Fay Van Der Meulen : Profile @ Arts Front

Fay Van Der Meulen

She/her

Independent Producer @ Only Bones

Connect at :-

Te Whanganui-a-Tara / Wellington, New Zealand

Circus & Physical Theatre Te Whanganui-a-Tara / Wellington Theatre Theatre

Fay is a Freelance Performing Arts Manager based in Pōneke, Wellington.

She has enjoyed many exciting roles across several Arts Institutions including Box Office Manager (Circa Theatre); Artist and Venue Manager, Interim Operations Manager, Ticketing Manager, Volunteer Coordinator (Creative Capital Arts Trust); Co-Marketing Director, Accessibility Coordinator, Board Secretary (TAHI Festival).

Outside of this mahi, Fay splits her time between Stage Management and Producing both of which have roots in Wellington but allow her to tour further afield. She stage managed Prima Facie (Circa & National), Sense and Sensibility (Circa), and World of Wearablearts (TSB Arena, 2022-2024). She has produced 15 seasons of 10 different productions since 2020. She is currently producing Only Bones – Daniel Nodder, Eliza Sanders’ Manage Your Expectations, and Entry by Untitled Warehouse Project.

Fay's prolific work has been recognised at the Wellington Theatre Awards with nominations for Most Promising New Comer (2022) and Backstage Excellence (2024).

Organisation/Company

Name: Independent Theatre Producer

My Role: Producer

Only Bones – Daniel Nodder

Artform: Physical Theatre

Development Status: Tour Ready

Media Uploads

12. Only Bones credit Maeve O'Connell photography, Daniel Nodder design

4. Only Bones – Daniel Nodder_Credit Fay Van Der Meulen.jpg

9. Only Bones – Daniel Nodder_Credit Roc+ Photography

10. Only Bones – Daniel Nodder_Credit Roc+ Photography.jpg

11. Only Bones credit Dinosaurtoast 1391

Trailer

Full Length

Click the following link to view the full length video. If the video requires a password, you can contact the artist here.

View/Access Full Length Video

(The link is https://drive.google.com/file/d/1w6j76cCg1WTRl4XIRNNM5FrM13Q2I66e/view?usp=sharing)

Synopsis

Only Bones – Daniel Nodder is an original contemporary physical theatre performance where a solo performer wordlessly explores a microscopic universe; stepping from world to world; from creation to destruction to recreation. This hilarious galaxy-spanning solo performance was created by following a simple set of devising rules: no text, no set, no props, no narrative, only one light and within one metre squared - the ultimate challenge for a skilled physical performer. Accompanied by a mesmerising original score by Wellington-based composer and musician Ben Kelly, the audience is taken on a journey across the cosmos.

For 50 action-packed minutes, Daniel plucks different creatures, characters and moments in evolutionary history from the space-time continuum. From the Big Bang to the death of the dinosaurs; from the invention of fire to the face-melting effect of gravity; there's even an appearance from David Attenborough. You’ll witness the ordinary become extraordinary, the strange become familiar, you’ll see limbs bend in ways you never thought possible, and you’ll absolutely never be able to look at your knees the same way again. The performance is minimalist, physical, silly, mesmerising, visually stunning, aurally captivating, and a joyous experience for audiences.

If we were selected for the Wheako / Experience Showing, we would use the hour to present the whole performance as it's a 50-minute show.

Creative Team and Crew

Daniel Nodder (he/they): Performer
A dancer, actor and clown from Wellington, Daniel has been active in the dance community for 15 years and is an award-winning solo artist. He has an interest in the intersection between dance and theatre.

Fay Van Der Meulen (she/her): Producer/Publicist
Fay has five years of experience working as a freelance producer in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Fay was recognised for her work at the Wellington Theatre awards with nominations for Most Promising Newcomer (2022) and Backstage Excellence (2024).

Rebekah de Roo (she/her): Production Manager/Light Designer
Rebekah is a theatre designer and technician who has worked across set, lighting, projection and other production roles. She has a Masters of Fine Arts in Theatre with distinction from Victoria University of Wellington where she also received the Anna Pastor-Bouwmeester Production Excellence Award.

Non-touring party
Thom Monckton (he/him): Executive Producer
A circus artist from New Zealand, Thom has produced a large amount of award-winning solo work including The Pianist and The Artist.

Ben Kelly (he/him): Composer/Sound Designer
Ben is a Wellington-based composer, sound designer and jazz pianist. He has worked in the Wellington theatre scene as a musical director and sound designer for three years and is highly sought after.

Number of People in the Touring Party

Previous Seasons

Reviews and Quotes

"It's adept and intensely funny, bold, clever and original." – Triple R 102.7FM, Melbourne 2023

"This is the type of show that you go to a fringe festival for. ★★★★½ " – Arts Hub, Melbourne 2023

"Sound, light and the performer dance together." – Theatreview, Wellington 2023

"Some of the funniest physical gags I’ve seen in a long time [...] I left this performance with a big goofy smile on my face." – Art Murmurs, Wellington 2023.

Technical Rider & International Touring Info (if applicable)

View/download document #1 here