Actor Michael Hurst is appealing for the return of a valuable Shakespearean stage outfit stolen from his car.
The distinctive Elizabethan costume - worth "thousands" - went missing on Tuesday or Wednesday when a suit bag was taken from Hurst's vehicle in Grey Lynn, Auckland. The black velvet tunic with gold embroidery, black pantaloons and black leather bootie-like shoes were made specially for his solo nationwide tour No Holds Bard.
"The costume is extremely valuable to me but it surely can't be of much use to anyone else," Hurst told the Herald on Sunday. "It is not the sort of thing someone could wear to the pub and not be noticed. I suspect it might get thrown in a bin."
Hurst has assembled a makeshift outfit for shows in Kerikeri on Tuesday and Dargaville on Friday.
"I would be grateful to anyone who finds the costume if they could return it to the Basement Theatre in Auckland."By Russell Blackstock Email Russell