New Theatre Company Pioneers A New Style – Aotearoa Dell’arte

Q Theatre’s 2016 Matchbox Season presents
LEILANI
Brought to you by Mahuika Theatre Company

Contemporary Kiwi archetypes combine with traditional Commedia Dell’Arte to create a new and enchanting theatrical language for the debut work of Mahuika Theatre Company: Leilani premiering at Q Theatre Loft from August 4th – 13th.

Sweet, young Leilani has the best news to share and life is great, until she is left heartbroken and discarded by the people who are supposed to love her most. Junior dumps her, the less-than-lovely Aroha kicks her out and rumours about her spread. Homeless, friendless and expecting. What will Leilani do? Where will she go? Leilani encounters the kiwi characters that inhabit our world - from the Queen of K Rd to the city’s homeless to the young urban capitalist. Leilani searches for home, amongst familiar faces, in the most unlikely of places.

Leilani is a comedic melodrama that asks audiences to take a real look at the society we live in. This original production uses eight half-masks representing eight kiwi archetypes, to tell its story. The specially crafted masks have been refined over two years of character development, sculpting and workshopping. This idea of using and developing mask was inspired by the Italian Commedia Dell’Arte and when combined with kiwi characters creates a new language named by the company as Aotearoa Dell’Arte. Mask is used to transport audiences to a world of theatre where enchantment and illusion thrive.

“The masks are incredibly original and speak truthfully to a New Zealand mixed identity”. - (Chye-Ling Huang, Pretty Asian Theatre)

Leilani is the first work to be staged by Mahuika Theatre Company. Under the artistic direction of respected director, lecturer and actor Pedro Ilgenfritz the company aims to create a platform to develop young female practitioners in the arts through mask and physical theatre. NZ audiences have been exposed to similar genres of work by successful NZ touring companies including Indian Ink, Red Leap and Theatre Stampede. Mahuika Theatre Company have already had interest from Italy to tour this work in September 2016.

Three emerging female actors take on the challenge of playing all eight characters in this quick, heart warming tale. Irasa Siave, Natasha Daniel and Amy Karaitiana met while training at Unitec and are thrilled to bring this new work to the stage for this MATCHBOX premiere season. Revered NZ PlaywrightGary Henderson joins the team as Script Developer.

Leilani plays:
Thu 4th – Sat 13th August 2016, Q Theatre Loft, 7.30pm
No shows Sunday and Monday
Tickets: $15-$28 (Booking fees may apply)
Tickets from www.qtheatre.co.nz

Leilani is presented as part of MATCHBOX, the Q Theatre creative development programme.

Q Theatre is an independently owned and operated performing arts venue in Auckland’s CBD, committed to the sustainability and success of arts and culture. Every year Q co-presents a season of shows through its creative development programme, MATCHBOX (formerly known as ‘Q Presents’). MATCHBOX enables the best emerging and professional New Zealand performing artists to bring their ideas to life on stage. Through a three-step selection process Q curates a MATCHBOX Season that pushes boundaries, showcases Q’s transformative venue to the fullest, and delivers unique experiences for audiences.

To find out more about Q Theatre and MATCHBOX visit www.qtheatre.co.nz/matchbox

ENDS

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