What’s all this Hullapolloi about?

Hullapolloi is a disturbing and darkly humorous stab at the political dynamics of a group; a test of what is known, what is successful and what is normal through the eyes of competitive urges and comforting rituals.

And it is also the name of a captivating new work created by two of New Zealand’s most sought-after performing artists Jo Randerson and Kate McIntosh in an exciting new collaboration with Footnote Dance.

Footnote Dance presents the 2011 season of Footnote Forte, /Hullapolloi/ will be toured to Wellington, Dunedin and Nelson and later this year to Auckland.

The programme furthers the Footnote mission to keep redefining the boundaries of dance in New Zealand, this time by adding the dramatic flourishes by one of this country’s most acclaimed playwrights in Jo Randerson, and the intriguing physicality of Kate McIntosh.

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Both originally from Wellington, Randerson and McIntosh have enjoyed several previous collaborations together on the international scene, including 2004’s All Natural, which toured extensively in Europe, in 2006’s Hair from the Throat, which premiered at the prestigious Kaaitheatre in Brussels.

*Jo Randerson* has developed a sparkling reputation in New Zealand as one of our most unique and prolific theatre practitioners, winning the 1997 Bruce Mason Award for her first play Fold and the 2008 Arts Foundation New Generation Award.

*Kate McIntosh* has forged a remarkable career in her adopted hometown of Brussels, working across the genres of dance, filmmaking, multimedia and even punk rock. She is, according to Footnote Dance director Deirdre Tarrant, now one of Europe’s most sought after physical-theatre practitioners in Europe. “Her early days and first secondment were with Footnote in 1992 and so this is a real homecoming!” said Deirdre.

“Together, Jo and Kate have produced a very strong and unexpected collaborative work. There’s a strong element of surprise and confrontation.

“Hullapolloi explores these pertinent issues of consumerism and materialism and aims to put the human back into humanity.

“Certainly the product of their outrageous minds has been a challenge for the dancers to get their heads around. It promises to be captivating, groundbreaking and simply unmissable.”

*Footnote Forte 2011: Hullapolloi* *Wellington: March 1, 2 @ The Opera House* *Dunedin: March 17, 18 @ Allen Hall* *Nelson: April 18, 19 @ The Suter Gallery* *Ticketing and information: www.footnote.org.nz

ENDS

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