LIFE & DEATH DRAMA
Heartfelt stories from the frontlines of intensive care will be shared with audiences during the ATC’s powerful new show, Things That Matter.
The pandemic has brought intensive care into focus as shocking images of hospitals overflowing with COVID-19 patients filled news bulletins. But with New Zealand left relatively unscathed by the outbreak from a health perspective, it’s likely that us Kiwis have gained less insight into the challenges faced by Intensive Care Units than those who live in countries ravaged by the virus. But of course, life-and-death decisions are made by
ICU staff on a daily basis and are not unique to the problems caused by a pandemic. Before COVID-19 gave us pause about what doctors and nurses face in this highly demanding branch of medicine, Dr David Galler’s 2016 memoir brought us stories from his years caring for the critically ill.
Things That Matter: Stories of Life & Death details Galler’s experience as an intensive care specialist at South Auckland’s Middlemore Hospital. It shares tales of the patients and events he encountered there and also delves into stories about his family and of his own life. Now his memoir is being brought to life on the stage for the Auckland Theatre Company production Things That Matter. Commissioned and developed by ATC, Galler’s book has been adapted into a theatre script by New Zealand playwright Gary Henderson.
The production will give us an insider’s view into the realities of intensive care, while also relaying stories of Galler’s life and that of his Jewish Polish immigrant parents, who survived the Holocaust.
Tasked with bringing these stories to life is acclaimed actor, director and writer Anapela Polata’ivao. As an actor, she’s no stranger to the Auckland Theatre Company stage, but Things That Matter will be her mainstage directorial debut for the company. She says: “It’s an exciting opportunity and one that I don’t take lightly.” It may be a first for her with the Auckland Theatre Company, but Polata’ivao’s experience proves the production is in safe hands.
Polata’ivao has been the recipient of several awards for her directing work: in 2015 she shared the Best Director award at Auckland Fringe Festival for Victor Rodger’s Girl on a Corner. In 2016, her direction of a new version of Tusiata Avia’s Wild Dogs Under My Skirt saw her named Best Director at the Auckland Theatre Awards. That’s on top of numerous other awards for her theatre-making and film work.
Having read the play and the book, Polata’ivao was drawn to the project for the opportunity to tell its “real, heartfelt, life-and-death stories”, which provide such a fascinating insight into the human condition, compiled from Galler’s more than 30-year-long career on the frontlines of New Zealand’s health system and beautifully adapted for stage by Henderson.
“MY ROLE AS DIRECTOR IS TO DELIVER THE TRUTH THE BEST I CAN.” ANAPELA POLATA’IVAO
“Gary has done a wonderful job adapting it,” says Polata’ivao. “When I read a book or memoir, I think, ‘How do you even begin to adapt that for the stage?’ But this is why he’s an award-winning playwright.”
While the cast is yet to be announced at the time of writing, the creative team has been assembled, the set design process has begun and rehearsals are due to begin imminently. Polata’ivao’s intention is to put together a stripped-back production that lets the stories of the script sing.
“Overall, the vision is to keep things really simple,” she says. “It’s to tell the human story and to honour the words of the writers – that’s always been the main focus.”
She is intrigued to see what challenges the work will present once she is able to begin working with the cast. “The challenges will come once I see it in front of me, once I’m working things on the floor with the actors. I’m really excited for the conversations to do with the work.”
As for the audience’s reaction to this new piece of theatre, Polata’ivao is looking forward to discovering which parts of the play have the biggest impact for different people viewing the work.
“There will be different moments of the story that will resonate with some and not resonate with others,” she says. “In this piece, there isn’t a set message – because it’s to do with life and death, it’s so layered. My role as the director is to deliver the truth of the story as best I can with the team that I have.”
Things That Matter, 17 – 29 August, ASB Waterfront Theatre. atc.co.nz