10 July 2012
the arrival
What drives so many people to leave behind everything they know to journey alone to a land where the future is unknown?
Having won numerous accolades since it first debuted at the 2009 Auckland Arts Festival, The Arrival returns centre stage with its innovative and visually impressive production. An adaptation of the wordless novel by the Academy Award winning filmmaker Shaun Tan, where a series of wordless images tell the story of migrants, refugees and displaced people around the world. A story of hope and humanity, The Arrival is a migrant’s journey of overcoming adversity brought on by the challenges of change.
The theatre production of The Arrival takes on the same wordless stance, and instead mesmerizes audiences with its amalgamation of puppetry, music and movement. The combination of all of these elements transforms the play into a production and the strength of its captivation is the unexpected puppetry and light play. The plot unfurls as you witness both the hardship and aspirations of the sacrifice of migrants seeking a better life.
The audience becomes a guest to Tans imagination. The production features not a word of English and you soon become increasingly aware of the reason of its success with its engaging and physical stage performance. The Arrival is suitable for all ages, as the wordless world of Shaun Tan is brought to life through a visually stunning performance.
