. In 1974 he joined Television New Zealand in Christchurch, working on a feature about aviator Richard Pearse and later designing costumes for the 13-part drama series Hunter’s Gold, filmed in Queenstown.

Over the years he has worked in television, owned businesses, and contributed to numerous stage productions. In 2011 he designed costumes for a major Auckland production of Anything Goes at the Civic Theatre, a rare opportunity, he said, to work with a generous budget. By contrast, community theatre demands ingenuity.

Something out of nothing

“You often have to make do with things and create something out of nothing,” he said. For Nell Gwynn, that meant trawling op shops, curtain stores and fabric outlets in Tauranga and Hamilton in search of rich brocades and vibrant hues.

“Unfortunately, everything seemed to be grey or beige,” he laughed. “But every now and then you’d find curtains with beautiful silky textures. There were several actresses bouncing around on stage dressed in somebody’s lounge curtains.”

With limited workspace at the theatre, Weston cut many of the costumes at his own dining room table, measuring actors individually and designing each outfit around character and colour.

Alf Weston with his Zony Award for costume design. Photo / Jo Jones

“I usually start by reading the script over and over and working out the personalities. Colours are a wonderful tool. They subtly influence how the audience feels about a character.”

Although Weston describes himself as “moderately creative,” his body of work – from television dramas to opera and ballet – suggests otherwise. His return from retirement for Nell Gwynn was demanding and, at times, exhausting, but ultimately rewarding.

“It was quite an interesting journey,” he said. “And it seemed to work out well.”

The magic

For Weston, the magic lies not only in the finished costumes but in the small, clever details that make the audience believe in the story.

“If the audience sits there wondering ‘how on earth they managed that quick change?’ – then you know you’ve done your job,” he said.

Alf Weston’s Zony Award and costume designs for Tauranga Repertory Society’s 2025 production of Nell Gwynn. Photo / Jo Jones

With a Zony Award now added to his long list of achievements, Tauranga audiences can be grateful Weston’s retirement did not last forever. More than that, recognition of his efforts shines a light on the often-unseen backstage heroes who bring theatre to life – a reminder that every stitch, every curtain fabric, and every colour choice contributes to the magic on stage.

“Ultimately, it’s all about the story and the audience experience,” Weston said. “If people leave the theatre thinking, ‘How did they do that?’ – then we’ve done our job. That’s the real reward.”