Rubbings from a Live Man

Rubbings from a Live Man is a semi-dramatised biography largely performed by the subject himself — legendary theatre actor and director Warwick Broadhead. He recounts his dramatic life story by adopting a number of personas. The collaboration with director Florian Habicht marked a rare time the camera-wary Broadhead performed on screen. He describes his troubled upbringing as a lot of cover-up and pretence. "Then I went into the world of theatre," he says, "which is cover-up and pretence." Broadhead passed away in January 2015, having predesigned a memorable funeral.

Warwick was provocative — sometimes challengingly so — and playful. He was by turns mad, stimulating, funny, revealing, annoying, challenging, caring and uplifting. He squeezed every bit of possibility and drama out of life.

– Jay Bennie in a tribute to Warwick Broadhead, GayNZ website, January 2015

Key Cast & Crew

Florian Habicht

Creator, Producer, Writer, Editor, Production Designer

Warwick Broadhead

Creator, Subject, Actor, Costumes

Christopher Pryor

Cinematographer, Editor, Co-Creator

Philippa Campbell

Producer, Co-Creator

Pania Williams

Visual Effects

John Neill

Sound