For the past three years, Renee Lyons has been performing her solo show Nick: An Accidental Hero and has presented it in Dunedin for the first time, as part of Arts Festival Dunedin.
The play is about Dunedin man Nick Chisholm, who was left with locked-in syndrome after a series of a strokes following a rugby game.
Lyons plays several characters as she explores his journey and the people in his life.
Mr Chisholm, in a break from his workout at Sky Fitness yesterday, said he and about 50 friends and family would watch the play at Fortune Studio tomorrow.
He and wife Nicola attended the Dunedin premiere on Friday.
''It was very emotional,'' Mr Chisholm said, communicating by looking at letters on a plastic board to spell words.
''It's just a rollercoaster.''
He attended the premiere in Auckland three years ago but said he enjoyed the Dunedin performance more because the acoustics in Fortune Studio were better.
Lyons, who joined Mr Chisholm at the gym yesterday, said the Dunedin audiences had connected to the play.
''I'm loving bringing it here. People seem to really get it and engage with it.''
Mr Chisholm struggled to single out a favourite part of the play, but particularly enjoyed scenes involving a character based on his mate, Boyd Clark.
Lyons said the part in the play when Mr Clark told Mr Chisholm about accidentally urinating on his sleeping girlfriend was not true.
''I made that up. That was based on a lot of guys I went to Lincoln University with. Boyd reminds me of a lot of guys I went to Lincoln with. My ex-boyfriend would have done that,'' Lyons said.
Lyons said the script had stayed the same for the past three years.
''It's a tight little piece and if it ain't broke, don't fix it.''
However, she was considering replacing the fictional Korean character Soo Young Kim because the story-telling device had been incorrectly perceived as racist and made some people uncomfortable.
The character would remain ''fun and bubbly'' but could become a New Zealander, she said.
The play would continue in Auckland and was regularly being booked for corporate events, Lyons said.
Mr Chisholm said Lyons should consider writing a ''part two'' of his life in a few years' time.
The play was helpful because it made people understand his condition and how to behave around him.
He tired of people treating him differently and not talking to him directly, or speaking slowly or shouting at him.
Lyons said she was thankful to Mr Chisholm for allowing her to tell his story and bring it to his hometown.
''It's been awesome and I've been waiting to bring it here for three years, so it's really exciting.''
Nicola Chisholm, talking from her Dunedin home yesterday, said she got emotional watching the play.
''I find it hard because I wasn't there when it all happened. Watching how it happened is hard because as his wife, I wasn't there for him.
"It's hard to watch when you couldn't help and he probably needed someone like that there.''
The bathing scene in the play was difficult to watch and could be harder to watch among friends tomorrow.
''It's not so bad when it's a whole bunch of strangers, but it might be different with all the friends there.''
The play was ''heartwarming and awesome'' and people were always telling her they were mesmerised by Lyons' performance, Mrs Chisholm said.
• Nick: An Accidental Hero is on at Fortune Studio at 6.30pm today and ends on Saturday. shawn.mcavinue@odt.co.nz
