From the Director

An Iliad goes to the heart of how theatre began with the ancient Greeks.  A solo voice with music telling tales from the past to reveal the present.  However, this production is fiercely contemporary as it is forged from our own relationship to mankind's continuing addiction to rage.

It's exciting to work on Lisa Peterson and Denis O'Hare's brilliant character of the Poet with actor Michael Hurst.  His ability to create magic from a scripted hesitation through to an epic sweep of narrative is staggering.  Michael's been up before dawn working with the discipline and rigour of a top athlete to master this epic text.

I first heard Shayne's musical ideas out at his crib in Aramoana.  An unforgettable afternoon in a perfect location for his brilliantly elemental and evocative music.  Over the last weeks he has listened, refined and rewritten as we have created the show you see today.  Both he and Michael have the freedom to change and build each performance with you the audience.  Creating something unique each time that is truly alive and of here, now, in Dunedin.

Jonty