Dakota of the White Flats takes a classic high-action adventure story and places it in the capable hands of a couple of loud, rebellious and brave young women.
Dakota of the White Flats takes a classic high-action adventure story and places it in the capable hands of a couple of loud, rebellious and brave young women.
An electrifying adventure show by a touring theatre company is set to debut in Whangārei today despite its Auckland-base being disrupted this week with lockdown restrictions.
Dakota of the White Flats was given the green light to premiere at OneOneSix, Whangarei's Community Arts and Events Hub, because the Red Leaptheatre crew had already arrived in Whangārei on Sunday before the level 3 lockdown was declared on their home city.
Originally planned to open yesterday, the decision was made to cancel Wednesday's premiere to ensure a strong plan was in place adhering to level 2 if necessary. Happy about this was Whangārei's Lutz Hamm, starring in the show.
Whangārei actor Lutz Hamm and Hannah are set to star in Dakota of the White Flats debuting tonight.
The Auckland-based freelance performing artist said he loves returning to Whangārei.
"The people are weirder here. I think this is the perfect place to premiere this work, which is, in itself, quite a way off the beaten track. It's quite strange to perform another theatre company's show in OneOneSix, and be manuhiri (visiting) there for the first time.
"But there are so many things in Whangārei that make it feel like the right place to bring a show, whether that's performing for my friends and family, the old Kauri floors of the theatre, all my favourite food joints, or just the fact that we don't get that much theatre up here, and that makes it feel all the more worthwhile."
Hamm joins a cast set to explode on to the stage today depicting the adaptation of the beloved novel by UK author Philip Ridley.
The storyline centres on 14-year-old Dakota Pink who lives in a bleak housing complex on the edge of a polluted canal with rubbish-filled fountains and a skyline spiked with television and aerial crowns.
Dakota and her best friend Treacle discover a secret that sends them across the polluted canal to the broken glass fortress on Dog Island.
Abandoned supermarket trolleys litter the streets and the oil slicked water of the canal is filled with monstrous mutant eels who feast on anyone who tries to cross the water.
Dakota and her best friend Treacle discover a secret that sends them across the polluted canal to the broken glass fortress on Dog Island.
Co-founder and trustee Laurel Devenie said: "We're excited to welcome Red Leap Theatre back to ONEONESIX, and delighted that they have chosen Whangārei audiences as the first in the world to experience their newest work. Dakota of the White Flats is sure to be another unforgettable experience thanks to Red Leap."
Associate Red Leap director Ella Becroft makes her mainstage debut with this fast-paced and electrifying show, embracing Red Leap's signature style of haunting visuals and blazing physicality.
"Dakota of the White Flats takes the classic high-action adventure story - so often the dominion of boys - and places it firmly in the capable hands of a couple of loud, rebellious and brave young women. Dakota and Treacle hurl their way through life - they are ambitious, brave and resilient.
"They are loud little punks. The book clearly has something to say about urban life, with Philip Ridley's slightly dystopian and uncomfortable view on modern society. While the story references the breakdown of community and the environment, it places hope in the courageous adventuring of young people." said Becroft.
Dakota of the White Flats was given the green light to go ahead in Whangārei this week despite lockdown restrictions.
Hamm grew up in Whangārei after his family migrated from South Africa. His "theatrical flair" took off at Whangārei Boys' High School drama class encouraged by his teacher to audition for a show directed by Devenie.
He went onto become a member of Whangārei-based Company of Giants and study at Toi Whakaari NZ Drama School. He has worked as an actor and a director with various different companies across New Zealand.
Hamm said he felt lucky to know almost everyone on the cast from different contexts and it had been "awesome to get to know a new group of people in a different way."
"I've never toured before, so it's an exciting prospect to figure out what that's like (if the situation with the virus chills out). So far, it's been a lot of fun. The other part of this show that I've come to really enjoy is how wild it lets me be.
"I can kind of unleash a bit in various moments during this show and get a bit animal, so that's a lot of fun to have a technically difficult show that we know well enough to be able to play around with and get pretty wild."
Of freelancing, he said it was harder than he imagined.
"I've done lots of strange things to deal with the instability; I joined the army, I became an accountant ... It's incredible just how little time you spend acting when you're an actor.
"For me one of the clearest things that have become the most obvious is that you've got to have a reason to be doing it - for me that's often community - making art for my people."
Award-winning Red Leap Theatre's work has toured to great acclaim both domestically and internationally. Following their Whangārei shows today and tomorrow at noon and 7.30pm, they head to Hamilton and Tauranga.
