BATS Theatre - ‘The Night Mechanics’

IN A WORLD WHERE WATER IS SCARCE, HOW FAR WILL YOU GO TO PROTECT IT?

Weaving physicality and text, The Night Mechanics, is a vital new play from award winning writer and Fulbright-Creative New Zealand Pacific Writer-in-Residence Mīria George (Te Arawa, Ngāti Awa, Cook Islands), and the final piece in her Water Trilogy including the award winning play ’The Vultures’ (2016) and the performance installation ‘Fire In The Water, Fire In The Sky’ (2017).

The Night Mechanics is the story of a small drought stricken Maori community in the middle of Aotearoa that becomes the flash point of resistance against ‘the water company’ a multi national that is more powerful than the government.

Inspired by the modern fight for clean water, The Night Mechanics is a tale where water is no longer free and where dreams no longer exist. Is this is the future?

‘Water is the final frontier for Māori, Pasifika and the world beyond. With water bottling in Aotearoa New Zealand a current point of conversation and contention - we are only just beginning to debate the potential impact of this important resource, should it’s access be compromised or quality be damaged.

The Night Mechanics is a work that is timely, visceral and potentially prophetic.’

Mīria George, Playwright and Director

WE DON’T CALL IT DIVERSITY, WE CALL IT NORMAL

For our premiere season, Mīria has gathered together five actors, all bringing to the stage a fierce connection to water from their own diverse cultures. These five actors are also all playwrights; award winning, successful and collaborative, they bring an added dynamic to recreate what it is that we call normal.

Tawata Productions is thrilled to collaborate again with Wellington Theatre Award winning playwright and actor, Carrie Green (Ngāti Porou).

Born and raised in Wellington, Sarita So (Khmer Cambodia) and Natano Keni (Samoa), will be familiar to many, and recently launched their own production company, I Ken So Productions, with the play ‘Riverside Kings’, set in Timberlea, Upper Hutt.

We also welcome Ahi Karunaharan (Sri Lankan Tamil) back from Auckland, where he helms Agaram Theatre Company, and is a rising star in the city’s landscape.

Completing the cast, is Malaysian based award winning stage and television star Dawn Cheong (Cuak & In between floors) who has flown in from Kuala Lumpur, returning to Wellington six years after graduating from Toi Whakaari New Zealand Drama School. Dawn won Most Promising Actress at the Malaysian Film Festival 27, in 2017.

If you won’t let us dream, we won’t let you sleep.

Written and directed by Mīria George

Performed by Carrie Green, Sarita So, Natano Keni, Ahi Karunaharan, and Dawn Cheong.

Designed by Tony de Goldi, Cara Louise Waretini, Karnan Saba and Natala Gwiazdzinski.

Produced by Tawata Productions Preview Tues 29 August, 6.30pm Weds 30 August - Sat 9 September, 6.30pm

The Heyday Dome, BATS Theatre

$20/$15/$14

ENDS

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