Love You Approximately
Christchurch, New Zealand. July 31st, 2009. (New Zealand actress live, Spanish actor on video)
Girona, Spain. September 24th, 2009. (Spanish actor live, New Zealand actress on video)
THE STORY
They met on her OE. Now Imogen is back in New Zealand and Pere lives in Spain. Bravely they attempt to grow a relationship at a long distance using all the technology they have at their disposal: webcam, online chat, emails, text messages. Explore a connection that crosses cultures, languages and time-zones, as Imogen and Pere create a poignant contemporary love story which has become a reality for thousands of people worldwide.
THE PERFORMANCE
Not only video installation and not just a theatre performance, this project seamlessly fuses two art practices, creating a romantic comedy that travels at the speed of current technology. In performance, only one character is live on stage, the other represented by pre-recorded video projection and sound, just as they appear to each other in the relationship within the play.
The rehearsal process functioned in the same distant manner. One actor in New Zealand, the other in Spain, rehearsing together via live web cam. At this date, the two actors have never actually spoken to each other.
THE PRODUCTION
Love You Approximately results from an international collaboration between theatre practioners in Spain and New Zealand. It is a joint venture between Christchurch based ‘the clinic’ and various established theatre practitioners in Catalunya. Variations of the same script were performed in both Spain and New Zealand in 2009. In Spain, the Spanish actor was live on stage and the New Zealand actress on video. In New Zealand, vice versa.
THE TOUR
After successful premieres in both Girona, Spain and in Christchurch, NZ, this visually rich and dramatically compelling performance is now planning to tour both countries in 2010, 2011. We intend to enrich production and international collaboration by inviting the Spanish actor to act live in the NZ tour, and the New Zealand actress to act live in the Spanish tour.
Running Time: 1 hour 20mins
Languages: the majority of the performance is in English, with a little Spanish and Catalan. Subtitles in Catalan for a catalan audience. Funded and supported by:
Creative New Zealand, Arpagi, Centre Cultural la Mercè and the Ajuntament de Girona.
PERFORMED
Spain, La Mercé Centre Cultural, Girona, September 24th, 2009. (Spanish actor live, New Zealand actress on video)
New Zealand, Christchurch Arts Festival July 23 - August 9, 2009. (New Zealand actress live, Spanish actor on video)
Photos, clips and reviews of the performance: Love You Approximately on FACEBOOK