First up, can you give us a little bit of background about Trick of the Light?
We (Hannah and Ralph) have been making and touring work as Trick of the Light since 2011, and have created nine full-length shows during this time. Our work is fairly eclectic in both form and content. We've had everything from one-person storytelling to ten people and a water sculpture, but one thing that we're always interested in is narrative and an integrated, inventive design.
And who makes up the team at Trick of the Light?
The core company is just the two of us, but we often work with old friends and collaborators. In Suitcase Show, we have Brad and Rachel of Filament 11, puppet maker Jon Coddington, and composer/sound designer Tane Upjohn Beatson, who has worked on all but one of our shows.
Suitcase Show is comprised of a collection of short stories. How were these developed and how did they come together?
The creation process for Suitcase Show was very different to our usual approach - more like a band working up songs on the road and then sequencing an album. We initially started making the stories individually and putting them in front of an audience in a few unusual site-specific spaces (including a pub and photography dark room). From fairly early on, we knew we wanted to make an anthology, so we started to think about the different tones and stagings that we wanted to include and the full show really took shape from there.
Are there any real-life experiences that inspired the airport theme in the work?
We've certainly been stopped at border control a few times, and asked to explain props and equipment. I once put a replica of my dad's head through an airport scanner.
In the show, there are many different performance elements, such as projections, lights and shadow play. What are some of your favourites?
There's a wordless sequence that I (Ralph) perform, where my hands become two spider-alien characters. It's straight up silliness and always fun to perform. I'm also always surprised by how effective some of the low-tech elements are. There's a sequence about a misbehaving shadow, which I essentially perform with just two hands and a backlight...it's delightful how well it works!
Suitcase Show will be returning following a sold-out season during Auckland Arts Festival - what do you think makes it resonate so well with audiences?
Everyone likes a tasting plate, where you get to try different foods - this play does the same with its stories. It's a degustation of theatre. We never stop tinkering on our shows, so we're excited to bring this one back to Q, now that we've fine-tuned and added a few bits.
Lastly, what's the number one essential item you always pack in your suitcase?
Rechargeable reading lights. The big light is the devil's work.
Suitcase Show will return to Q Theatre for a return season on 10 - 12 July. Click here to book your tickets.
Image credits: Lewis Ferris, Ralph McCubbin Howell
