THE ROAD TO THE GLOBE documents the first professional te reo Maori theatre production staged at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre – in April last year.
Commissioned by Maori Television and produced by Alexander Behse (Allan Baldwin: In Frame, The Flight of Te Hookioi) and Tearepa Kahi (Mt. Zion), the documentary captures the Ngakau Toa theatre company on their journey to open the Globe to Globe Festival in London with a historic performance of Troilus and Cressida in te reo Maori.
Rawiri Paratene says the opportunity to take te reo Maori to the other side of the world and perform at one of the most famous theatres was a life-long dream.
“This is singularly the most important and fulfilling project I have ever been involved in. To have taken te reo Maori to Globe was... special indeed.”
“We did our language, our culture and New Zealand proud,” says Paratene, who is currently in London rehearsing for an upcoming tour of King Lear.
Executive producer Tearepa Kahi describes the documentary as a “physical, insightful behind the scenes journey documenting te teo Maori’s greatest journey in 2012”.
In THE ROAD TO THE GLOBE, Paratene and theatre director Rachel House lead a 12 week rehearsal boot camp starting in Rotorua, where the cast begins a journey of transformation, stepping deeper and deeper into Shakespeare’s characters.
“We see the actors confront their fears, struggle with their lines, reo and choreography and ultimately lift each other up to face their opening curtain on the Globe stage together,” says Behse.
Director Mike Jonathan says it was an honour and privilege to have been alongside Ngakau Toa during their preparation for the Globe Festival.
“It’s the first time in my career that I felt like I was on the inside looking in, rather than being on the outside.”
See William Shakespeare’s words come to life in te reo Maori in THE ROAD TO THE GLOBE, premiering on Sunday, April 21 at 8.30pm on Maori Television.
To watch a trailer: https://vimeo.com/63799760
ABOUT THE GLOBE TO GLOBE FESTIVAL
In 2012, the Globe Theatre in London presented a grand multilingual ‘Globe to Globe’ programme as part of London’s Cultural Olympiad, where they invited 37 countries to perform 37 of William Shakespeare’s plays in 37 different languages.
Aotearoa was chosen to open the festival with William Shakespeare’s Troilus and Cressida.
For interviews, images or further information contact:
Brooke Hawe
Kaiwhakaputa Tuarua
Junior Publicist
Māori Television
DDI +64 9 539 7148
http://www.maoritelevision.com/