From the 3^rd - 5^th April, Jess Holly Bates will hit home in more ways than one with her solo show fusing spoken word, theatre and some seriously nasal Pakeha vowels in Real Fake White Dirt at the Basement Theatre, Auckland.

Made in association with Page-2-Stage 2013, and directed by Geoff (no-small-genius) Pinfield of Theatre Beating fame, Real Fake White Dirt is the freshest produce on the poetic block. This is a one woman show made using only the finest ripe white fruit from... well, the tree of multi-culturalism. Locally bottled, marinated and served with custard, this show spits out seeds on its plate and does not apologize for the mess.

As a Pakeha creative with a self-proclaimed will to make performance poetry that is inter-disciplinary, theatrical and innovative, Jess Holly Bates is an emerging powerhouse of local performance. In 2013, she performed for both Auckland Theatre Company and Silo Theatre, as well as winning numerous awards as part of the Short + Sweet Theatre Festival including Best Actress and two script awards for her authored and self-directed piece Lucky C*ntry.

This year, Jess Holly Bates takes her brand of unsettled New Zealand-ness to the international stage. In 2014, Bates has been invited to tour Real Fake White Dirt made under the mentorship of London-based Pacific performance artist Rosanna Raymond, to London and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Poetry for Jess Holly Bates is able “to critique cultural and social norms in a way that is both accessible and entertaining.” She hopes the show will be a friendly (and anxious) tongue in the cheek of what it means to be a culturally sensitive honkie in this country.

“bold, honest political statements … saved the best for last … a stunner ... very much in a class of its own”

- Rip It Up on Lucky C*ntry (writer, performer)

“brought to life brilliantly, through actress Jess Holly Bates...wonderful vehicle to showcase Bates' versatility and skill” - Kate Ward-Smythe, Theatreview on V.D. (performer)

“Bates gives a no holds barred performance”
- Matt Baker, Theatre Scenes on Auckland Theatre Company's The Heretic

“Very necessary theatre”

- Kate Ward-Smythe, Theatreview on Lucky C*ntry (writer, performer)

Real Fake White Dirt speaks to the existence of liberal white crisis in your life. If you ever wondered how to feel about your morbidly racist grandparents, if you were ever too white to join the kapahaka group, if you ever lied about your heritage just to give you street cred - then Real Fake White Dirt is the show for you.

Come see how spoken word meets theatre – and help support a show set to tour London and Edinburgh Fringe in 2014.

REAL FAKE WHITE DIRT

Dates: 3 - 5 April, 7pm
Venue: The Basement Theatre, Lower Greys Ave
Tickets: $15 Adult, $10 Concession
Bookings: 0508 iTICKET or http://www.iticket.co.nz/events/2014/apr/real-fake-white-dirt