Recently, a supporter of the company asked why we don't publish more... perhaps we should. But there are already things out there, including: Moving Targets: Political theatre in a post-political age by Ryan Reynolds, and Emma Johnston's Healing Maori Through Song and Dance?: Three case studies of recent New Zealand music theatre. Also there are a number of writings (book chapters, journal articles and so on) in our writings thingee. ​

As announced yesterday, award-winning filmmaker Shirley Horrocks has just completed a documentary on Free Theatre. Huge congratulations to Shirley for being selected to première the film at the 2017 New Zealand International Film Festival in August (dates, times and venues to be announced soon). Shirley has had more films selected for the NZIFF than any other New Zealand filmmaker, which is an extraordinary achievement. We're honoured that she decided seven years ago that Free Theatre was a worthy subject and inspired by her dedication to seeing the film get made as part of her ongoing mission to shed light on artists and work that she believes should be better known. New Zealand is notorious for neglecting its social history, often failing to realise art's relevance to our contemporary lives. This makes champions like Shirley all the more valuable. ​

Shirley's company, Point of View Productions, has established a Facebook page for the film here. We thought it might also be good, in the build up to the première of the film, to share some items from our extensive archives that Shirley has been researching for the film. The Free Theatre archiving project began in 2010 with a small grant from Creative Communities and it continues today with only a fraction available on our website. The archiving project reveals the extraordinary depth, nuance and richness of Free Theatre's output, and of Peter Falkenberg's contribution to contemporary theatre in New Zealand over many years through the work he has created and the artists he has inspired. It shows the extraordinary talent, commitment and intelligence of the many artists that have contributed to the company over nearly four decades. The archives also raise a recurring question. ​

Image from Canterbury Tales (2013)

Given the company's remarkable longevity and consistent output of ground-breaking work over so many years, why has Free Theatre always struggled with visibility? As noted as elsewhere by our Chief Archivist, perhaps there are embedded cultural reasons for this and, paradoxically, perhaps it speaks to the company's success in remaining politically relevant that it is treated wearily in a politically conservative society. It seems of value to keep questioning this as we consider the necessary changes in the role and function of art in making engaged and engaging contemporary cities. Alongside's the company's ongoing work, perhaps documents such as Shirley's, and books like that written by Dr Marian McCurdy (more on this soon) will continue to promote the value of contemporary theatres like Free Theatre and its aims to provide unique experiences of alternative ways of thinking and living. ​

​Free Theatre is to be in the spotlight with a new documentary by award-winning filmmaker Shirley Horrocks to première at the New Zealand International Film Festival in August and two new books penned by company members.
 
Horrocks, one of New Zealand's leading social and arts documentary filmmakers, is well known for producing documentaries that shed light on influential artists, her award-winning work focusing on the likes of Marti Friedlander, Len Lye, Albert Wendt and Allen Curnow. Horrocks’ production company, Point of View Productions, says the film will provide insight into “a hidden treasure, which has been presenting one extraordinary production after another for 37 years”.
 
Horrocks began researching Free Theatre in 2010, after travelling to Wellington to see the company present Distraction Camp at the old BATS theatre (Wellington). She then travelled south from her Auckland base to film a series of productions over six years. Her documentary provides extraordinary, previously unseen footage from a number of the company's highly acclaimed productions in post-quake Christchurch, including The Earthquake in Chile and Canterbury Tales. Horrocks also presents footage from Free Theatre's extensive archives, which have been developed through an archiving project that began in 2008.
 
The film comes at the same time as the release of a new book by Free Theatre member Marian McCurdy. Published by Intellect and titled Acting and its Refusal in Theatre and Film: The Devil Makes Believe, the book is based on McCurdy’s PhD thesis and offers insight into the company’s work through a series of recent high profile productions. She also discusses films such as Lust, Caution directed by Ang Lee and Lars von Trier’s The Idiots to consider the ethical desire of refusing to act—which results from blurred boundaries of acting and living—and examines how real life and performance are intertwined.
 
McCurdy’s book precedes another that she is currently working on with Free Theatre members about the company’s work. Research for the book will be presented as part of a special panel  at the Australasian Theatre, Drama and Performance Studies Conference (ADSA) in late June.
 
Hosted by the Auckland University of Technology, this year’s conference theme is ‘Performing Belonging in the 21st Century’ and includes a keynote address from activist and artist Tame Iti. Free Theatre Artistic Director Peter Falkenberg delivered the keynote address at the organisation’s conference last year in Toowoomba on ‘theatre and resilience’. Elements of this paper will also feature in the book which is planned for publishing in 2018.