Roadie tale with a difference

A karearea who plays the ukelele — one of the wonderfully costumed characters in Land of the Long Long Drive. Picture by Alex Rabina

Catriona Tipene Rann and Ryan Cundy bring a show for the whole family with Land of the Long Long Drive.

And it will be a long long drive of over 6000 kilometres for the cast and crew of the company, as they take their show on the road with Arts on Tour NZ. The tour takes them to 21 venues in the North and South Islands with one Gisborne show at Lawson Field Theatre on April 9.

Wētā, Tuna and Kārearea are mates of Gary the Glowworm, and are travelling to attend his rave in the cave birthday party. The friends face a number of trials on the road, and learn that despite their differences, they can achieve their goals by working together.

This is a tale for Kiwi kids, featuring iconic New Zealand creatures, landscapes and fresh waiata by New Zealand singer-songwriter Benny Tipene.

Winner of the 3–8-year-old section of Playmarket’s Plays for the Young competition, Land of the Long Long Drive brings  a laugh- out-loud, inspiring adventure of three unlikely heroes.

“Catriona Tipene Rann and Ryan Cundy have developed a cool, silly and touching script, loved by our audience from tots to grandparents,” says a review by Theatreview.

This show jumps into life with beautiful costumes by Victoria J Gridley, costumier for the Royal New Zealand Ballet, and support from Capital E National Theatre for Children through their Creative Residency programme.

■  Land of the Long Long Drive, Tuesday April 9, Lawson Field Theatre, 11am. $12 from Ticketek.