Alice is a theatre-artist and performer, producing work under the name White_mess. Alice is interested in social practice, using theatre as a vehicle to explore participation, political engagement, and community. Recent projects include live documentary theatre projects Year of the Tiger (虎—hǔ), Children Talk About, and the award-winning OTHER [chinese]. Her career over the last 15 years has expanded across arts, education and advocacy, exploring storytelling as a mechanism to create positive social change.
Alice is currently based in Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa (Auckland, New Zealand).
Alice Canton is a theatre-artist and producer of Chinese and Pākehā descent, presenting under the artistic nom de plume White_mess. Her work explores identity, culture and community through innovative, interactive theatre and performance. Canton's notable works include ORANGUTAN, OTHER [chinese] and BREAK BREAD (Silo Theatre). She continues to push the boundaries of theatre, and challenge cultural convention through her art.
Organisation/Company
Name: White_mess
My Role: Director
White_mess is the collective practice and artistic nom de plume of award-winning independent performer and theatre-artist, Alice Canton.
White_mess is interested in the intersection between theatre and social practice, drawing on applied performance methodologies and the fundamental relationship between performer, audience and site.
We create live performance, installation and video work: ranging from solos to large-scale community engagement projects.
Currently based in Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa (Auckland, New Zealand).
Rohe
Currently based in Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland)
How I got where I am today
Graduate of Toi Whakaari New Zealand Drama School (Acting) and University of Canterbury School of Fine Arts (Sculpture). In addition to practicing as a theatre-maker and director, have worked in arts management at The Court Theatre, Basement Theatre, NZ Opera, and Silo Theatre. Served on the Movement Art Practice board for 5 years, and have recently been appointed to the Indian Ink Theatre Company Advisory Board.
When not on the road or in the studio, I work as a consultant for a professional services firm, supporting global clients to explore future-focused solutions to transform their businesses.
Whānau
I am a new māmā to my pēpi, Evelyn.
GRIEF CHORUS
Artform: Theatre
Development Status: In Development
Media Uploads
Synopsis
GRIEF CHORUS is an anthem for the sorrowful, the bereaved, and those yearning for solace in a world heavy with loss.
Infused with raw emotion and storytelling, GRIEF CHORUS delves into the universal tapestry of grief that binds us all. In a groundbreaking new production that weaves together personal narratives and insightful reflections on mourning, an intimate portrayal of grief's profound effects on our hearts and minds is shared with both humour and gravity.
Centred around a character grappling with their own profound sense of loss, GRIEF CHORUS introduces a Greek chorus of mourners like no other. Composed of community members – individuals who are not professional actors but "real-life grievers" – they form a fellowship of shared pain and healing, bringing authenticity and collective catharsis to the stage. Think professional funeral mourners meets The Polyphonic Spree.
Brought to life by White_mess, the collective practice of the critically acclaimed performer and theatre-artist Alice Canton (ORANGUTAN, WHITE/OTHER, OTHER [chinese], Break Bread), GRIEF CHORUS is a transformative journey from the depths of despair to the possibility of hope. With Canton's signature blend of innovation and empathy, this performance invites audiences to confront and process their grief, as they move through a spectrum of emotions from sorrow to solace, isolation to community.
Experience the power of GRIEF CHORUS, where the act of mourning becomes a shared ritual, and the stage becomes a space for collective remembrance. It's a compassionate, unifying, and ultimately uplifting exploration of what it means to grieve and to go on, together. Join us as we lift our voices in a chorus of grief, acknowledging the pain, embracing the journey, and finding connection in the heart of loss.
This work is currently in development, set to premiere in 2026, and is actively seeking New Zealand and international presentation opportunities.
Creative Team and Crew
TBC
Number of People in the Touring Party
TBC
Previous Seasons
NA (work-in-development)
OTHER [chinese]
Media Uploads
![OTHER [chinese] 2020-14](https://artsfront-live-s3-au.imgix.net/artsfront/media/pool/img/36/34/19/5lhs4-e40457aee1a83f3eb999937e6a808cd6.JPG?fit=crop&fm=jpg&h=240&ixlib=php-1.2.1&name=sml_sq&orient=1&w=240)
Trailer
Synopsis
OTHER [chinese] is a live, documentary theatre show. The purpose of the show is to create a space for multiple voices to arise – because being Chinese is not one, singular thing.
This large-scale community engagement project invites interested participants from a variety of backgrounds to investigate the complexity of Chinese identity in contemporary New Zealand, examining the everyday lives, rituals, historical events, and memories of Chinese in Aotearoa.
Volunteers participate in a series of weekly workshops, creating opportunities to connect with people from a range of ages, genders, political leanings, education and locations who are interested in what it is to be Chinese in their community, here and now.
Audiences experienced the realisation of these stories and conversations in OTHER [chinese] where up to 100 people are invited to participate in the show, as themselves. Not characters of fiction, but real life people.
Creative Team and Crew
Director and Creator: Alice Canton
Producer: Julie Zhu & Sherry Zhang
Lighting and Production Design: Brad Gledhill and Rachel Marlow
Dramaturg: Kate Prior
AV Design: Jessica McCall
Sound Design: Matt Eller
Technical Manager (Tour): Pete Davison
Number of People in the Touring Party
3
Previous Seasons
Buenos Aires (Argentina) + São Paulo (Brazil)
Festival Internacional de Buenos Aires (FIBA)
Feb 2023
Festival of Colour (Wanaka, New Zealand)
Lake Wanaka Centre
April 13, 2021
Dunedin Arts Festival (Dunedin, New Zealand)
Glenroy Auditorium
April 15 – 16, 2021
Christchurch (New Zealand)
The Court Theatre
Sept 20 – 22, 2021 (COVID-19 CANCELLATION)
Auckland City (New Zealand)
Q Theatre, Auckland New Zealand
6 – 16 September 2017
Reviews and Quotes
“OTHER [chinese] is something that New Zealand needs. It’s a testament to Canton’s skill as a storyteller and facilitator that the show, and its accompanying workshops, convey a strong sense of empowerment through the affirmation of personal experiences. And this is something that we have been waiting a long time to see.” – The Pantograph Punch
“Billed as a “live documentary theatre show”, OTHER [chinese] is educational, gentle and filled with off-the-cuff humour.” – NZ Herald
“…spellbinding guidance is at hand from Alice Canton, whose inspired and smart direction of OTHER [chinese] gives us glimpses of what it’s like to be in a minority in society.” - Otago Daily Times
Technical Rider & International Touring Info (if applicable)
- View/download document #1 here
The Performing Arts Network of New Zealand (PANNZ) Arts Market is New Zealand's premiere event for artists, producers, presenters and industry leaders from across the performing arts sector.
The Performing Arts Network of New Zealand (PANNZ) Arts Market is New Zealand's premiere event for artists, producers, presenters and industry leaders from across the performing arts sector.
The Performing Arts Network of New Zealand (PANNZ) Arts Market is New Zealand's premiere event for artists, producers, presenters and industry leaders from across the performing arts sector.
The Performing Arts Network of New Zealand (PANNZ) Arts Market is New Zealand's premiere event for artists, producers, presenters and industry leaders from across the performing arts sector.