Munted

“Powerful and humane, yet often humorous” - John Smythe, Theatreview.

Munted is a verbatim documentary theatre show about the February 22nd 2011 Christchurch Earthquake. Munted is edited together from interviews conducted a month after the earthquake with reporters and the community of Christchurch. Jackie Shaw, Victoria Abbott and Frith Horan embody 15 people on stage within an hour show. The words are performed 100% verbatim. We meet everyone from a 4 year old boy to a Grocer’s wife to a Cameraman covering the quake on TV. Stories of loss, peppered with humour and perspective on one of “our worst national tragedies” are told in direct speech. Munted finds laughter amongst grief and a strengthened community in the heart of the shaken city.

After successfully premiering Munted at Bats Theatre in Wellington in January 2012, Bare Hunt Collective is touring to the city they wrote Munted for: Christchurch.

“I truly believe Munted is a show as many New Zealanders as possible should see. This earthquake didn’t just affect the people of Christchurch...it affected us all. We all felt their grief, their stories. This play is phenomenal and Bare Hunt’s almost sold-out Wellington season proves this is something we want to see” - Matt Mclean, TVNZ Journalist.

This piece is specifically made from and for a recent event in New Zealand history. The objective of the work is to value and encourage story-telling in the community.

Bare Hunt Collective is a new company with proven success. Their first show back/words premiered at Bats Theatre Wellington as part of the Wellington Fringe Festival 2010. Back/words was chosen from 88 shows as a Pick of the Fringe Festival, and awarded a professional season at Downstage Theatre Wellington.

“Downstage showcased Bare Hunt Collective’s last piece of verbatim theatre in 2010 as part of our Pick of the Fringe programme. We have noticed the company develop in style and execution over that time. Theatre has great capacity to heal, educate and challenge communities and is particularly relevant in the face of national tragedy” - Hilary Beaton, CEO of Downstage.

Bare Hunt Collective is Victoria Abbott and Jackie Shaw, both graduates of the Otago University Theatre department. Writer and actor Victoria, a Christchurch native and Toi Whakaari graduate 2011, was getting up to train with Philippe Gaulier in Paris when she heard about the quake. Producer and actor Jackie, who studied at the Neighbourhood Playhouse School of Theatre in New York City was on the internet in an office in Wellington February 22nd. Actor Frith Horan, currently in her 2nd year of training at Toi Whakaari, was at Te Whaea building in Wellington hosting new students on the 22nd. Director Kate McGill, a graduate of Toi Whakaari 2009, was at the airport in Auckland when the quake hit Christchurch.

Bookings: Email barehuntcollective@gmail.com.

Door sales available. Cash only.

Media Contact: Jackie Shaw - producer/performer - 0276998802.