Broken River

— Water is big business. Someone stands to make a killing.

From award-winning playwright Ralph McCubbin Howell comes a potent new work inspired by New Zealand's water disputes.

In a South Island township a storm is brewing. A controversial irrigation scheme threatens to transform the landscape and the community is divided: on the one side is the river, which will be lost if the district goes dairy, on the other side the prosperity that is promised by greener pastures. When a mysterious stranger appears on the riverbed, tensions are pushed to breaking point. Nobody knows where he came from, and nobody knows what he wants. As the conflict shifts from strong words to stronger actions, it's only a matter of time before the levee's going to break…

Broken River fuses live performance with kinetic sculpture in a memorable encounter that tackles urgent environmental issues.

Premiered November 2013

BATS Theatre, Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington)

Commissioned by
STAB / BATS Theatre