Bare Hunt Collective is committed to getting MUNTED to as many centres throughout NZ as possible. Bare Hunt Collective successfully premiered MUNTED in Wellington in January of this year to a sell out audience and completed a short season in Christchurch in June. MUNTED then toured to Queenstown, Wanaka and Dunedin in September and will be finishing off the 2012 year in Auckland at Basement Theatre over a five night period. We are in communication with a Los Angeles Producer re: a 4 week season at the end of 2013.

MUNTED took eight months to create, during this time the concept was drawn up; interviews were carried out with residents of Christchurch and TV Journalists; all interviews were transcribed; development of the written script and structure took place; workshopping with actors; full script for premiere was created and rehearsals took place. As with our Christchurch and Otago Tour, we will be holding a forum afterwards. This is a chance for audience members to ask questions of our concept, the show and/or give feedback on the work. This feedback is important in shaping the development of the show.

We are entering into the next stage of development and the Auckland Season will see a more developed script, with new interviews gathered during our Christchurch season in June. The focus will be on expanding the views shown in ‘Munted’. A range of Christchurch resident’s perspective is important; from the school teacher, to the dentist, to a police officer cycling over the Sumner Bridge. We have also chosen to focus on the perspective of various media people. Journalists, in particular, are made to put a shield up with their intrusive line of work. We wanted to remove that shield and gain perspective of someone who was working in the quake in an important line of duty. This helps show the differencing perspectives of one of New Zealand’s worst national tragedies.

 

This next stage of development includes reviewing all material as well as old, workshopping the material with the focus being on how we can best tell and honour their (the interviewees/the communities) stories through the medium of theatre. Our prevailing question is ‘What can theatre add to this conversation?’ 

We truely value your support. $1500 will help cover production costs including paying for rehearsal space to workshop the new material and paying for the venue hire.
 

Who is Bare Hunt Collective?!

Bare Hunt was co founded in Wellington by Victoria Abbott and Jackie Shaw in 2010, both graduates of the Otago University Theatre department, where they studied Documentary Theatre together. Documentary theatre, and more specifically verbatim dialogue connects with its audience in a unique way, the stories come from the community and are represented back for the community. Bare Hunt Collective uses this form to elevate NZ stories and storytellers to a theatrical level, while retaining the honest, down to earth delivery we gathered them in. Our aim is to activate our audiences by showing our world through a multitude of different eyes and viewpoints. It’s our hope that the work we do brings your stories and perspectives into the spoken. Their first show as a collective BACK/WORDS premiered at BATS Theatre in 2010 and then went on to be chosen as ‘Pick of the Wellington Fringe Festival’ and meant a professional season at Downstage Theatre.

MUNTED Director Kate McGill is based in Auckland and recently directed ‘The Laramie Project: 10 Years Later’ at Basement Theatre. Jackie Shaw is soon to be based in Birkenhead. MUNTED Designer is based in Auckland and has been working on projects in the area for some time (please see bios below). Victoria Abbott, currently working on a show in Wellington, is with Auckland Agency Johnson and Laird and will also be moved up by the end of the year. Auckland will be the base for Bare Hunt Collective from our December season onwards.

MUNTED Team biographies:

Victoria Abbott – Head Writer/Performer in MUNTED- graduated from Toi Whakaari in November 2011. In her graduate show, LOVES LABOURS LOST she played alternately Don Adriano de Armado and Constable Dull. After graduating she worked with Nina Nawalowalo and Tom McCrory in The Conch production of MASI for the New Zealand International Arts Festival. Next up came THE LARAMIE PROJECT:TEN YEARS LATER at BATS. In 2012 Victoria appeared in CHEKHOV IN HELL at Circa Theatre, and can now pull out some Russian should the need ever arise. After the Christchurch Season of MUNTED, Victoria played the role of Barbara Tate in the world premiere of WEST END GIRLS at Circa in Wellington. Victoria is next working with A Slightly Isolated Dog company and Playground Collective.

Jackie Shaw – Producer /Performer in MUNTED - completed her Honours Degree in Theatre Studies at Otago University in 2008. This was followed by three years living in Wellington, theatre highlights include playing ‘Tammy’ in SIT ON IT as part of the Young and Hungry Festival in 2009 and ‘Rosa’ in the MTA Toi Whakaari Season of INNOCENCE in 2010. She was contracted in Queenstown as a part time Speech and Drama Teacher and now residing in Auckland. With Bare Hunt Collective she produced, co researched and performed in BACK/WORDS in 2010 and now MUNTED. She was honoured to receive the Deirdre Snedden Scholarship in 2011 which meant she was able to travel to New York City to attend a six week intensive at The Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theatre, home of the Sanford Meisner Technique.

Frith Horan – Performer in MUNTED - Frith is currently in her second year of training at Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama School, highlights of which include playing Katherina in THE TAMING OF THE SHREW and Morag in David Greig’s DUNSINANE . She worked on Toi’s site-specific devised piece, AKI in collaboration with the National Library of New Zealand and the Archives New Zealand. Frith most recently appeared in Stephen Sondheim’s musical ASSASIONS and THE LAST DAYS OF JUDAS ISCARIOT at Toi Whakaari.

Katharine (Kate) McGill– Director of MUNTED – graduated from Toi Whakaari at the end of 2009 and is based in Auckland. Since graduating, Kate has featured in films ‘Home By Christmas’ and ‘Separation City’. A proud New Zealander, Kate has created, performed and produced numerous works including VUNDERBRA!, THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE, and directed award winning A LOVE TAIL, BADJELLY THE WITCH, BIRD SONG, MUNTED and most recently THE LARAMIE PROJECT:TEN YEARS LATER. In 2010, Kate participated in the Galsco Piknik Theatre Festival in Steamboat Springs, Colorado and went on to an internship at the prestigious TECTONIC THEATER PROJECT, where she understudied one of the lead actresses and was offered a job at the end of the internship. Kate was most recently seen in the TV2 comedy series 'Girl vs Boy'.

Check out full reviews of MUNTED here: http://www.theatreview.org.nz/reviews/review.php?id=4909