In the company of friends
Massive has an unusual relationship with its performers, writes Dionne Christian
It’s about the most cliched thing actors say: “Since working on this play, we — the cast — have become the best of friends . . . ” Such is the intensity of feeling generated when theatre-makers spend a month in a room rehearsing, baring heart and soul to give an audience an authentic theatrical experience.
But those at Massive Theatre Company, now 25 years old, work a little differently.
They make shows after months sharing stories and deciding what the performers want to say. This becomes the basis for each production.
The company also builds the careers of its performers, many of whom repeatedly appear in Massive shows, or work for it as directors, writers and tutors.
In the latest MTC production,
Sightings, actors Akinehi Munroe, Celeste De-Freitas, Ebony Andrew, Georgia Menhennet and Melanie Thachankary have talked about what it means to be in Aotearoa New Zealand — to have arrived here, to have been born here or to have ancestors whose bones are in our soil.
They’ve given these stories to writers Miriama McDowell, Fiona Graham and Denyce Su’a to turn into fiction with smart and sassy characters who are navigating their way through life.
McDowell says it’s heavy on the connections between sisters, mothers and daughters, grandmothers and their grandchildren.
This seems appropriate given it’s a show made during the 125th anniversary year of women’s suffrage in New Zealand.
Just as significantly — and to return to that point about friendship — Sightings brings together two of Massive’s bestknown and loved artists, McDowell and Kura Forrester.
McDowell has co-written the show; Forrester co-directs with Massive founder Sam Scott. What’s more, through years of working together, McDowell and Forrester really are the best of friends.
“We like to say, ‘It’s time for a duck banquet,’” says McDowell.
“Even though there’s never been duck involved,” adds Forrester.
“It just means we eat amazing food together. We took baby Hero [McDowell’s 7-month-old] for her first cafe visit together.
“She’s heavily involved with my children,” says McDowell, who’s also mum to Talanoa, 7.
As well as appearing in Massive shows together, McDowell made the move into directing by working with Forrester on Nga¯ Pou Wahine and both have appeared in Ma¯ ori Television’s comedy, Find Me a Ma¯ ori Bride.
Weekend asked them when did they meet? What do they like about one another?
Forrester: “We met at a workshop for the play
Havoc in the Garden in the lower NZI Room at the Aotea Centre and we were lining up for a warm-up game called Four Square that we play at Massive. Miriama was in the line and I’d been a big fan ever since I’d seen her in a play called
We can never be dance partners because we just crack each other up. Kura Forrester