Company of Giants

We are a rollicking band of a theatre company, who have spawned from a series of summer shows for the Northland Youth Theatre, prolonged high school relationships, a beautiful meeting at clown school, and an unlikely one whilst hitch hiking.

Our company grew largely through the huge efforts of Laurel and Katy over the summer of 2012/2013 in the production of Odyssey, at the Quarry Arts Centre, in Whangarei, in February of 2013. Ash came on board part way through the process, to round out a crew of young actors, local miscreants, experienced binders, bike makers, and passionate directors. The show permeated the community of our town, drawing in overflowing crowds and a dedicated group of followers who came again, and again. And again.

We revelled in our ability to work together in fantastical ways, provide a wonderful platform for young Northlanders to create and express themselves, and to be able to share this with the people of our place, many of whom had supported us so much in our work.

This revelling we proceeded to take to Auckland, in June, remaking the show with a cast made up of newcomers from Auckland, and some of the orginal cast from Whan garei. Practicing our modes of working, in a situation in which we could dig deeper into a performative story-piece, and share our processes with new people, was a wholly difficult, enlightening, and wonderful experience.

Our mounting of the show a second time was enthusiastically by school kids, adult audiences, and critics. The young adults who joined our process for the first time learnt and grew so much during the few short weeks we worked together, and all are eager to work with us again.

It is this feeling, of safe vulnerability, wanton creation, shared experimentation, and intimate story-telling, that we would like to continue to develop and share in our practice.