A Theatrical Revolution Finally Arrives in Auckland for 2014

A Theatrical Revolution Finally Arrives in Auckland for 2014

Nightsong Productions with Theatre Stampede and THE EDGE present 360 - a theatre of recollections Written by Carl Bland and Peta Rutter

Critically acclaimed, publicly revered and yet to have performed in its native Auckland. Against all odds, one of NZ theatre’s most innovative productions arrives at The Civic as 360 enchants audiences from January 13th.

Travelling back through the memories of a prodigal son, 360 tracks the series of events that led to his final departure; his memories paint a vivid portrait of a family who are funny, exquisitely melancholic and charmingly clown-like. Expect the unexpected as two worlds collide when the son opens the same door he closed behind him years before.

Created by Chapman Tripp award winners, Carl Bland, the late Peta Rutter and Ben Crowder, 360 is filled with larger-than-life characters and surreal situations, as the intimate audience sits on the vaunted stage of The Civic Theatre, enclosed in a proverbial bullring as fireworks, song, dance, a life-sized seal and the rest of the action unfolds around them.

With a capacity of only 80 per show the audience is literally at the heart of action; seated on swivel chairs they are surrounded by the huge circular stage. As you spin and swivel to follow the turn of events on stage it is near impossible not to be drawn into the constant surprises of theatre magic courtesy of some of the country’s most experienced designers working at the very top of their game.

Upon its debut at the New Zealand International Arts Festival, Wellington 2010, the production earned rave reviews from media outlets across the board. The NZ Listener stated “there is no one word or phrase to describe the extraordinary theatrical experience that is 360. What comes to mind are hackneyed superlatives: brilliant, stunningly original, a tour de force. All, in this instance, are true.” Lynn Freeman, current presenter of Radio New Zealand’s Arts on Sunday programme, called the work “…a thrilling theatrical experience […] from a fuse that runs around you to a swan that swims past you, to someone being blown out of a cannon over your head.”

The strong reviews also travelled northward; the NZ Herald Online’s Mark Amery explaining “To tell you too much about the surprises that this work pops up continually […] would be to damage the experience. Suffice to say they left the audience grinning like blissful goldfish as they went round and round in life’s fishbowl.”

Where it’s 2011 season never came to fruition, the yearning for this Auckland show will finally be satisfied after a four year wait, as the cast of seven take to the roulette-wheel like stage for this long awaited Auckland premiere.

With a strictly limited capacity, this show will sell out – so book now!

Featuring: Gareth Reeves, Andrew Grainger, Olivia Tennet, Milo Cawthorne, Rosalie van Horik, Adam Gardiner and Bruce Phillips.

360 plays:
13th – 25th January 2014, 8pm
(17th, 18th & 24th – 6pm and 9pm. 25th – 2pm, 19th – 4pm)
The Civic, Corner Queen Street and Wellesley Street, Auckland CBD
Tickets: $25 - $48 (*Service fees will apply)
Bookings: Ticketmaster – www.ticketmaster.co.nz or 09 970 9700

This project was commissioned by the New Zealand International Arts Festival and the Auckland Festival. The 2014 Auckland season is delivered in partnership with THE EDGE.
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