Nambassa Winter Show with Mahana
Encyclopedia
The Nambassa Winter Show with Mahana was all about a bunch of aspiring young hippie entertainers who moved into a youth camp in west Auckland out of which this community of 60 people produced and directed two musical theatrical
productions and toured the North Island
of New Zealand
in a convoy of Mobile homes
, buses and vans, performing at major centres and theatres throughout September and October 1978. While initially 4 main shows were schedule for this collective theatre company, repeat and spontaneous performances around the nation saw this number of live performances increased to over 10. This theatrical extravaganza
was organised by the Nambassa
Trust as part of its national promotion of the arts
and towards promoting its 1979 3 day music, crafts and Alternative lifestyle
festival which was held in Waihi
attracting 70,000 people.
The Winter Show production had two parts. The Mahana rock opera
, a live rock-theatre production made up of both Māori
and Pākehā
, combining traditional Māori songs and dances with modern rock music, and depicting early white European colonisation
of New Zealand and the impact this had on its local indigenous
Māori
people. The second part a high energy theatre-rock production based on the old theme of cooperation verses competition. The “Return of the Ancients” told the story of the battle between “space angels” and “black magicians” for control of the planet earth. This visual creation made up of actors, dancers and mime artists performing to a background of rock music, extravagant lighting with weird special effects, fire, bizarre costumes and giant masks.
hippies against a national backdrop of high unemployment in New Zealand
. This era heralded the reformation of many social issues and cultural ideas, the youth (today’s baby boomer
), encouraging social revolution
, while reshaping creativity
and artistic direction away from convention (the norm)
. As well this period in New Zealand witnessed many young indigenous Māori
activists
protesting for land rights and to have past land acquisitions recognised and recompensed. This was the roaring seventies and countercultural
idealism was in full swing.
The first 1978 Nambassa festival had been successful and some of the profits from this event were drafted into their Winter Show.
To make this event a reality, the Nambassa
core group who were based in the country villages of Waihi
and Waikino
at the foot of the ecologically
sensitive Coromandel Peninsula
, temporarily moved to the city and hired the St John youth camp west of Auckland
from where this production was implemented. Professional and amateur actor
s, musicians and dance
rs, choreographers
, seamstress’
, chiefs
, masseurs
, prop designers
, auto mechanic
s, various sound and lighting technicians
, roadies
and administrators (who doubled as actors) assembled at the St Johns camp where over a period of two months this production was created and rehearsed. This was a live in workshop
as most participants in the Winter Show were encouraged to take up temporary residency at the camp, thus the Mother Centre was established. Many participating amateurs later carved out professional careers in the entertainment industry .
, their meeting in the high seas and subsequent voyaging to Aotearoa
. It portrays the arrival of the white man
, his politics
, his religion
, early colonisation
and the often negative transformation of the country dear to Māori
dom. The storyline and music climax as Māori and Pākehā
do battle with each other, and continues with the eventual reconciliation of the two races. The rock opera employed many special effects, costumes, and some 20 actors, singers and musicians.
Mahana was formed in 1977 when a group of Māori and Pākehā friends who were mobile-truckers
started jamming together. What they shared was a common bond. They were all mobile and lived with their families in a nomadic gypsy lifestyle in handcrafted house trucks and buses. They first came to notoriety when they performed on the Aerial Railway stage at the 1978 Nambassa 3-day festival, becoming a huge hit. They called themselves “Mahana” in honour of a friend who loaned them his equipment to perform the 1978 festival. Within 24 hours and by popular acclaim they were headlining on the Nambassa main stage with a 20,000W PA in front of tens of thousands of people.
After the Winter show Mahana performed at the Nambassa 1979 3 day festival in Waihi in front of 40,000 fans and again at the 1981 5 day celebration up Waitawheta valley. At Nambassa 1979 they formed their own self contained gypsy encampment circle incorporating dozens of house-trucks and buses. This was the beginnings of the Road-show Fayre era, and within their large magic circle enclosure, continuous entertainment and theatre was available for children and adults, organised and spontaneous. After the festival the Roadshow Fayre and Mahana continued their musically founded gypsy lifestyle, touring from town to town entertaining people throughout the nation. Mahana was filmed live on the main stage at Nambassa 1979. The film was part of the New Zealand Film Commissions entry to the 1980 Cannes Film Festival
.
By telling the story of New Zealand through a musical blending of the two cultures it was hoped that the Rock Opera
would provide a vehicle to express their collective feeling of Ko Tahi Tatou , “We are one together.”
Mahana Rock Opera written by Billy TK
and Mahana, and Produced and Directed by John Tucker and Mahana.
theatrical opera which recounts a story told in the year 2975 by an old man from another dimension who recounts to the audience a strange and forgotten tale. He speaks of the legend of the lost planet earth, the evolution of human-kind
and the frail path humans have walked to find their destiny, encountering dark forces reincarnated as humans who sought to destroy culture and civilization. Utilizing best of 1970s visual technology
using pulsating light beam
s, theatre
, dance
, mime
, photo projections
, fire, costume
and rock music
, the production
portrays the age old cosmic
battles between the past and the future. One witnessed the seeming peace and tranquility at some point in evolution with live music from the legendary Rick Steele, Norma Leaf and Ted Chapman. Only to find civilization regressing, reflected by fast on stage theatrics, heavy rock and explosions of special effect
s. This, at the captivity humans had to suffer at the hands of the black magic
ians, ogias
and demons that follow and obey the prince of darkness
. One witnessed theatrically extravagant cosmic battles fought live on stage as “Space Angels” dressed in multi-colored rainbow cloaks descended from other planetary systems through two powerful beams of light, to do battle with the negative forces controlling and threatening the existence of planet earth and its inhabitants.
The return of the Ancients was written and produced by Peter Terry, Directed by Chris Cooper, Matthew Robinson and Grant Bridger.
Danze co:
Dancers: Donna Farhi, Stephanie Burns, Caryn Dudson, Matthew Robertson, John Tresize, Bev Wynyard, Brian Tracey, Ellen Currie, Terry Blade and Greg Norman.
Nambas Theatre troupe:
Fire eating: Mike Colonna and Dave Sheridan.
Fire dancers: Donna Farhi, Bev Wynyard and Stephanie Burns.
Prince of darkness: Brian Tracey.
Devil man: Daniel Keighley.
Ogias or Ogre
: Shak MacCready, Fred Alder, Ted Chapman, Peter Terry, Ellen Currie and Brett Fitzpatrick.
Space Angels: John Tresize, Terry Blade, Bev Wynyard, Matthew Robertson and Greg Norman.
Sun Dancers: Mike Colonna, Dave Sheridan, Mike Taylor and Caryn Dudson.
Live Music by: Rick Steele, Ted Chapman and Norma Leaf.
Original music score written, arranged and performed by Simon Alexander.
Produced and mixed by Simon Alexander and Doug Rogers at Harlequin Studios.
Mahana Rock Opera
Lead guitar: John Cossar. 2nd guitar: Aramete. Drums: Stuart Crooks, Bass: Corban Simpson. Sax: Jim Dixon, Keyboards: Ben Grudd, Acoustic guitars: Bobby Simmons, Waka Kimera. Backing vocals: Mahia Blackmore, Dale Whitcombe, John Tucker.
Land agent: John Tucker.
Priest: Daniel Keighley.
Pioneers wife: Pauline Mann.
Māori people: Waka Kimera, Mahia Blackmore and Norma Leaf.
Soldiers: Podge and Shak MaCready.
Narration: Matthew Robertson.
Māori tribal leader: Bobby Simmons.
Pioneer: Mike Colonna.
Winter Show Production team
Lighting: Jay McCoy, Andrew McNicoll, Jeff O'Donnell and Brett Fitzpatrick (Radar).
Sound: Moby, Easy and Mark.
Choreography and artistic direction: Chris Cooper
Special effects: Mike Taylor.
Masks: Matthew Robertson.
Costumes: Pauline Mann and Ellen Currie.
Road crew: Pixie Fox, Doug Lawrence, Podge, Dianne and Robert Briar.
Winter Show Produced and Directed by Peter Terry.
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
productions and toured the North Island
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
in a convoy of Mobile homes
Housetrucker
Housetruckers are individuals, families and groups who convert old trucks and school buses into mobile-homes and live in them, preferring an unattached and transient lifestyle to more conventional housing. These vehicles began appearing around New Zealand during the mid-1970s and even though there...
, buses and vans, performing at major centres and theatres throughout September and October 1978. While initially 4 main shows were schedule for this collective theatre company, repeat and spontaneous performances around the nation saw this number of live performances increased to over 10. This theatrical extravaganza
Extravaganza
An extravaganza is a literary or musical work characterized by freedom of style and structure and usually containing elements of burlesque, pantomime, music hall and parody. It sometimes also has elements of cabaret, circus, revue, variety, vaudeville and mime...
was organised by the Nambassa
Nambassa
Nambassa was a series of hippie-conceived festivals held between 1976 and 1981 on large farms around Waihi and Waikino in New Zealand. They were music, arts and alternatives festivals that focused on peace, love, and an environmentally friendly lifestyle...
Trust as part of its national promotion of the arts
ARts
aRts, which stands for analog Real time synthesizer, is an audio framework that is no longer under development. It is best known for previously being used in KDE to simulate an analog synthesizer....
and towards promoting its 1979 3 day music, crafts and Alternative lifestyle
Counterculture of the 1960s
The counterculture of the 1960s refers to a cultural movement that mainly developed in the United States and spread throughout much of the western world between 1960 and 1973. The movement gained momentum during the U.S. government's extensive military intervention in Vietnam...
festival which was held in Waihi
Waihi
Waihi is a town in Hauraki District in the North Island of New Zealand, especially notable for its history as a gold mine town. It had a population of 4,503 at the 2006 census....
attracting 70,000 people.
Rock opera
A rock opera is a work of rock music that presents a storyline told over multiple parts, songs or sections in the manner of opera. A rock opera differs from a conventional rock album, which usually includes songs that are not unified by a common theme or narrative. More recent developments include...
, a live rock-theatre production made up of both Māori
Maori language
Māori or te reo Māori , commonly te reo , is the language of the indigenous population of New Zealand, the Māori. It has the status of an official language in New Zealand...
and Pākehā
Pakeha
Pākehā is a Māori language word for New Zealanders who are "of European descent". They are mostly descended from British and to a lesser extent Irish settlers of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, although some Pākehā have Dutch, Scandinavian, German, Yugoslav or other ancestry...
, combining traditional Māori songs and dances with modern rock music, and depicting early white European colonisation
Colonisation
Colonization occurs whenever any one or more species populate an area. The term, which is derived from the Latin colere, "to inhabit, cultivate, frequent, practice, tend, guard, respect", originally related to humans. However, 19th century biogeographers dominated the term to describe the...
of New Zealand and the impact this had on its local indigenous
Indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
Māori
Maori language
Māori or te reo Māori , commonly te reo , is the language of the indigenous population of New Zealand, the Māori. It has the status of an official language in New Zealand...
people. The second part a high energy theatre-rock production based on the old theme of cooperation verses competition. The “Return of the Ancients” told the story of the battle between “space angels” and “black magicians” for control of the planet earth. This visual creation made up of actors, dancers and mime artists performing to a background of rock music, extravagant lighting with weird special effects, fire, bizarre costumes and giant masks.
Background
The Nambassa Winter show was coordinated on a voluntary basis by proud young unemployed kiwiKiwi
Kiwi are flightless birds endemic to New Zealand, in the genus Apteryx and family Apterygidae.At around the size of a domestic chicken, kiwi are by far the smallest living ratites and lay the largest egg in relation to their body size of any species of bird in the world...
hippies against a national backdrop of high unemployment in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. This era heralded the reformation of many social issues and cultural ideas, the youth (today’s baby boomer
Baby boomer
A baby boomer is a person who was born during the demographic Post-World War II baby boom and who grew up during the period between 1946 and 1964. The term "baby boomer" is sometimes used in a cultural context. Therefore, it is impossible to achieve broad consensus of a precise definition, even...
), encouraging social revolution
Social revolution
The term social revolution may have different connotations depending on the speaker.In the Trotskyist movement, the term "social revolution" refers to an upheaval in which existing property relations are smashed...
, while reshaping creativity
Creativity
Creativity refers to the phenomenon whereby a person creates something new that has some kind of value. What counts as "new" may be in reference to the individual creator, or to the society or domain within which the novelty occurs...
and artistic direction away from convention (the norm)
Convention (norm)
A convention is a set of agreed, stipulated or generally accepted standards, norms, social norms or criteria, often taking the form of a custom....
. As well this period in New Zealand witnessed many young indigenous Māori
Maori language
Māori or te reo Māori , commonly te reo , is the language of the indigenous population of New Zealand, the Māori. It has the status of an official language in New Zealand...
activists
Maori protest movement
The Māori protest movement is a broad indigenous rights movement in New Zealand. While this movement has existed since Europeans first colonised New Zealand its modern form emerged in the early 1970s and has focused on issues such as the Treaty of Waitangi, Māori land rights, the Māori language and...
protesting for land rights and to have past land acquisitions recognised and recompensed. This was the roaring seventies and countercultural
Counterculture of the 1960s
The counterculture of the 1960s refers to a cultural movement that mainly developed in the United States and spread throughout much of the western world between 1960 and 1973. The movement gained momentum during the U.S. government's extensive military intervention in Vietnam...
idealism was in full swing.
The first 1978 Nambassa festival had been successful and some of the profits from this event were drafted into their Winter Show.
To make this event a reality, the Nambassa
Nambassa
Nambassa was a series of hippie-conceived festivals held between 1976 and 1981 on large farms around Waihi and Waikino in New Zealand. They were music, arts and alternatives festivals that focused on peace, love, and an environmentally friendly lifestyle...
core group who were based in the country villages of Waihi
Waihi
Waihi is a town in Hauraki District in the North Island of New Zealand, especially notable for its history as a gold mine town. It had a population of 4,503 at the 2006 census....
and Waikino
Waikino
Waikino is a small town situated in the North Island of New Zealand nestled in the Southern end of a gorge alongside the Ohinemuri River, between Waihi and the Karangahake Gorge. The Waikino district lies at the base of the ecologically sensitive Coromandel Peninsula with its vast tracts of lush...
at the foot of the ecologically
Ecology
Ecology is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment. Variables of interest to ecologists include the composition, distribution, amount , number, and changing states of organisms within and among ecosystems...
sensitive Coromandel Peninsula
Coromandel Peninsula
The Coromandel Peninsula lies in the North Island of New Zealand. It is part of the Waikato Region and Thames-Coromandel District and extends 85 kilometres north from the western end of the Bay of Plenty, forming a natural barrier to protect the Hauraki Gulf and the Firth of Thames in the west...
, temporarily moved to the city and hired the St John youth camp west of Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
from where this production was implemented. Professional and amateur actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
s, musicians and dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
rs, choreographers
Choreography
Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements in which motion, form, or both are specified. Choreography may also refer to the design itself, which is sometimes expressed by means of dance notation. The word choreography literally means "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" ...
, seamstress’
Sewing
Sewing is the craft of fastening or attaching objects using stitches made with a needle and thread. Sewing is one of the oldest of the textile arts, arising in the Paleolithic era...
, chiefs
Tribal chief
A tribal chief is the leader of a tribal society or chiefdom. Tribal societies with social stratification under a single leader emerged in the Neolithic period out of earlier tribal structures with little stratification, and they remained prevalent throughout the Iron Age.In the case of ...
, masseurs
Massage
Massage is the manipulation of superficial and deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue to enhance function, aid in the healing process, and promote relaxation and well-being. The word comes from the French massage "friction of kneading", or from Arabic massa meaning "to touch, feel or handle"...
, prop designers
Theatrical property
A theatrical property, commonly referred to as a prop, is an object used on stage by actors to further the plot or story line of a theatrical production. Smaller props are referred to as "hand props". Larger props may also be set decoration, such as a chair or table. The difference between a set...
, auto mechanic
Auto mechanic
An auto mechanic is a mechanic with a variety of car makes or either in a specific area or in a specific make of car. In repairing cars, their main role is to diagnose the problem accurately and quickly...
s, various sound and lighting technicians
Theatrical technician
A theatrical technician, is a person who operates technical equipment and systems in the Performing arts and Entertainment industry...
, roadies
Road crew
The road crew are the technicians or support personnel who travel with a band on tour, usually in sleeper buses, and handle every part of the concert productions except actually performing the music with the musicians...
and administrators (who doubled as actors) assembled at the St Johns camp where over a period of two months this production was created and rehearsed. This was a live in workshop
Workshop
A workshop is a room or building which provides both the area and tools that may be required for the manufacture or repair of manufactured goods...
as most participants in the Winter Show were encouraged to take up temporary residency at the camp, thus the Mother Centre was established. Many participating amateurs later carved out professional careers in the entertainment industry .
Mahana Rock opera
The musical production of The Mahana rock opera was a colourful and perceptive view of early New Zealand life and begins with the coming of the Māori in canoes from the South West PacificOceania
Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
, their meeting in the high seas and subsequent voyaging to Aotearoa
Aotearoa
Aotearoa is the most widely known and accepted Māori name for New Zealand. It is used by both Māori and non-Māori, and is becoming increasingly widespread in the bilingual names of national organisations, such as the National Library of New Zealand / Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa.-Translation:The...
. It portrays the arrival of the white man
Pakeha
Pākehā is a Māori language word for New Zealanders who are "of European descent". They are mostly descended from British and to a lesser extent Irish settlers of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, although some Pākehā have Dutch, Scandinavian, German, Yugoslav or other ancestry...
, his politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
, his religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
, early colonisation
Colonisation
Colonization occurs whenever any one or more species populate an area. The term, which is derived from the Latin colere, "to inhabit, cultivate, frequent, practice, tend, guard, respect", originally related to humans. However, 19th century biogeographers dominated the term to describe the...
and the often negative transformation of the country dear to Māori
Maori language
Māori or te reo Māori , commonly te reo , is the language of the indigenous population of New Zealand, the Māori. It has the status of an official language in New Zealand...
dom. The storyline and music climax as Māori and Pākehā
Pakeha
Pākehā is a Māori language word for New Zealanders who are "of European descent". They are mostly descended from British and to a lesser extent Irish settlers of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, although some Pākehā have Dutch, Scandinavian, German, Yugoslav or other ancestry...
do battle with each other, and continues with the eventual reconciliation of the two races. The rock opera employed many special effects, costumes, and some 20 actors, singers and musicians.
Mahana was formed in 1977 when a group of Māori and Pākehā friends who were mobile-truckers
Housetrucker
Housetruckers are individuals, families and groups who convert old trucks and school buses into mobile-homes and live in them, preferring an unattached and transient lifestyle to more conventional housing. These vehicles began appearing around New Zealand during the mid-1970s and even though there...
started jamming together. What they shared was a common bond. They were all mobile and lived with their families in a nomadic gypsy lifestyle in handcrafted house trucks and buses. They first came to notoriety when they performed on the Aerial Railway stage at the 1978 Nambassa 3-day festival, becoming a huge hit. They called themselves “Mahana” in honour of a friend who loaned them his equipment to perform the 1978 festival. Within 24 hours and by popular acclaim they were headlining on the Nambassa main stage with a 20,000W PA in front of tens of thousands of people.
After the Winter show Mahana performed at the Nambassa 1979 3 day festival in Waihi in front of 40,000 fans and again at the 1981 5 day celebration up Waitawheta valley. At Nambassa 1979 they formed their own self contained gypsy encampment circle incorporating dozens of house-trucks and buses. This was the beginnings of the Road-show Fayre era, and within their large magic circle enclosure, continuous entertainment and theatre was available for children and adults, organised and spontaneous. After the festival the Roadshow Fayre and Mahana continued their musically founded gypsy lifestyle, touring from town to town entertaining people throughout the nation. Mahana was filmed live on the main stage at Nambassa 1979. The film was part of the New Zealand Film Commissions entry to the 1980 Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
.
By telling the story of New Zealand through a musical blending of the two cultures it was hoped that the Rock Opera
Rock opera
A rock opera is a work of rock music that presents a storyline told over multiple parts, songs or sections in the manner of opera. A rock opera differs from a conventional rock album, which usually includes songs that are not unified by a common theme or narrative. More recent developments include...
would provide a vehicle to express their collective feeling of Ko Tahi Tatou , “We are one together.”
Mahana Rock Opera written by Billy TK
Billy TK
Billy TK is a Māori guitarist, born in Palmerston North, New Zealand. He has often been touted as the Māori Jimi Hendrix, and is one of the most respected and technically proficient guitarists in New Zealand today.- Early work :...
and Mahana, and Produced and Directed by John Tucker and Mahana.
The Return of the Ancients
The Return of the Ancients (1978) is a musicalMusical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
theatrical opera which recounts a story told in the year 2975 by an old man from another dimension who recounts to the audience a strange and forgotten tale. He speaks of the legend of the lost planet earth, the evolution of human-kind
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
and the frail path humans have walked to find their destiny, encountering dark forces reincarnated as humans who sought to destroy culture and civilization. Utilizing best of 1970s visual technology
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
using pulsating light beam
Light beam
A light beam or beam of light is a narrow projection of light energy radiating from a source into a beam. Sunlight is a natural example of a light beam when filtered through various mediums...
s, theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
, dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
, mime
Mime artist
A mime artist is someone who uses mime as a theatrical medium or as a performance art, involving miming, or the acting out a story through body motions, without use of speech. In earlier times, in English, such a performer was referred to as a mummer...
, photo projections
Stage lighting
Modern stage lighting is a flexible tool in the production of theatre, dance, opera and other performance arts. Several different types of stage lighting instruments are used in the pursuit of the various principles or goals of lighting. Stage lighting has grown considerably in recent years...
, fire, costume
Costume
The term costume can refer to wardrobe and dress in general, or to the distinctive style of dress of a particular people, class, or period. Costume may also refer to the artistic arrangement of accessories in a picture, statue, poem, or play, appropriate to the time, place, or other circumstances...
and rock music
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
, the production
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
portrays the age old cosmic
Cosmos
In the general sense, a cosmos is an orderly or harmonious system. It originates from the Greek term κόσμος , meaning "order" or "ornament" and is antithetical to the concept of chaos. Today, the word is generally used as a synonym of the word Universe . The word cosmos originates from the same root...
battles between the past and the future. One witnessed the seeming peace and tranquility at some point in evolution with live music from the legendary Rick Steele, Norma Leaf and Ted Chapman. Only to find civilization regressing, reflected by fast on stage theatrics, heavy rock and explosions of special effect
Special effect
The illusions used in the film, television, theatre, or entertainment industries to simulate the imagined events in a story are traditionally called special effects ....
s. This, at the captivity humans had to suffer at the hands of the black magic
Black magic
Black magic is the type of magic that draws on assumed malevolent powers or is used with the intention to kill, steal, injure, cause misfortune or destruction, or for personal gain without regard to harmful consequences. As a term, "black magic" is normally used by those that do not approve of its...
ians, ogias
Ogias the Giant
Ogias the Giant, also known as The Book of Giants, is an apocryphal Jewish book expanding a narrative in the Hebrew Bible. Its discovery at Qumran dates the text's creation to before the 2nd century BCE.-Origin:...
and demons that follow and obey the prince of darkness
Prince of Darkness
Prince of Darkness is a box set of four CDs by Ozzy Osbourne released in 2005. The first two CDs are Osbourne's solo work containing various studio recordings, live tracks, b-sides, demos and outtakes, and the last two CDs are duets on disc three and cover songs on disc four...
. One witnessed theatrically extravagant cosmic battles fought live on stage as “Space Angels” dressed in multi-colored rainbow cloaks descended from other planetary systems through two powerful beams of light, to do battle with the negative forces controlling and threatening the existence of planet earth and its inhabitants.
The return of the Ancients was written and produced by Peter Terry, Directed by Chris Cooper, Matthew Robinson and Grant Bridger.
Principal Winter show cast
The return of the AncientsDanze co:
Dancers: Donna Farhi, Stephanie Burns, Caryn Dudson, Matthew Robertson, John Tresize, Bev Wynyard, Brian Tracey, Ellen Currie, Terry Blade and Greg Norman.
Nambas Theatre troupe:
Fire eating: Mike Colonna and Dave Sheridan.
Fire dancers: Donna Farhi, Bev Wynyard and Stephanie Burns.
Prince of darkness: Brian Tracey.
Devil man: Daniel Keighley.
Ogias or Ogre
Ogre
An ogre is a large, cruel, monstrous, and hideous humanoid monster, featured in mythology, folklore, and fiction. Ogres are often depicted in fairy tales and folklore as feeding on human beings, and have appeared in many classic works of literature...
: Shak MacCready, Fred Alder, Ted Chapman, Peter Terry, Ellen Currie and Brett Fitzpatrick.
Space Angels: John Tresize, Terry Blade, Bev Wynyard, Matthew Robertson and Greg Norman.
Sun Dancers: Mike Colonna, Dave Sheridan, Mike Taylor and Caryn Dudson.
Live Music by: Rick Steele, Ted Chapman and Norma Leaf.
Original music score written, arranged and performed by Simon Alexander.
Produced and mixed by Simon Alexander and Doug Rogers at Harlequin Studios.
Mahana Rock Opera
Lead guitar: John Cossar. 2nd guitar: Aramete. Drums: Stuart Crooks, Bass: Corban Simpson. Sax: Jim Dixon, Keyboards: Ben Grudd, Acoustic guitars: Bobby Simmons, Waka Kimera. Backing vocals: Mahia Blackmore, Dale Whitcombe, John Tucker.
Land agent: John Tucker.
Priest: Daniel Keighley.
Pioneers wife: Pauline Mann.
Māori people: Waka Kimera, Mahia Blackmore and Norma Leaf.
Soldiers: Podge and Shak MaCready.
Narration: Matthew Robertson.
Māori tribal leader: Bobby Simmons.
Pioneer: Mike Colonna.
Winter Show Production team
Lighting: Jay McCoy, Andrew McNicoll, Jeff O'Donnell and Brett Fitzpatrick (Radar).
Sound: Moby, Easy and Mark.
Choreography and artistic direction: Chris Cooper
Special effects: Mike Taylor.
Masks: Matthew Robertson.
Costumes: Pauline Mann and Ellen Currie.
Road crew: Pixie Fox, Doug Lawrence, Podge, Dianne and Robert Briar.
Winter Show Produced and Directed by Peter Terry.
New Zealand’s Housetruckers of the 1970s
New Zealand’s Housetruckers of the 1970s . Housetruckers are individuals, families and groups who convert old trucks and school buses into mobile-homes and live in them, preferring an unattached and transient gypsy lifestyle to more conventional housing. These unique vehicles began appearing around New Zealand during the mid 1970s and even though there are fewer today they continue to adorn NZ roads.See also
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- New Zealand’s Housetruckers of the 1970s
- Waikino music festivalWaikino music festivalWaikino Music Festival was a 1977 music and alternatives event held on Bicknell’s farm in the picturesque Waitawheta Valley between Waikino and Waihi, New Zealand. The event was staged as a forerunner to the Nambassa festivals and was a community project run by Peter Terry...
- Hippies
- BlertaBlertaBlerta , was a New Zealand musical and theatrical co-operative active in the 1970s....
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- Māori protest movementMaori protest movementThe Māori protest movement is a broad indigenous rights movement in New Zealand. While this movement has existed since Europeans first colonised New Zealand its modern form emerged in the early 1970s and has focused on issues such as the Treaty of Waitangi, Māori land rights, the Māori language and...