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BY ARTHUR MEEK based on ‘Our Maoris’ the memoirs of Lady Mary Ann Martin PRINCIPAL FUNDERS CORE FUNDERS PREMIER PARTNER WELCOME MAJOR PROJECT PARTNERS One of the pleasurable perks of Auckland in the space To condense Mary Ann of making theatre is that each of 25 years: from a few Martin’s memoirs, OUR new production is a fabulous beachside shacks in 1841 to MAORIS, into a manageable voyage of discovery. In the the construction of the Parnell stage work that can pack an last few months Auckland rail tunnel in 1866. And now, emotional punch requires a Theatre Company staff, after working on this play, certain amount of distillation MAJOR SUPPORTERS actors and creative teams the shelly beach at Judges and dramatic licence — have been immersed in Bay takes on a whole new hence the change of title. the political intrigues of 16th meaning. My heartfelt thanks to century Britain, and the 1950s Everyone involved — Arthur everyone involved in the New York City art scene. Meek (playwright), Laurel creation of this work over the Proud to be NZ’s Most Awarded Official caterers of Auckland Winery and Sponsor of Auckland Theatre Company Now with Arthur Meek’s Devenie (actor), Philippa last year. Now I invite you Theatre Company new work Laurel, myself and Campbell (Dramaturg), to engage your imagination our designers have observed our design team — Tony and enjoy Mary Ann Martin’s MEDIA PARTNERS in detail the manufacture of Rabbit, Kirsty Cameron, remarkable story. correction devices for club John Gibson and Jade Turrall feet (thanks to Vaughan (Stage Manager and Google- and Mark of the Auckland Queen) — have enjoyed the Orthotics Centre), learnt opportunity to bring a little bit Colin McColl about Maori herbs and of Auckland’s colonial history medicines and the culinary alive as we’ve explored Mary inventions of colonial settlers, Ann Martin’s place in it — SUPPORTING PARTNERS marvelled over hakari towers and her and her husband's (massive towers erected by effect upon it. She arrived BKA INTERACTIVE / BDO AUCKLAND / CANON some 19th century iwi when here a naïve Eurocentric M.A.C. COSMETICS / MARKETING IMPACT / WAIWERA WATER hosting inter-tribal feasts), Englishwoman and left a MAIDMENT THEATRE / THE EDGE / Q THEATRE taken guided historical Pakeha, with a deep and walks in Parnell and been abiding love for the country gobsmacked at the growth and the tangata whenua. ABOUT THE PLAY ON THE UPSIDE-DOWN OF THE WORLD is a solo play, based on the diaries of Lady Mary Ann Martin, the wife of the first Chief Justice of New Zealand. It traces her life in colonial Auckland: her first impressions of the new land, her growing relationship with the local Maori, and her expanding understanding of herself and her place in the world. BY ARTHUR MEEK based on ‘Our Maoris’ the ABOUT LADY memoirs of Lady Mary Ann Martin MARY ANN MARTIN CAST Mary Ann Parker was born in London, England, on 5 July 1817. After a sheltered Laurel Devenie as Lady Mary Ann Martin religious upbringing, in 1841 she married barrister William Martin, who had just been CREATIVE made Chief Justice of New Zealand. Director – Colin McColl Dramaturg – Philippa Campbell The pair settled at Taurarua (Judges Bay) in Set & Lighting Design – Tony Rabbit Costume Design – Kirsty Cameron Auckland, and Mary Ann Martin opened a Sound Design & Composition – John Gibson raupo hut hospital on their property to treat Maori patients. She also tutored students from St. Stephen’s School for Native Girls. PRODUCTION Despite having limited mobility, she made Production Manager – Mark Gosling Technical Manager – Paul Nicoll trips to Waimate North, Tauranga and Waikato. When William became ill in 1856, Senior Stage Manager – Fern Christie Stage Manager – Jade Turrall he resigned as chief justice and the couple Technical Operator – Abby Clearwater Properties Master – Diana Kovacs went back to England. They returned to Costume Construction – Kirsty McLay Set Construction – 2 Construct New Zealand in 1858, and continued teaching and missionary work with the Maori Rehearsal Photography – Amber McWilliams community. In 1860, William was knighted, ASB Community Trust Emerging Artist Apprentices – Jessika Verryt & Caitlin Brogan and Mary Ann became Lady Mary Ann Martin. The New Zealand Wars of the 1860s By arrangement with made the couple more isolated; they lost many Maori friends and found themselves at odds with the political views of most Pakeha in their community. However, they continued ON THE UPSIDE-DOWN OF THE WORLD was originally commissioned by Auckland Theatre Company, Auckland, New Zealand. with their work until 1874, when they returned to England. Lady Mary Ann Martin AUCKLAND THEATRE COMPANY WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE FOLLOWING FOR THEIR HELP WITH THIS PRODUCTION: continued her church and teaching work for Tainui Tukiwaho, Revd Dr Warren Limbrick, Christina Cie, Adrian John Te Piki Kotuku Bennett, Rangi Barcham, the rest of her life. She died of a chest Vaughan Sampson and Mark Leonida of Orthotic Centre, Roger Wall, Phillippa Pitcher, Rayna Terziyska infection in Torquay, Devon, in 1884. and Ben Hutton of Parnell Trust, Jan Rivers of Parnell Library, Elspeth Orwin and Keith Giles of Sir George Grey Special Collections (Auckland Libraries), Michael Bennett, Sian Evans, Stephen Marr, Donna Kerridge, Her memoirs, Our Maoris, were published Abigail Greenwood, Chris O' Connor, Alan of Parnell Society. after her death by the Society for Promoting ON THE UPSIDE-DOWN OF THE WORLD is the fifth Auckland Theatre Company production for 2011 and opened on June 30th. Christian Knowledge, as an example of ON THE UPSIDE-DOWN OF THE WORLD is approximately 83 minutes long. the success of the Christian mission in Please remember to switch off all mobile phones, pagers and watch alarms. New Zealand. BEHIND-THE-SCENES 2010 Next Stage Workshop: Laurel Devenie & Colin McColl Visit to St Stephen’s Chapel, Parnell Rehearsal at Judges Bay, Parnell Research visit to Kinder House, Parnell Rehearsal: Arthur Meek & Laurel Devenie WRITER’S NOTES to bring to these interactions found myself agreeing with It feels like the most appropriate aspects it. This helped kick off one of Mary Ann of her own background, skills the most fruitful and enjoyable and moral sensibilities. collaborative processes Martin’s By doing so, she helped to that I’ve ever been involved create a country that was with. Laurel, Colin, Tony and experiences (to quote Allen Curnow) I shared our different skills “something different, and theatrical sensibilities of early something nobody counted to discover ways in which New Zealand, on.” And a country that is, in writing, acting, direction and my opinion, all the better for it. design could work together and my to express the spirit of a Before we started remarkable woman and her experience rehearsals, I had some remarkable times. The result strong preconceptions about is something so much richer of the creation how this play should look and more satisfying than on stage. The first draft anything I could have come of this play, involved a giant dress that up with by myself. Best of all, are both could accommodate shadow I think the production you’re puppets and enormous seeing tonight captures the products magic lantern projections. essence of what excited me At one stage I had Laurel about Mary Ann Martin’s life of good riding around on a giant moa. in the first place. It doesn’t compromise Once other people started feel like a story from an coming into the picture, extinct past. It feels like a centred on I began to realise that trying story that has something to to force this initial ‘vision’ tell us about who we are now, engaging onto the production was not and who we might become. going to result in the creation Thank you to the people who with people. of anything worthwhile. worked with me to tell it. A strongly worded email After a short and fruitless Arthur Meek from designer Tony Rabbit attempt to make her new Playwright suggested that a better use home conform to a theory of my time might involve of English civilisation, Mary giving Mary Ann Martin Ann Martin started engaging some decent things to directly with the people say, rather than continuing themselves, both Maori and to indulge my ludicrous settlers. She cared enough ornithological fantasy. to speak to them in their languages and learned to After lowering my eyebrows, understand them on their I decided to try and engage terms. She was then able with Tony’s perspective, and Top Left: Lady Mary Ann Martin JUDGES BAY, TAURARUA, IN THE TIME OF MARY ANN MARTIN By Revd Dr Warren Limbrick On the same ship was Mary Taurarua, Commercial Bay Auckland has Ann Martin, eager to rejoin was a popular venue for had a reputation her husband William who the Maori market-gardeners had come ahead to the new who, having ‘beached their for demolishing colony to take up his position canoes… would bear their its heritage as the first Chief Justice. goods in flax baskets to Selwyn slipped his visiting this favoured market place, buildings, yet card under Martin’s front door and there lay them out for and brought his friend from sale: potatoes, pumpkins, Parnell — its St John’s College days at kumara, maize, watermelon, oldest suburb Cambridge University to the onions, peaches, pork and entrance for an enthusiastic fish.’ The bays adjacent to — boasts many reunion. Judge and Bishop, town settlement, St George’s with their wives Mary Ann Bay, Judge’s Bay and Orakei architectural Martin and Sarah Selwyn, were especially popular for Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries (ID: 1-W1044) formed a partnership of beaching waka. Mary Ann Looking east from Constitution Hill showing premises of Sargent and Littleproud, coach builders (left) Morpeths Iron Shed, Maori Hostelry and Swan Hotel (right) in The Strand delights of the (was Gittos Street, now part of Parnell Rise from Beach Road to Augustus Terrace), Parnell railway bridge, Parnell School (left) Alpha Road (now part of Parnell Rise from friendship, faith and a Martin later described the Augustus Terrace to Parnell Road) and Stanley Street (right) colonial era commitment to social justice.

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