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Dark Tourists

Rifleman Productions Present

INNOVATIVE DANCE THEATRE    Dark Tourists

A provocative new dance theatre work by Malia Johnston and Emma Willis, Dark Tourists takes its audience through a journey of aftermath.  In a world filled with birds, salt, empty coats and exploding television screens, visitors arrive: tourists ready to pluck souvenirs from the crusted ground. In this dry and spectral land the birds gather, waiting for the return of the sea. 

Dark Tourists premiered during Auckland Festival 07 on the ASB Theatre stage, taking the audience away from the everyday viewings of theatre by seating them on the stage, right in the heart of the work., and after further development was presented at Te Whaea Theatre, Wellington in February 2008

Created through research and workshops by a team of some of New Zealand’s most respected and talented dancers, actors and creatives, Dark Tourists is an exploration of our attraction to sites of death and disaster. It is a full length dance work creating a theatrical landscape including text, exquisite movement and original live music performed by the cast and Motocade lead singer/guitarist Eden Mullholand.

Dark Tourists is a collaboration between three of New Zealand’s most exciting emerging artists: innovative choreographer Malia Johnston (Best Choreographer and Best Female Contemporary Dancer 2004, NZ Listener), director and playwright Emma Willis; (Co-director of Jealous Theatre Company, Chapman Tripp winner Most Original Production 2000); and composer and musician, Eden Mulholland (Motorcade).

After coming back from national tours of Miniatures and Terrain (also in AK07) and working as principal choreographer for the Montana Wearable Art Awards, Malia is excited about premiering this new work; “it’s a privilege to work with Emma and Eden. I am enjoying our working collaboration, it really challenges my work and I am expecting it will shift the piece into a more truthful place and provide the audience with an important experience.”

With a stellar cast including Peter Daube (Madigan’s Quest, Orange Roughies, Taki Rua, ATC) and Mia Blake (movies The Tattooist, No 2), Sean MacDonald (Black
Grace), Paora Taurima (Footnote Dance Company, Michael Parmenter Retrospective, ATC), Claire Lissaman (Maui – One Man Against The Gods, choreographer Raewyn Hill) Paul Young (Touch Compass, Outlaw Creative) and Julia Milsom (Touch Compass, Outlaw Creative, Raewyn Hill, [scape] ), Dark Tourists promises to be anenriching and evocative workk..