Presenting ...Dark Tourists
Presenting ...Dark Tourists
A new work by
Malia
Johnston & Emma Willis
“Profound
and intelligent” Raewyn Whyte, National
Radio
“Powerful, evocative, moving and beautiful,
this seamless collaboration between playwright / dramatist
Emma Willis and choreographer Malia Johnston is ephemeral in
craft and themes.” Alexa Wilson,
Theatreview
Roll up, roll up; the last
bird on earth is for sale. A distinctly ecological work,
Dark Tourists takes the phenomena of
tourists’ attraction to death and disaster – or ‘end
of the world’ tourism - as the point of departure for a
meditation on how we respond to loss, whether personal or
global.
The audience is led through a world on the brink of disappearance by a string of narratives that focus on the personal relationships and bonds between performers: three old crows who fight over the remains of a barren landscape, a man who cannot escape his past, a woman who only wants to know “where it happened”, a mischievous tour guide and an unseeing tourist.
Movement, theatre, music and song are woven together in a delicately balanced investigation of aftermath. Alternately poignant, funny and confronting, this is a daring new work by some of New Zealand’s most important young artists.
This provocative piece of dance theatre, staged as part of the 2008 Fringe, is co-directed by award winning contemporary choreographer Malia Johnston and Chapman Tripp winning theatre artist, Emma Willis and features a stunning sound score and live performance by Eden Mulholland. The ensemble cast includes Peter Daube (Madigan’s Quest, Orange Roughies, Taki Rua, ATC) Sean MacDonald (Black Grace) Claire Lissaman (Soapbox, Maui – One Man Against The Gods) Paul Young (Touch Compass, Outlaw Creative) and Julia Milsom (Touch Compass, Outlaw Creative, Soapbox)
Dark Tourists will be performed at Te Whaea Theatre, 11 Hutchison Road, Newtown, Wellington, 20th - 24th February at 8pm; 23rd February at 10pm; 24th February at 4pm.
Tickets are $15-24 plus booking fee and can be booked through Ticket Direct by calling 0800 4 TICKET, or via www.ticketdirect.co.nz There will be door sales
ENDS