‘Punk-style fun as hell’ theatre production heading for Northland

Ariana Osborne plays Treacle, and Batanai Mashingaidze plays Dakota Pink in the theatre production Dakota of the White Flats.

A punk-style theatre production that’s “fun as hell” is making its way around the country and is gearing up to entertain and inspire Northlanders.

Dakota of the White Flats is an all-ages theatrical punk rock story based on the novel by iconic author Philip Ridley.

Returning after a 2021 premiere season cut short by a series of Covid lockdowns, the cast and crew are in the midst of a nationwide tour that stops off at Whangārei this week and Kerikeri the next.

The show will be at OneOneSix in Whangārei from May 18 to 20 and at Kerikeri’s Turner Centre on May 24 and 25.

Whangārei resident and theatre maker, Lutz Hamm, will be playing Henry Twigg and providing technical support for the show.

Hamm, 28, said his character is “a catalyst” for the show.

“He’s a petty thief, he steals something which sets everything in motion.

“All the characters are very heightened...the director wanted it to feel like we weren’t following the rules of conventional theatre.

“It’s fun as hell. We’ve all worked really hard to make it explosive and dynamic. We’re all sweating bullets by the end of the show.”

Whangārei resident Lutz Hamm will be playing Henry Twigg and providing technical support for the show.

The fast-paced show is touted as “a high-action, pulpy, punk noir that snatches the classic coming-of-age adventure story out of the hands of a gang of boys and passes it to two loud, unapologetic, brave young women,” according to Red Leap Theatre’s website.

Directed by Ella Becroft, with set design by John Verryt, lighting by Rachel Marlow and composition by Eden Mulholland, it “celebrates the resilience, bravery and hope of young people in a changing world”.

Hamm said the production’s target audience was “anyone” but was particularly suitable for 11 to 17-year-olds.

He encouraged parents to bring their kids along.

“Anyone who comes to the show will leave with a huge grin on their face,” he said.

“The story deals with the trials and tribulations of being a young person and having friends and dealing with problems that you’re too young for.”

Hamm’s interest in performing arts began at Whangārei Boys’ High School, where he took drama classes.

In 2012 he became one of the founders of the performing arts group Company of Giants and a couple of years later helped establish OneOneSix.

Hamm hopes that the success of Dakota of the White Flats will inspire the performing arts students he has taught through Company of Giants and Northland Youth Theatre.

“We have a burgeoning arts community that’s really eager to make high-quality work.

“There’s a lot of heart, people are really eager, but we don’t often get to see work as professionally produced as Dakota of the White Flats.

“I know in my experience teaching and being a young person in Whangārei, the teens that are interested in arts and theatre are huge overachievers. There are so many people doing incredible things.

“So it’s cool to bring a show of a real professional calibre to show what’s possible.”

Director Ella Becroft said she is excited to bring the show back to the North.

“Dakota of the White Flats feels accessible to people from many different walks of life, and I want to get it out to the far corners of Aotearoa.

“We have had two tours cut short, so this big eight-week outing is our chance to smash our way across the North Island and get Dakota out there.”

Tickets are available from OneOneSix: www.oneonesix.nz and the Turner Centre: www.turnercentre.co.nz