FRINGE '04: Scavenger

Ace Tabloid reporter Max McManahan has his headline – now all he needs is the story to match.

Max has never met a beat-up he didn’t like – or chase! His search for the scandalous bodice-ripping yarn takes him Cornwall in search of a genuine scoop.

The search for the truth (or at least a good story) is the setting for “Scavenger”, a Fringe Festival performance led by Wellingtonian Will Harris, who’s just returned from studying in London to premiere the new show.

“Scavenger” also features actors Annabel Himbernon (Spain) and Paul Attmere (UK) who trained with Harris at London’s prestigious Desmond Jones School of Mime and Physical Theatre. The show is directed by Geoff Pinfield a recent graduate of Victoria University's and Toi Whakaari's Masters in Theatre Directing course.

Wild Step Theatre combines the different disciplines and expertise that each member of the company brings. From mime to Commedia, acrobatics to story-telling, mask to clown. This mixture of culture and knowledge produces a result rich in images, movement and rhythm as well as a ripping good yarn.

“Scavenger” is not your standard Festival performance, it is a new devised physical theatre piece which isn't script based, it comes alive during the rehearsal process.

BIOGRAPHIES
Will Harris
New Zealand
Will has a BA in Theatre and Film from Victoria University in Wellington and it was here his interest in physical theatre began. This led him to co-found the theatre company Open Book Productions, a new company focused upon devised accessible theatre. Open Book went on to perform shows in several Fringe Festivals, both in theatres and found spaces. These include ‘The Garden Party’ (Fringe 1999), ‘Invisible Ink’ (Fringe 2000, Best Theatre Award) and ‘This Ridiculous Dance’ performed at the Melbourne Fringe Festival. During this time Will was also involved in several other shows including ‘Faultlines’ (Dir. Tom McCrory), ‘Mask of the Red Death’ (Dir. James Ashcroft) and ‘Bitter Lemons’ (Dir. Tahi Mapp-Boren). He has just graduated from the Desmond Jones School of Mime and Physical Theatre.

Anabel Himbernon
Spain
Anabel has trained and performed extensively throughout Spain and Europe. She began her training in Barcelona where she studied for two years at Estudis De Teatre. There she worked with the Eccole theatre company and worked on several shows including ‘Mes Gags’, ‘El Ciclo De La Vida’, and ‘Poepurris’, a show based on Edgar Allen Poe’s short stories. She has also studied Commedia Dell’arte in Italy at the Scoula Internzionale Di Commedia Della’arte with Antonio Fava and performed as a street performer and in festivals throughout the UK.

Paul Attmere
England
Paul has had widespread experience working throughout the UK with theatre companies specialising in visual and physical theatre. His training began at Goldsmiths’ University in London and recently he has studied at the Desmond Jones School of Mime and Physical Theatre. Previous works include devising a performance from the Velasquez painting ‘Las Meninas’ for the Brighton Festival 2000 and in 2001, adapting David Lynch’s film ‘Wild at Heart’ for the Edinburgh Festival. Other work includes ‘Phedre’ (Wired, 2000), ‘Attempts on Her Life’ (Akademia, 2001) and working as a street performer promoting awareness about the environment. He has also had experience working with children in educational theatre, raising awareness of autism through participatory programs.

The Director
Geoff Pinfield
New Zealand
Has recently graduated with a Masters degree in theatre directing from Victoria University and Toi Whakaari – New Zealand Drama School. Prior to this he studied theatre at Queen’s University, Belfast, where he co-founded the Queen’s Drama Society. Currently working as a freelance theatre practitioner, Geoff’s recent directing credits include ‘The Three Birds’ by Johanna Laurens, ‘Marathon’ by Eduardo Erba and two devised pieces titled ‘The Icarus Project’ and ‘A Deed Without A Name’. Geoff has also worked as dramaturg for ‘The Butcher’s Daughter’ at the Herald theatre in Auckland (Pandemonium Theatre, 2003), Shakespeare’s ‘Troilus and Cressida’ (Toi Whakaari Graduation performance, 2003) and ‘Innocent When You Dream’ in the Edinburgh Festival (Granary Productions, 2001). His next show, ‘Happy Hour for Miserable Children’ (Theatre Beating), will be performed at BATS theatre in early March.

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