18–27 February 2016

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brisbanepowerhouse.org

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EDUCATION KIT

WTF16 — Education Kit — Page 02

EDUCATION KIT

심청 <SHIMCHONG>: DAUGHTER OVERBOARD!

Motherboard Productions (Australia/Korea), written by Jeremy Neideck and Kathleen McLeod after Oh Tae Suk, directed by Jeremy Neideck

OVERVIEWOne of only five works of pansori (traditional Korean opera) that have survived both the Japanese occupation and the Korean War, Shimchongga tells the story of a young woman who sacrifices herself to the Dragon King, the ruler of the undersea realm, in order to restore her father’s sight.

In 1994, visionary Korean director Oh Tae Suk adapted this well-loved story for his famed theatre ensemble, Mokwha. The work spoke out against a corrupt political system, the wilfully blind and complicit media, and a flourishing maritime trade in women forced into the sex industry.

In Shimchong: Daughter Overboard! Jeremy Neideck and Kathleen McLeod have wrenched Oh Tae Suk’s text into the 21st Century, dragging with it pansori, poetry, and political satire.

What if Shimchong was reborn in Australia, a young woman with a burning desire to see revolution?

Shimchong: Daughter Overboard! offers Australian audiences the chance to look at themselves through foreign eyes, and Korean audiences the opportunity to see how far Shimchong may have drifted had she jumped into the Indian Ocean instead of the Indang Sea.

In this dark, political, and often hilarious retelling, you’re invited to drink and sing along as contemporary pop music, pansori, and physical theatre combine in an event that is as uniquely Australian as it is Korean.

Full teaching notes including pre-show activities, post-show activities and assessment

suggestions will be available early January.

“...bold, adventurous,

inspirational

performance-making.”

REALTIME ARTS ON

지하 UNDERGROUND

SUITABILITY Senior and Middle School COST $25(schools, 1 teacher ticket free per 10 tickets booked) + transaction fee ($3 single ticket/$6 multiple tickets) DATE Thu 18–Tue 23 February TIME Thu, Fri, Sun, Tue 7.30pm, Sat 2.30pm + 7.30pm, Mon 10am + 8.30pm DURATION 100 mins VENUE Visy Theatre

SYLABUS LINKS Cross-cultural collaboration Multilingual storytelling Traditional Korean performance Ritual Classical and contemporary puppetry Physical theatre Visual theatre Contemporary pop music Ensemble work and group singing Performance space and location 4th wall – audience interaction and participation Props and costume

MAIN THEMES Cross-cultural collaboration; Comparison between traditional and contemporary Korean lifestyle and mythology; A parable about survival, sacrifice, equality, tolerance and opportunity; Adaptation and reinvention of a classic Korean story – an educational retelling of the traditional tale; Collaboration of interdisciplinary performance forms; Current Australian social conditions and government policies regarding asylum seekers

WTF16 — Education Kit — Page 03

WTF16 — Education Kit — Page 04

EDUCATION KIT

BigMoutH/SmallWaR

OVERVIEWThese two companion pieces journey through history as BigMoutH capture the moments that spurred the masses to war and SmallWaR tells the stories of the individuals affected.

BigMoutH He who picks his words well can turn the weakest argument into the strongest.

BigMouth pays tribute to 2,500 years of oration, ingeniously weaving together fragments of seminal speeches from the Grand Inquisitor to Socrates, and Mohammed Ali through to Osama Bin Laden. This powerful recital shows that the tricks of rhetoric have hardly changed.

With five microphones on a bare set, the voice and indefatigable energy of writer and performer, Valentijn Dhaenens, traverses sermons, declarations of war, farewells, final arguments, victory speeches and eulogies from across time. BigMoutH offers a platform to leaders through history and from across the world, people who invariably spurred masses on to war.

SmallWaR “You’re so numb that you go into battle quite serenely, without tears and without fear, yet we know full well that we are en route to sheer hell.”

In 1914 the First World War gave birth to all modern wars. It was the first time that killing had been industrialised. Modern warfare took shape and has barely changed since. Whilst the noble, heroic, exalted side of war all get ample coverage, SmallWar investigates the reverse side of the medal, the clash between underlings and the massive structures crushing them.

SmallWaR brings together fragments from past wars throughout history reflecting on universal man and his innate warring side. Using ingenious video projection the show explores the effect of stirring words by commanders to their subordinates, and the tragic fate of those who fell victim acting upon those words.

Full teaching notes including pre-show activities, post-show activities and assessment

suggestions will be available early January.

“…brace yourself

for an unnerving,

technically risky and

thought provoking

show… I would hate to

have missed it.”

êêêêê THE TIMES on BigMoutH

“Dhaenens’s writing

is stark and poetic—a

sensitive, thoughtful and

often beautiful response

to the continuing

suffering caused by war.”

êêêêê THE TELEGRAPH on SmallWaR

SUITABILITY Senior and Middle School COST $25(schools,1 teacher ticket free per 10 tickets booked) + transaction fee ($3 single ticket/$6 multiple tickets) BigMoutH DATE Thu 25 + Sat 27 February TIME 7.30pm DURATION 80 mins VENUE Visy Theatre SmallWaR DATE Fri 26 + Sat 27 February TIME Fri 7.30pm, Sat 2.30pm DURATION 70 mins VENUE Visy Theatre

SYLABUS LINKS Verbatim theatre – incredibly powerful and moving performance of real world texts One person show Multimedia Visual Theatre Physical Theatre

MAIN THEMES Democracy; Freedom; Honour; Glory; Fear; Empathy; Consequences of war; Powerful voices; Voices of authority; Politicians and leaders; Conflict and its aftermath; War testimonies; Broken bodies and tortured minds

SKaGeN/Richard Jordan Productions Co-produced by De Tijd & STUK, directed and performed by Valentijn Dhaenens (Belgium)

WTF16 — Education Kit — Page 05

WTF16 — Education Kit — Page 06

EDUCATION KIT

MANA WAHINE

OVERVIEWMana Wahine is a culture infused dance work which is inspired by the legacy of courageous Māori women and exploring their strength, spirit and primal beauty.

The pivotal influence in Mana Wahine is the true story of Te Aokapurangi, a young maiden from Rotorua, New Zealand, who was captured in battle and many years later, she returned and saved her people from slaughter.

Collaboratively, dancers have interpreted stories of courageous Māori women through a culmination of physical dexterity, control, balance, strength and grace. Their own intimate stories regarding women they descend from and have sculpted them as Mana Wahine are embedded in the work.

Storyteller and researcher Tā has brought a vast knowledge and lifetime of Māori cultural performing artistry to this piece. Throughout the performance is evidence of her expertise and special knowledge, and quintessence as a Spiritual Warrior. The piece commences with Waerea; an incantation to clear physical, mental, emotional and spiritual obstruction allowing the dancers freedom and space to dance. Tā concludes the piece with a ‘pātere’ (chant), which gives the genealogy of women. This begins with the creation of life, from the Ranginui Sky Father and Papatuānuku Earth Mother. Included are the origins of prestige, status, power, vital essence and the sacredness of women. Mana Wahine honours and acknowledges the Goddess and Deity of the spirits and souls of humankind. Everlasting peace, eternal life and enlightenment remain with her.

Full teaching notes including pre-show activities, post-show activities and assessment

suggestions will be available early January.

“Five extreme dancers,

three choreographers

at the top of their

game… one of the best

contemporary dance

performances we have

seen in years.”

NZ HERALD

“Never had I seen an

audience so transfixed,

so attentive, so

mesmerised, so moved

all at the same time.”

OVERVIEW

SUITABILITY Senior and Middle School COST $25(schools,1 teacher ticket free per 10 tickets booked) + transaction fee ($3 single ticket/$6 multiple tickets) DATE Fri 26 + Sat 27 February TIME Fri 7pm, Sat 2pm + 7pm DURATION 70 mins VENUE Powerhouse Theatre

DANCE SYLABUS LINKS Indigenous culture Contemporary dance World dance Storytelling Dance fusions

MAIN THEMES Women; Cultural heritage; Creation stories; Contemporary dance; Maori culture; Storytelling; Mythology; Spirituality; Indigenous dance

Okareka Dance Company (New Zealand), written, directed and choreographed by Taiaroa Royal, Taane Mete and Malia Johnston, music composed by Victoria Kelly

WTF16 — Education Kit — Page 07

WTF16 — Education Kit — Page 08

EDUCATION KIT

HUANG YI & KUKA

OVERVIEWAs a child, Huang Yi longed for a robot companion. As an adult, he created a robot to dance with. Harmoniously weaving together the art of dance and the science of mechanical engineering Huang Yi & KUKA is a poetic work that flawlessly intertwines modern dance and visual arts with the realm of robotics.

Taiwanese dancer, choreographer, inventor, and videographer Huang Yi’s pioneering work is steeped in his fascination with the partnership between humans and robots. He interweaves continuous movement with mechanical and multimedia elements to create a form of dance which corresponds with the flow of data, effectively making the performer a dancing instrument. Named by Dance Magazine as one of the “25 to Watch”, Huang was immersed in the arts at a young age, spending much of his childhood in his parents’ studio watching them teach tango and learning to paint alongside his father. He is widely considered one of Asia’s most prolific choreographers.

Huang’s groundbreaking and award-winning work, Huang Yi & KUKA opened the 2013 Arts Electronica Festival (Austria), the internationally renowned unique platform for digital art and media culture. The show reveals humanity through a series of vignettes between live dancers and KUKA.

“Dancing face to face with a robot is like looking at my own face in a mirror...I think I have found the key to spin human emotions into robots”.

From a challenging childhood, Yi learnt to detach all emotion - passion, anger, and sadness, to be that perfect child, and to be like a robot: obedient, friendly, outstanding, considerate, never rebellious. As a child, his favorite cartoon was Doraemon, a Japanese animation character and a cat robot who is always there to solve problems for his owner. His fascination for robots has been evident as a child. Is it because they represent a character that is loyal? Or is it because their destiny of being selfless? Thankfully, his parents let him choose to be a professional on stage, which became the best outlet for his compressed emotion.

Huang Yi and KUKA is an expression of loneliness, self-doubt, self-realisation, and self-comfort. Yi wants to remind us that we are all just grown up kids, but still kids.

Full teaching notes including pre-show activities, post-show activities and assessment

suggestions will be available early January.

“The dance elements

combine with exquisite

precision to produce

an abstract painting

in motion… a visual

masterpiece.”

ARTSHUM

“Utterly new and

original.”

BLOGCRITICS

SUITABILITY Senior and Middle School COST $25(schools, 1 teacher ticket free per 10 tickets booked) + transaction fee ($3 single ticket/$6 multiple tickets) DATE Thu 18–Sat 20 February TIME 7pm DURATION 60 mins Q&A Free Q&A sessions will follow Friday’s performance VENUE Powerhouse Theatre

DANCE SYLABUS LINKS Dance and technology Dance fusion Partner work Contemporary dance

MAIN THEMES Dance and technology; Dynamic duos; Contact work; Fusion; Future; Humanity; Emotion; Connection

Okareka Dance Company (New Zealand), written, directed and choreographed by Taiaroa Royal, Taane Mete and Malia Johnston, music composed by Victoria Kelly

WTF16 — Education Kit — Page 09

Brisbane Powerhouse119 Lamington Street, New Farm QLD 4005 PO Box 364, New Farm QLD 4005

SCHOOL BOOKINGSContact Box Office +61 7 3358 8600or email education@brisbanepowerhouse.org brisbanepowerhouse.org

Building Opening Hours Mon 9am–5pm, Tue–Sun 9am–9pm

Brisbane Powerhouse is a not-for-profit organisation, owned and supported by Brisbane City Council.

COVER PHOTO BY JACOB BLICKENSTAFF PIECE FOR HUANG YI & KUKA