Boundary-breaking composer and musician Briar Prastiti

Among the pieces of music composed by Briar Prastiti for beloved novelist Jenny Pattrick's debut play Hope, which has just opened at Wellington's Circa Theatre, is a track called Dystonia. It's played by Michael Houstoun, one of New Zealand's most recognised pianists.

In 1999 Houstoun started suffering from dystonia in his hand, gravely effecting his playing. It's a muscular affliction he was told was incurable but one from which he made a remarkable recovery. That's a real life story illustrating the concept of hope that underpins Jenny Pattrick's play.

In the play Irina, a piano teacher who has been told she has a year to live is visited by one of her old students, Adam, who is now a famous concert pianist.

Briar Prastiti's music is integral to the play, the second time this most versatile of composers has written for theatre, Prastiti is a rising star of our music scene. A previous composer in residence at Lilburn House and New Zealand School of Music she has written for many ensembles and orchestras, including this year the NZSO. But she is also a vocalist and musician, her boundary pushing work seeing her create contemporary folk music under the alias Twinn Ethyr and collaborate using electronica.

Hope runs at Circa Theatre in Wellington until 23 February.