Full Volume: Young South Auckland Cast Explore The Modern-day Challenges Of Living In A Noisy World

Massive Company, in association with Auckland Arts Festival presents BABBLE.

Written by the cast of 20 in collaboration with Carla Martell, Scotty Cotter and Rosie Langabeer

Drawing on their own unique experiences and stories, twenty young and passionate South Auckland performers will lift the lid on navigating the incessant noise of the world they live in. This highly physical, relevant and inventive new devised work BABBLE plays at the Māngere Arts Centre from 18-28 March as part of Auckland Arts Festival.

Co-directors Scotty Cotter and Carla Martell, alongside musical director Rosie Langabeer, have been working with these emerging artists to look for the ways they are able to find stillness, amongst the wall of noise caused by traffic, electronics, sirens, fireworks, technology and even the constant bombardment of political rhetoric. ‘It’s all about the noise, the constant stimulation that you have growing up now in a world in which it often seems as if you have to be loud to be heard.’ – says Cotter

The BABBLE journey began last year when Massive Company reached out to five South Auckland schools to find their ensemble. 20 rangatahi were selected from Ormiston Senior College, McAuley College, De La Salle College, Rosehill College and Tangaroa College, along with three members of Massive Nui Ensemble, the company’s training programme for emerging artists. The cast represents a truly diverse Auckland, with performers’ ethnicities being represented from the Māori, Samoan, Chinese, Filipino, Korean, Tongan, Japanese, South Africa, Cook Island and Pākehā communities. These are determined young people with something to say. Something which is uplifting, illuminating and important. “The great thing about working with this cast is their dedication. Not many young people would give up their summer holiday or balance a part time job with full time rehearsals or take four forms of public transport in the morning to get to rehearsal. I see dedicated, active and vivacious performers who are full of ideas and playfulness” says Assistant Director, Ebony Andrew.

The cast of 20 performers started the process of making BABBLE with their own personal stories and backgrounds. Themes such as exposure, globalised communities, pressures of technology and juggling the stresses of school and home life are some of the rich tapestry of experiences that contribute to the work. Performer Claudia-Francine Nemeti encourages audiences to come along “To see how beautiful our young generation is, and how we are developing so much every single day.”

As always, Massive Company brings a highly professional group of leading theatre practitioners to the project, a commitment to excellence that is vital when creating a devised work from scratch. “It's bloody hard work to make a show from nothing and it takes a special type of person to put themselves out there to not only perform in it but to express your own whakaaro and do it without the fear of being judged. The cast have all these attributes. They are strong, brave and curious” says Cotter.

Led by the Artistic Direction of theatre luminary Sam Scott, Massive Company are renowned for bringing the authentic voices of young people to the stage. It’s something they have been doing for over 25 years and is firmly part of their kaupapa. This is theatre that speaks to our own unique experience living in Aotearoa.

BABBLE plays
18-28 March, 7pm, Māngere Arts Centre
Tickets at www.aaf.co.nz/babble
BABBLE IS DIRECTED BY: Carla Martell & Scotty Cotter;
DESIGN: Micheal McCabe;
LIGHTING: Jane Hakaraia;
COMPOSER: Rosie Langabeer;
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: Ebony Andrew
For more information on Massive Company visit: www.massivecompany.co.nz

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