Two years in the making, Kororāreka: The Ballad of Maggie Flynn combines the storytelling skill of Paolo Rotondo and the theatrical flair of Red Leap Theatre, led with the astute eye of Artistic Director Julie Nolan. It tells the tale of a fiery and unforgettable Irish woman who leaves England a convict and arrives in Kororāreka (the Māori name for Russell), the captain of a whaling ship. Her fortune continues to twist and turn from being a trophy Māori slave to the wife of a great chief to Madam of the notorious King Edward Hotel. One day culture and history collide, when Maggie must challenge the very world she sought to escape.

Set in New Zealand’s original capital, Kororāreka, the play is kind of a piratey, historical tale - inspired by true stories of New Zealand women, but also men. Director Julie Nolan said they began workshopping the play with both male and female actors, but acknowledging that the history books rarely include the female perspective, the play evolved into an all-female cast of five, playing about 20 characters. “It’s a chance for women to claim back their own experiences in history which have often not been told at all,” she said.

Historical in nature, Julie described the play as an “amalgamation of history.” “Pretty much everything is based on actual events, but we didn’t want to be beholden to certain things in history.” Quoting a line from the play she said “Life and history is a messy chaotic beast. What’s truth and what’s concocted, you’ll never know.”

“This story is unique to us as New Zealanders, unravelling the legacy of the women in our past and stirring the ones too wild to be captured by history books. It is a sea-shanty, a coarse and vulgar rhyme that will make you laugh and cry to smell the sea again after so long,” said Julie Nolan.

“Starting with my mother, this story is a fictionalised homage to the strength, power, toughness, resilience and wit that exists in the character of the New Zealand woman.  I do not believe that Kate Sheppard, Helen Clarke, Lorde or Eleonor Catton, are exceptions to the rule, in fact they are a product of a long line of powerful women,” said writer Paolo Rotondo

The play opened at Auckland’s Q Theatre on 9 June and runs until 17 June, before hitting the road and touring Whangarei, Russell, and Kerikeri.

Director Julie Nolan said the company is really looking forward to the Northland shows, and “being back in the place that it’s from.”

Workshopping the play for a week in Russell last year and holding a public rehearsal, Julie said was a really special experience, meeting with local kuia and kaumatua and talking through the storyline, as well as getting a feel for the land and space. “There was a lot of bloodshed in Russell, a lot of raw wounds, and there are still things happening there today as a spin off of that time.”       

Abbey Cameron, Marketing and Communications Manager at Creative Northland said there is a lot of buzz around at the moment, and that tickets are selling fast for the Northland shows.“We’ve got a creative community here and people are really thirsty for entertainment. We only get about one big show a quarter here and they always do really well, especially in the far north as it's something to get out and be entertained with."

For bookings visit http://redleaptheatre.co.nz/productions/kororareka/

Auckland 9-17 June, Q Theatre

Russell,19 June, Town Hall

Kerikeri, 21 June, The Turner Centre

Whangarei, 23 & 24 June, OneOneSix