Massive Company Leaps From One Island to Another

Massive Company Leaps From One Island to Another

Massive Company presents
The Island
Directed by Sam Scott and Miriama McDowell

Be the first to catch Massive Nui Ensemble’s new show The Island from June 28 - July 1 at the Mangere Arts Centre before they leap off to the National Theatre of Scotland– on invitation to their Exchange Festival! Six young actors will draw on their own whakapapa to capture what it means to grow up here, now, in Aotearoa, to create The Island to be performed for a public audience here and in Scotland.

The National Theatre of Scotland, who made a splash in the Auckland Arts Festival this year with The James Plays, invited Massive to create a new work to show at their vibrant Exchange Festival in Stirling from the 3rd -10th of July. The exceptional programme brings together groups of young theatre-makers (aged 16 to 25 years old) from across Scotland and the world, to create and perform new and exciting pieces of theatre with the help and support of a professional creative team. The kiwi cast will be given access to a week-long programme of masterclasses and workshops, led by professional practitioners and invited companies, whilst generating ideas alongside other young performers.

“We believe [Massive] company to be pioneers and exemplars in creating theatre with young people to a very high artistic standard that has real integrity. It’s also an ambition of ours to connect young people across the globe so that they widen their horizons to becoming open, creative, collaborative responsible global citizens- what better way to do that than invite a company of young people who extol those virtues.” - Simon Sharkey, Associate Director for National Theatre of Scotland

Miriama McDowell and Sam Scott team up to guide these budding performers as they look to their own history to find their place in the world and to steer themselves forward. Acclaimed actress McDowell is known to New Zealanders for her recent screen roles as Sandy in The Dark Horse, Aunt Sephora in Mahana, and most recently Bunni in The Great Maiden’s Blush. Other credits include Hope and Wire, Brokenwood Mysteriesand No. 2. She won the award for Most Promising New Director at the most recent Wellington Theatre Awards for Nga Pou Wahine. McDowell has worked with many of New Zealand’s top theatre companies in her career, including Taki Rua, The Court Theatre, Auckland Theatre Company, Theatre Stampede and Tawata Productions. McDowell comes on board as part of Massive’s ‘Director Lab’ programme, following a ten year relationship with Massive company after joining fresh out of Toi Whakaari NZ Drama School in 2002.

Featuring bright sparks Denyce Su’a (The Wholehearted), Stef Fink, Sieni Leo’o, Liam Jacobsen, Jes’mine Palaaia and Melissa Connors devising and performing, The Islandwill be capturing the spirit of these eager young kiwi performers and spreading their enigmatic stories to the world.

The Island plays:
Venue: Mangere Arts Centre
When: Tuesday 28 June – Friday 1 July 2016, 7pm
Tickets: Tues, Wed, Fri performances: Pay what you can (ticket options of $10.00 or $20.00)
Thurs performance: Koha
Tickets from Eventfinda: http://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2016/the-island/auckland/mangere
Schools only Matinees: Wednesday 29 June – Friday 1 July, 11am, Tickets $10.00 (contactemma@massivecompany.co.nz to arrange a school booking)
National Theatre of Scotland’s Exchange Festival runs from 3-10 July 2016

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