THE BALLAD OF PONDLIFE MCGURK
2 years ago
CATHERINE WHEELS THEATRE COMPANY (SCOTLAND)
Saturday 9 March, Saturday 16 March, Saturday 23
March - Sunday 24 March, 2013
Various venues (see details below)
FOR AUDIENCES AGED 9+
Auckland Arts Festival 2013 is bringing to
audiences aged 9 to 90, The Ballad of Pondlife McGurk, an
enchanting storytelling experience about friendship, betrayal and
how relationships change over time. This capturing and
heart-wrenching tale garnered numerous five-star reviews at the
2012 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Martin is the new boy at school among a sea of
unfamiliar faces. Meet Sharon: class bully who immediately takes a
disliking to Martin and isn't afraid to show it. Enter Simon
McGurk: Martin's new best friend, despite their differences. Simon
and Martin spend the summer together. They make an oath to stick
together, to never join the dark side with the bullies at school.
Then Martin does something that will poison their friendship
forever…
Of his show, which has been performed at schools
across Scotland, at Edinburgh's Imaginate Children's Festival, at
the Sydney Opera House and the Edinburgh Fringe, co-creator and
performer, Andy Manley, said, "I thought it might be interesting to
tell a story of someone who took the blame for something they
didn't do and how this might affect them. The lovely thing about
Pondlife is that, though it is for children...it also appeals as
much to the adults in the audience. It's a very universal
story."
Catherine Wheels Theatre Company is a leading
producer of theatre for children and young people, formed in 1999
by the director Gill Robertson. Their first production Martha won
the award for Best Production at the Shanghai International
Children's Festival. Lifeboat (2002) won the Barclay's Stage Award
for Best Show for Children and Young People, and was performed at
the New Zealand International Arts Festival 2008. White, the
company's first show for under fours, won numerous awards
worldwide.
Andy Manley is a British theatre artist based in
Edinburgh. He creates performances largely through devising, and
directs or performs depending on what feels right for the project.
He started making his own work in 2003 and before that he was an
actor. Over the last few years Manley has specialised in creating
performances for children and young people.
In order to present the work to as many young
people as possible, Auckland Arts Festival 2013 is touring The
Ballad of Pondlife McGurk to multiple venues across the region,
including the Bruce Mason Centre,
Mangere Arts Centre and Auckland Town Hall. For
more information about Auckland Arts Festival's Smartsfest Schools
Programme, please visit www.aaf.conz.
www.aaf.co.nz
It is as if Manley is a shaman, enchanting his
acolytes with magical words... - SCOTTISHTheatre
The very model of audience-capturing storytelling,
this is a well-written and excitingly performed tale. - London
Theatre Review
Theatre to be enjoyed across the generations - The
Arts Journal
SEASON DETAILS
Show The Ballad of Pondlife
McGurk
Where Various venues - see details
below
When Saturday 9 March, 11am & 2pm
- Bruce Mason Centre
Saturday 16 March, 11am & 2pm - Mangere Arts
Centre - Ngā Tohu o Uenuku
Saturday 23 March, 11am & 2pm - Concert
Chamber, Auckland Town Hall
Sunday 24 March, 10.30am & 12.30pm - Concert
Chamber, Auckland Town Hall
For schools performance details, please visit the
Smartsfest page at www.aaf.co.nz
Duration 50 min
Price GA Adult $20 /GA Child
$12
Bookings Book at THE EDGE:
www.buytickets.co.nz / 09 357 3355 / 0800 289 842
Group bookings: groups@the-edge.co.nz / 09 357
3354
Ticketmaster outlets (for Bruce Mason Centre only):
www.ticketmaster.co.nz / 09 970 9700 / 0800 289 842
Mangere Arts Centre Box Office (for Mangere Arts
Centre only): 09 262 5789
Information www.aaf.co.nz
Social Media Facebook:
facebook.com/Aklfestival
Twitter: @Aklfestival
Video
http://www.catherinewheels.co.uk/productions/The+Ballad+of+Pondlife+McGurk/video/#page-content
Media enquiries Siobhan Waterhouse,
Publicist. P: +64 (0)9 374 0317 | M: +64 (0) 22 126
4149
E: siobhan.waterhouse@aucklandfestival.co.nz
CREATIVE CREDITS
Performer: Andy Manley
Text: Rob Evans
Director: Gill Robertson
Sound Designer: Danny Krass
Lighting Design: Craig Fleming
Producer: Paul Fitzpatrick
Supported by Made In Scotland and Creative
Scotland
CATHERINE WHEELS THEATRE COMPANY (SCOTLAND)
Saturday 9 March, Saturday 16 March, Saturday 23 March - Sunday
24 March, 2013
Various venues (see details below)
FOR AUDIENCES AGED 9+
Auckland Arts Festival 2013 is bringing to audiences aged 9 to
90, The Ballad of Pondlife McGurk, an enchanting
storytelling experience about friendship, betrayal and how
relationships change over time. This capturing and heart-wrenching
tale garnered numerous five-star reviews at the 2012 Edinburgh
Festival Fringe.
Martin is the new boy at school among a sea of unfamiliar faces.
Meet Sharon: class bully who immediately takes a disliking to
Martin and isn't afraid to show it. Enter Simon McGurk: Martin's
new best friend, despite their differences. Simon and Martin spend
the summer together. They make an oath to stick together, to never
join the dark side with the bullies at school. Then Martin does
something that will poison their friendship forever…
Of his show, which has been performed at schools across
Scotland, at Edinburgh's Imaginate Children's Festival, at the
Sydney Opera House and the Edinburgh Fringe, co-creator and
performer, Andy Manley, said, "I thought it might be interesting to
tell a story of someone who took the blame for something they
didn't do and how this might affect them. The lovely thing about
Pondlife is that, though it is for children...it also
appeals as much to the adults in the audience. It's a very
universal story."
Catherine Wheels Theatre Company is a leading producer of
theatre for children and young people, formed in 1999 by the
director Gill Robertson. Their first production Martha won
the award for Best Production at the Shanghai International
Children's Festival. Lifeboat (2002) won the Barclay's
Stage Award for Best Show for Children and Young People, and was
performed at the New Zealand International Arts Festival 2008.
White, the company's first show for under fours, won
numerous awards worldwide.
Andy Manley is a British theatre artist based in Edinburgh. He
creates performances largely through devising, and directs or
performs depending on what feels right for the project. He started
making his own work in 2003 and before that he was an actor. Over
the last few years Manley has specialised in creating performances
for children and young people.
In order to present the work to as many young people as
possible, Auckland Arts Festival 2013 is touring The Ballad of
Pondlife McGurk to multiple venues across the region,
including the Bruce Mason Centre, Mangere Arts Centre and
Auckland Town Hall. For more information about Auckland Arts
Festival's Smartsfest Schools Programme, please visit www.aaf.co.nz.
www.aaf.co.nz
It is as if Manley is a shaman, enchanting his acolytes with
magical words... - SCOTTISHTheatre
The very model of audience-capturing storytelling, this is a
well-written and excitingly performed tale. - London Theatre
Review
Theatre to be enjoyed across the generations - The Arts
Journal
SEASON DETAILS
Show The Ballad of Pondlife McGurk
Where Various venues - see details below
When Saturday 9 March, 11am & 2pm - Bruce
Mason Centre
Saturday 16 March, 11am & 2pm - Mangere Arts Centre - Ngā
Tohu o Uenuku
Saturday 23 March, 11am & 2pm - Concert Chamber, Auckland
Town Hall
Sunday 24 March, 10.30am & 12.30pm - Concert Chamber,
Auckland Town Hall
For schools performance details, please visit the Smartsfest
page at www.aaf.co.nz
Duration 50 min
Price GA Adult $20 /GA Child $12
Bookings Book at THE EDGE: www.buytickets.co.nz
/ 09 357 3355 / 0800 289 842
Group bookings: groups@the-edge.co.nz / 09 357 3354
Ticketmaster outlets (for Bruce Mason Centre only):
www.ticketmaster.co.nz / 09 970 9700 / 0800 289 842
Mangere Arts Centre Box Office (for Mangere Arts Centre only):
09 262 5789
Information www.aaf.co.nz
Social Media Facebook:
facebook.com/Aklfestival
Twitter: @Aklfestival
Video
http://www.catherinewheels.co.uk/productions/The+Ballad+of+Pondlife+McGurk/video/#page-content
Media enquiries Siobhan Waterhouse, Publicist.
P: +64 (0)9 374 0317 | M: +64 (0)
22126 4149 | E:siobhan.waterhouse@aucklandfestival.co.nz
CREATIVE CREDITS
Performer: Andy Manley
Text: Rob Evans
Director: Gill Robertson
Sound Designer: Danny Krass
Lighting Design: Craig Fleming
Producer: Paul Fitzpatrick
Supported by Made In Scotland and Creative Scotland