Ex-pat Kiwis bring their celebrated show home - The Pioneers' NZ Tour

Ex-pat Kiwis The Pioneers have wowed audiences in Britain with their multi media portrayal of their ancestors’ journeys to New Zealand. Now, they’re about to repeat that journey themselves, bringing their acclaimed show to this country.

Using original acoustic music, texts by leading New Zealand poets, story telling and character portrayal, The Pioneers tell the stories of three of their ancestors who travelled from England and Ireland to a very different New Zealand from the one they had imagined.

Set against a backdrop of stunning New Zealand scenery and rarely viewed archival images, this powerful poignant show features the combined talents of vocalist Angeline Conaghan, Ben Brewer on guitar and David Leahy on double bass. Interweaving the stories they heard growing up in New Zealand with poetry and song, the trio brings to life the experiences of early European settlers attempting to create a place they could call home.

Reviewers’ quotes

“I was blown away...this was way beyond my expectations. You deserve world wide success.”

David Jones, Director, Bournemouth Literary Festival

“Powerful, will have a long lasting impact on the audience for many years to come”

“Bone chilling”

“What a pity history wasn’t taught like this”

Website:                    www.seethrewmusic.com

MySpace pages:         Angeline Conaghan, David Leahy, Bark, Fate of Animals

CDs                           The Pioneers - Recorded June 2008 at Stereo Studios and mastered at Livingroom (Oslo, Norway) Long Dream of Waking. Text - Len Lye. Music - The Pioneers.

Featured New Zealand poets and writers

Includes James K Baxter, Bill Manhire, Len Lye, Hirini Melbourne, Jeanne Bernhardt, Andrew Laking and Grada, among others 

Images

The show uses archival images taken from magic lantern slides donated by the Centre for NZ Studies at Birbeck College, University of London, contemporary images taken by the award winning photographer Barry Lewis (www.barrylewisphotography.com), and family photographs.

The Pioneers – first of a triptych

The show is the first of three works. The second work, Tea in Te Kuiti, currently under development, examines the period beyond European settlement to the end of World War 1, and will be co-produced by the Theatre Royal in Margate in early 2010. The final in the trilogy, Three Winters in a Row, will explore their own generation and the choices made in creating a new life away from New Zealand.

Biographies

David Leahy

After gaining a Bachelor of Musical Performance from Victoria University in 1992, David Leahy set up a music promotions business in Wellington and was responsible for creating and directing the first Wellington International Jazz Festival. Since leaving New Zealand in 1998 he has worked as a musician, music therapist, animateur, dancer and dance accompanist (with ex Pina Bauch dancer, Geraldo Si), as well as composer, musical director and performer, both in the United Kingdom and Europe. Together with Angeline Conaghan, he has worked as an artistic practitioner and consultant to Creative Partnerships, the UK government’s flagship creative learning programme for young people and school communities throughout England.

Angeline Conaghan

Angeline Conaghan was born in Te Puia Springs and brought up in the Hutt Valley. After studying at the Christchurch Jazz School (1992, 1993) she returned to the Wellington region to develop her musical career. She moved to the United Kingdom in 2000 and has worked there as an artist and musician as well as an artistic practitioner and consultant to Creative Partnerships. Bark, her collaboration with Norwegian keyboard, drums and electronic expert, Terje Evensen, has produced the critically acclaimed LP, Home, featuring a fusion of pop, electronica, jazz and hip hop styles.

Ben Brewer (Jnandhara)

Ben Brewer grew up in Whangarei, playing the violin from the age of six and taking up the guitar as a teenager. He gained an advanced diploma from the Wellington Jazz School in 1996, and moved to the United Kingdom in 1999, motivated primarily by an interest in Buddhism. He now lives in Ireland and has a particular fascination with folk music.

Tour itinerary

July

Thu 23            Coalgate Hotel                               Darfield                 7.00pm

Fri 24             Gaiety Theatre                               Akaroa                  8.00pm 

Sat 25            Mackenzie Community Theatre       Fairlie                    8.00pm 

Mon 27           Shantytown                                   Greymouth            7.00pm

Tue 28            Country Retreat                             Franz Josef           7.30pm

Wed 29          Wilsons Hotel                                Reefton                 7.30pm

Thu 30            Mussel Inn                                    Onekaka               8.00pm

Fri 31             Nelson School of Music                  Nelson                  7.30pm

August

Sat 1 - Sun 2  Festival Tent Chch Arts Festival      Christchurch          12.00pm

Tue 11            Shambles Theatre                          Rotorua                 8.00pm

Wed 12          The Museum                                 Opotiki                  7.30pm

Thu 13            Tauranga Art Gallery                      Tauranga               8.00pm

Fri 14             OSPA Theatre                               Onewhero              8.00pm

Sat 15            The Centre                                    Kerikeri                 8.00pm

Mon 17           The Bunker, Devonport                   Auckland               8.00pm

Thu 20            Opera House                                 Oamaru                 7.30pm

Fri 21             Otago Early Settlers Museum         Dunedin                 8.00pm

Sat 22            Otago Early Settlers Museum         Dunedin                 8.00pm

Sun 23           New Edinburgh Folk Club                Dunedin                 7.30pm

Tue 25            Memorial Hall                                Mayfield                8.00pm (after dinner)

Fri 28             Expressions Arts Centre                 Upper Hutt             8.00pm

Sat 29            Museum of Wellington                    Wellington             7.30pm

Sun 30           Museum of Wellington                    Wellington             7.30pm

September

Wed 2            Aratoi Museum of Art and History    Masterton              7.30pm

Thu 3             Museum of Wellington                    Wellington             7.30pm

Fri 4               Museum of Wellington                    Wellington             7.30pm

Arts on Tour New Zealand Trust

Based at the historic Arts Centre of Christchurch, Arts on Tour New Zealand organises tours of outstanding New Zealand performers to rural and smaller centres in New Zealand. The trust receives funding from Creative New Zealand and liaises with local arts councils, repertory theatres and community groups to bring the best of musical and other talent to country districts.

The 2009 Arts on Tour programme includes Michele A’Court’s Lady Bunch (June), The NZ Trio (July), The Pioneers (July/August), Matthew Marshall (August), Skin Tight (September), and Jade String Quartet (October).