The words fresh produce may conjure thoughts of DIY veggie gardens or organic wares at the weekend markets. In this case, however, Fresh Produce is the name of an upcoming season of original New Zealand performance works to be shown at The Basement, Tuesday 16th – Sunday 28th March.
This mini-festival takes off this month with five new works hitting the arts scene. On offer is a hand-picked collection of new dance and theatre pieces written, devised, and performed by some of the country's finest emerging talent. Over the two week season The Basement will house Battered, Green Room, Wallflower & Shafted, The Idea of America, and Pro-Posing, a dance work choreographed by Anna Bate.
Recent acting graduates from UNITEC's School of Performing and Screen Arts and Wellington's Toi Whakaari will star in the comedies Battered and Wallflower & Shafted.
Battered, written by Jessica Grace Smith, who also stars in the piece, is set in a local fish 'n' chip shop in Dannevirke.
Wallflower & Shafted are two fast-paced comedies which promise to deliver eccentric characters and outlandish outcomes.
Green Room stars Ryan Richards, Nic Sampson and Byron Coll, who are brought together to play a drunken Power-Ranger, an earnest thief, and a wounded thespian when an American feature-film has come to town.
The only dance piece in the two-week season, Pro-Posing is an original work concerned with the show of change. A layered theatrical performance that directly references the industries of posing.
Pro-Posing is choreographed by Anna Bate in collaboration with fellow performers Mariana Rinaldi and Kerryn McMurdo.
Written by UNITEC graduate Sam Shore, The Idea of America tells the story of Jude, a former flamboyant stage star who seems to think she is more famous than she actually is. In between burning the house down and flirting with bemused policemen, Jude escapes into a world of sequins, air-kisses and grand sweeping entrances, while her children struggle with their own offbeat dysfunction.
Don't miss the opportunity to see these emerging New Zealand talents on stage before their names are up in lights.
For more information about the FRESH PRODUCE season & booking details visit www.basementspace.co.nz.
FRESH PRODUCE
Tuesday 16th – Sunday 28th March
The Basement , Lower Greys Ave, Auckland CBD
Tues 16 - Weds 17 March: Battered 7pm
Thurs 18 - Sat 20 March: Pro-Posing 7pm
Tues 16 - Sat 20 March: Green Room 8pm
Tues 23 - Sat 27 March: Wallflower 7pm
Tues 23 - Sat 27 March: The Idea of America 8:30pm & Sun 28 March 2:00pm.
Door sales are available at The Basement Box Office one hour prior to the start of each show.