Sightings: Gutsy New Show Celebrates Mana Wahine

GUTSY NEW SHOW CELEBRATES OUR HISTORY, OUR FUTURE & ALL THINGS MANA WAHINE

Massive Theatre Company presents
SIGHTINGS
Written by Miriama McDowell and Fiona Graham with Denyce Su’a
Directed by Kura Forrester and Sam Scott

Walk backwards into the future, holding hands with a glorious ensemble of mana wahine when Massive Company tours its latest and greatest, SIGHTINGS, to Auckland’s Q Theatre, Glen Eden Playhouse and Whangarei’s Forum North this July through September.

Smart and sassy characters are tracking connections, hunting possibilities, and navigating their future. For anyone who has a sister, mother, grandmother or daughter this contemporary and gutsy piece of theatre will take you on a strangely familiar journey.
How do you measure a life? The characters in this play are figuring out how to carve their own existence, whilst unwittingly offering clues for others as they travel their path.

Bold, tender and funny, SIGHTINGS encapsulates what it means to have arrived in Aotearoa, to have been born here, to have ancestors whose bones are in our soil. Told by five gutsy young women, this compelling new work seems perfectly timed to align with the 125th Anniversary of Women’s Suffrage in New Zealand. Funny, deep, dark and delightful, it’s an invitation to audiences to consider everything about being a New Zealander.

Known for their authentic style and genuine storytelling, Massive Company have been at the forefront of fostering young performers for over quarter of a century. Developed under the keen eye of Artistic Director, Sam Scott, the personal nature of their individual stories resonates strongly with audiences with each new work.

With SIGHTINGS, Sam is pushing two of Massive's most celebrated artists, Miriama McDowell and Kura Forrester, to the centre of the frame. Miriama has been working with Massive since 2002, but is perhaps best known for her screen work, appearing in both seasons of Find Me a Maori Bride. Last year was one of Miriama’s busiest to date, appearing in the internationally celebrated feature film Waru, writing and performing in the Auckland Arts Festival hit Cellfish and directing the much-celebrated production of Much Ado About Nothing for the Pop-up Globe in Melbourne. She returns to her artistic home, Massive, to co-write this new work alongside Fiona Graham and Massive alumni, Denyce Su’a (Chance to Ignite).

Kura Forrester steps up for this new production as co-director, her first time at the helm of a Massive production. Like Miriama, her feet are firmly rooted in the Massive story. She brings with her a wealth of experiential knowledge, having performed with the company since 2008. Most recently seen in the company’s The Wholehearted, she’s also celebrated for her inimitable comedic gifts, appearing in every season of Funny Girls, Taika Waititi’s What We Do in the Shadows and the hit web series, The Adventures of Suzy Boon.

SIGHTINGS presents a fresh proposition in the canon of Massive storytelling. Historically, performers have shared their individual, raw, lived experiences with audiences. With this new work, the creators are shaking things up by asking actors to gift their own perspective to shape the narrative, with the history of the cast creating a springboard for the final fictional piece. This shared experience celebrates the idea that you can’t understand someone until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes, but here in real time. Actors Akinehi Munroe, Celeste De-Freitas, Ebony Andrew, Georgia Menhennet and Melanie Thachankary promise to delight audiences with their fresh and playful perspective, sitting in conversation with their wise spirits.

SIGHTINGS is designed by one of Auckland’s most exciting next generation artists, Micheal McCabe. Micheal is an architectural graduate creating furniture, installations and public art work. His recent work includes The Claw (May - June 2018) and Sleeping Arrangements (21st April - 19 August).

Don’t miss this inspirational opportunity to laugh, cry, and celebrate five extraordinary young women in SIGHTINGS.

PRAISE FOR MASSIVE COMPANY
“...joyous, poignant, hilarious and expressive storytelling… I feel compelled to reiterate how exceptional and brilliant the cast was in expressing their feelings through words and movement” – The Wholehearted reviewed by Theatrescenes

“...the show is powerful, sweet without being saccharine, and showcases some brilliant talent for New Zealand theatre.” – The Wholehearted reviewed by Theatreview

“The heartbreaking, funny, clever mix of true confessions and raw athleticism from the guys of Massive Company has won standing ovations already.” – The Brave reviewed by New Zealand Herald

Sightings plays:

July 24 – 28
Q Theatre Loft, Auckland CBD
Tuesday to Friday at 7pm, Saturday at 8pm
Tickets from Q Theatre. For bookings visit Q Theatre or phone 09 309 9771

August 1 – 2
Forum North, Whangarei
Tuesday & Wednesday, 7pm
Tickets from Ticketek. For bookings visit Ticketek or phone 0800 842 538

September 7
Going West Festival, Glen Eden Playhouse
Friday, 7pm
Tickets from iTicket. For bookings visit iTicket or phone 0508 484 253

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