Tribute: Martyn Sanderson
It is with great sorrow that the Board, staff and members of Downstage Theatre, received news of the passing last night of founder and former director, Martyn Sanderson.
Martyn was one of several visionary Wellingtonians who worked together in 1963 and 1964 to start Downstage, New Zealand's first professional theatre, and he appeared in or directed many early productions, including starring with Peter Bland in the first production on the Cambridge Terrace site: Edward Albee's Zoo Story.
Downstage Director Hilary Beaton says that Martyn's positive influence has remained with the theatre throughout the 45 years of our existence: "I would like to pay tribute to Martyn for his tireless support for our work and for the principles on which we depend. He and Wanjiku were tremendously welcoming to me when I arrived at Downstage and he noted that our current programming philosophy owes a lot to the original Downstage vision of those early days."
In John Smythe's book, Downstage Upfront, Martyn is quoted about those days: "... I felt arrogant enough to propose we discard the whole tradition and work it out for ourselves, starting from as close to nowhere as we possibly could, I had a sort of vision of theatre which was to reach out into the community, to be a forum for debate and the arts in whatever form they presented themselves, to break down the conventions that created 'sacred space', this sacrosanct invisible barrier between the public and the people who were representing them to themselves."
It is entirely appropriate that at the time of his passing Martyn was still producing theatre in that very same vein: Muntu (directed by Wakanyote Njuguna from Kenya) is produced by Martyn and Wanjiku Sanderson's Africa Connection Aotearoa Trust, and will feature performances by Toi Whakaari drama students and people from the local African community. In theatre, the show must always go on and the scheduled performances of Muntu will go ahead this weekend with support from Downstage and many others.
To honour Martyn's contribution to Downstage, and to theatre in New Zealand, there will be a minute's silence in the Hannah Playhouse auditorium prior to tonight's performance of Biography of My Skin.
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15 October 2009 - 15:03 PM
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15 October 2009 - 15:49 PM
Arts Culture and Heritage Minister Christopher Finlayson today paid tribute to the contribution to the cultural sector by Downstage Theatre founder Martyn Sanderson.
“Martyn Sanderson made a significant contribution over many years to local film, theatre and poetry,” Mr Finlayson said. “In addition to his many well known acting roles, he will be particularly remembered for helping to establish Downstage, leaving a lasting mark on Wellington’s creative scene.”
“My condolences go to his wife and family,” Mr Finlayson said.
New Zealand's playwrights' organisation Playmarket mourns the loss of actor, writer and producer Martyn Sanderson, a New Zealand theatre visionary who has passed away aged 71. We would particularly like to honour the fact that Sanderson was working up to the very end with his wife Wanjiku Kiari, putting all his energy with limited financial support into the current visit to New Zealand of distinguished Kenyan artist, playwright and theatre director Wakanyote Njuguna.
Wakanyote is here directing a workshop production of the famous African play Muntu by Joe de Graft with a cast comprising a mix of African Kiwis and drama school students. There will be four performances of this production – this Friday, 16th October, 7.30 pm, in the Otaki Memorial Hall, Main Street, Otaki, on Saturday October 17, at 2pm and 8pm, Lower Hutt Little Theatre, in the Library Building, 2 Queens Drive, Lower Hutt, and at Toi Whakaari New Zealand Drama School, on Sunday, 18th October at 3pm. An interview with Wakanyote from the Arts on Sunday programme can be heard by podcast on the Radio New Zealand website
Goodbye Martyn - you have been so much fun to have around; you had so many talents and you were the archetypal Kiwi artist in that you had to use them all to make a living - and you did.
I grew up with your cantankerous face. You seemed to hit 55 shortly after your 25th birthday and stayed there forever. The camera loved you. I only saw you once live and the audience loved you. The page loved you. The TV screen loved you. I hope they never stop playing that purist fisherman ad for whatever it is. I have no idea. To me it's just another lovely Sanderson moment. That movie with Mick Jagger playing Ned Kelly with a comical stage Irish accent was panned to hell and back, unfairly, as it happens. You were totally natural and credible as the treacherous Irish policeman and you were in fine company - they played it recently on Sky daytime films and I was surprised at the quality of the performances - even Jagger (minus the voice) was fine. I remember from that time what a big deal it was that one of our own was in Aussie making a Ned Kelly movie with Mick Jagger. Wow! The world has grown since then; now we have Kiwis with their very own Oscars, but they were still times to be treasured.
The microphone loved you, too. Morrieson's 'The Scarecrow', discomfitingly exploitative though it was, at times was carried by your effortless phrasing and your beautiful Kiwi drawl. Somehow you carried so much of the old New Zealand in your frame, your face and your voice.
You came from an era when there was no supportive infrastructure at all for people in our general line of work. So you made it yourself - Downstage Theatre. What a cheek, and then, what an achievement.
My father worked with you a couple of times - The Governor, and An Angel at My Table. Always heard good things. I think he was in awe of you, in fact. And who wouldn't be? Anyone who could take on the character of Fred 'The Needle' Allen with Grizz Wylie standing around watching, the way you did in Old Scores is by default ...awesome!
So, so sorry to see that curtain come in so soon.
Our condolences to Wanjiku and all of of your friends and family. Farewell. Your like won't be seen again but also, thanks to you and those like you who hacked that trail into the thick NZ forest, young Kiwis living in the easier world you helped build won't need your like again either.
Respect for ever.
From Chris and the Hegans, living still and passed away,,,,,,,,,,