Shock opera
How the saga of the ‘unruly tourists’ reached the stage
A group of British travellers descend upon New Zealand. They litter, steal, cheat and make an enemy of the entire nation.
The series of events that comprised the ‘‘unruly tourists’’ saga in January 2019 were always destined to be prime headline material.
Far less expected, however, was the use of those same events as the crux of a comedy opera.
Like many others around the country, general director of the New Zealand Opera Thomas de Mallet Burgess became engrossed in the story of the group of tourists who wreaked havoc across Aotearoa.
Riotous, riveting and already boasting a stage-worthy moniker – he describes Unruly Tourists as a title that gives off a ‘‘Shakespearean’’ feel; a story fit for the stage.
Fast-forward a year and a half, and de Mallet Burgess has amassed a talented team to chronicle the affair. They include renowned composer Luke Di Somma and first-time librettists, but longtime funny-women Livi Reihana and Amanda Kennedy, of The Fan Brigade fame.
‘‘We had been fully invested in the whole story,’’ says Reihana, describing how the two were quick to jump at the opportunity when de Mallet Burgess first proposed the idea last year.
‘‘I was even following the unruly tourist Facebook pages.’’
Di Somma was living in Melbourne when his talents were called upon, and was unaware of the events that had unfolded across the ditch. When he did learn of the unruly tourists saga and, most importantly, the New Zealand response to it, he knew he wanted to get on board as composer.
‘‘A musical opera has to feel heightened, extra, to be able to work,’’ he says.
‘‘I carried out a lot of research, watching footage and reading the papers, and when I saw the videos of journalists hounding those tourists with a microphone, I thought ‘that is a musical moment right there’.
‘‘The rhythm of it, the intensity of it, the heighted-ness of it.’’
The show is penned to be a blend of factual events, taken from those videos, and dramatisations with fictionalised characters, who have been based on relatable Kiwi personalities everyone knows, such the ‘‘sexist a ....... in the office’’ or the ‘‘racist auntie’’.
It is a theatre production, not a documentary, points out Di Somma, and so creative licence is permitted.
While the ratio of singing and dialogue is still to be determined, one thing that is for certain is that this is a show that can be voraciously enjoyed and understood by all. Di Somma loves opera, but one of his pet peeves is when the sound is so indecipherable that subtitles are required.
‘‘If it’s in English, then why can’t we sing it in a way that is thrilling and exciting, but also understandable?’’
It is a point that rings true for comedic opera in particular, which requires clear text and
‘‘Even though the jokes are at the front, there is a lot of depth to this story.’’ Mikaere Paki
emphasis on the right syllables in order for the jokes to land effectively.
The story of the ‘‘unruly tourists’’ caused many to chortle across New Zealand, so it is no surprise there is a comedic element now it is being turned into a production.
Yet behind the tawdry threats and comical photographs of children flipping the bird, there was some quite serious, foul behaviour.
Beaches were spoiled, people were scammed, members of the public were violently threatened. Some of the more rowdy members of the group even faced criminal charges and were issued deportation notices. Would the opera acknowledge the darker side of the narrative?
‘‘Something that has been explored really well in the writing and the composition is that, even though the jokes are at the front, there is a lot of depth to this story,’’ says specialist Mikaere Paki, whose cultural advice and te reo knowledge is helping to shape the production.
‘‘It may come across as a musical that is full of comedy, but the show actually brings a lot of integrity, and it is likely to be a bit of a moral compass for those watching.’’
Kennedy explains how piecing together the storyline had been difficult at times, because they wanted to address the severity of some situations but in a lighthearted, funny way.
‘‘It’s a comedy opera, but it’s about real issues,’’ she says, explaining how her job as both comedian and writer is to either ‘‘give someone a lecture’’ or tell an interesting, funny story that will leave them with something to think about when the show is over.
De
Mallet
Burgess agrees, pointing out how the team want the audience to laugh, ‘‘maybe even to take a gulp of air at points,’’ but primarily to sit and talk about the show in the hours following the final aria, unpicking its layered content.
All going well, the team assure us we will be able to view the production early next year.
While the expected audience reaction is up for debate, there is a general feeling among cast and crew that Unruly Tourists will be unlike anything that has taken to the stage in Auckland; a show likely to ignite conversation long after the curtains have closed.