A HOLIDAYING family is left struggling to resolve simmering conflict when it is left stranded by a flooded river.
That is the background of The Raft, the latest production at Howick Little Theatre.
The play, which begins this week, is an evocative and emotional story about the healing power of love, and director Jason Te Mete says the setting is one many Kiwis will relate to – the family bach.
He describes the Carl Nixon play as “heavy drama” and says the audience can expect to be taken on an emotional journey.
“It’s tough where the play flicks between reality and surrealism, through the guise of Mark’s depressive state and his memory,” says Mr Te Mete. “The audience has to deal with seeing different versions of the world through the eyes of one character.”
Mark Madden-Snoad, who teaches accounting and economics at Pakuranga College, plays Mark.
He has appeared in two of the theatre’s previous productions and is still learning the actor’s craft.
“Some say you need to act if you are going to try to teach accounting to teenagers,” jokes Mr Madden-Snoad.
Joining him on stage are Barry Spring, Melanie Heal and Alison Ross, who play Mark’s father, wife and mother respectively.
Mr Madden-Snoad says playing Mark is more challenging and demanding than his previous roles have been.
“It’s a lot bigger journey for the character to go through. It is spread over a weekend in my character’s life.
“It starts off in one place and winds up in a completely different place. There is a lot more emotion for the actors.”
Mr Te Mete is an accomplished singer and actor, having appeared in well-known productions such as Cabaret, Rent and Fame.
The Raft is the first play he has directed at Howick Little Theatre and he says it is dripping with Kiwi-isms. And, despite the dramatic and serious undertone, it also contains frequent humour.
