High School actors tackle theme of wayward youth

August 31st, 2012
[by Murray Owen]

Recent Motueka High School graduate Jon Anderson has taken the directing reins for the latest offering by Imagine Youth Theatre.

The Negligibles, which will run at Imagine Theatre next week, is an hour-long, small cast play written by Jon with input from the cast.

Chloe Taylor, Daniel Tideman, Ella Doty, Halina Horn, Jacob Linn and Nathan Peacock play the central characters, with Christie Ahern, Will Garland and Stella Bogdanoff involved in smaller roles.

Behind the scenes, Rebekah Martin is in stage and production managerial roles, and Tegan Lamont is head of makeup.

The actors are all from Motueka High School and range from the years nine to 12.

The story is based around five youths who are out of school and earning at low-level jobs. Their lives have been pretty simple, and when their new flatmate arrives this all becomes apparent.

The new Californian flatmate hails from the big city. She challenges them to ditch who they are and "live the good life". They follow her like lost sheep, with disastrous results.

Jon, who was head boy at the school in 2011, said the play serves to portray messages: Look after your mates and be happy with what you've got. Also included is the value of friendship and the deceit and lure of the "good life" - that is, the life of gossiping, drinking, flirting and fun.

"The play is definitely targeted as a youth level," Jon said, "but I think it will also appeal to older and younger audiences.

A feature is the play-off between the foreign and local cultures. Kiwi slang and items are employed, as well as local settings typical of a town like Motueka, to make the play more down-to-earth and personalised for the audience.

The Negligibles will play at Imagine Theatre, Woodlands Avenue, on Thursday, September 6th at 7pm, Friday, September 7th at 7pm, Saturday, September 8th at 7pm, and Sunday, September 9th for a 2pm matinee. Ticket sales may be bought at the door.

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