When television and radio presenter Mark Leishman was asked if he was interested in taking part in a show about Top Town, he said "Absolutely". Then he was told there was a twist. He was going to be tied up, gagged and kidnapped. He laughed and said "Great!"
The former Top Town host is part of Toi Trade Theatre Company's show, Kairoa Glory - A Top Town Story as part of this year's Inaugural Auckland Fringe Festival.When television and radio presenter Mark Leishman was asked if he was interested in taking part in a show about Top Town, he said "Absolutely". Then he was told there was a twist. He was going to be tied up, gagged and kidnapped. He laughed and said "Great!"
The former Top Town host is part of Toi Trade Theatre Company's show, Kairoa Glory - A Top Town Story as part of this year's Inaugural Auckland Fringe Festival.The show is set in a small South Island called Kairoa. The town believed they were cheated in the West Coast Top Town in 1990. However after some controversy, Greymouth were declared the winners. What followed for would put Kairoa on the map, the kidnapping of Mark Leishman.
The show, tells the story about Kairoa attempting to get into the new Top Town and what lengths they will go, to restore town pride. You learn the story of the town, how it came to grips with the loss, how it affected them then, as they relive the tragic event and we see how it is affecting them now. Kairoa is rich in history, traditions and secrets and this makes for gripping drama and comedy.
That history is where director Glen Pickering's idea for the show came from.
"I always remembered Top Town coming to Wairoa, my small home town in the Hawkes Bay. That's where the name Kairoa comes from. Top Town was a huge thing for Wairoa. All the people, the camera's."
"I found out that Mark was the host during the late 80's and thought he would be great to have in the show. Talking with Mark we realized just how big this show was for small towns in New Zealand. We have taken stories from Marks travels, stories from our own home towns and created a hilarious characters and story lines."
The show is very funny. It features the local cop who lives in a fantastical world; the highly-strung pregnant historian and the wheel chair bound event planner from Auckland. However it is also about how small town New Zealand is changing so that they don't die out.
Pickering says, "Small towns are having adapt and reinvent themselves. Lots of young people leave, so how do they stay alive. Coming from a small town you have a love/hate relationship with the place. Sometimes you dread going back there, but once your back, you know exactly who you are again."
Kairoa Glory - A Top Town Story
10th - 13th March, 7:30pm
TAPAC, 100 Motions rd, Western Springs (Opposite the Zoo).
Bookings through iticket
Online - iticket.co.nz or by calling 09 361 1000
Tickets: Concession $15, Full $18.
Created and Performed by Toi Trade Theatre Company. Directed by Glen Pickering. Starring Mark Leishman, Jeremy Birchall, Rachael Blampied, Daniel Coppersmith, Sarah Gallagher, Jonny Hair and Bronwyn Turei.
Check out our facebook page
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=49131871324&ref=ts
There's fun video's, competitions and prizes to be won.
The show is part if the Auckland Fringe Festival.
01/03/09