Hamish Annan (he/him) is an award-winning interdisciplinary artist based in Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand. He is known for his work as an actor, writer, acting coach, theatremaker, and performance artist.
His interactive experimental work, Access, was most recently presented at Testing Grounds, Melbourne, alongside a Festival Hub season at the Melbourne Fringe Festival.
Hamish trained at The Actors’ Program and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Theatre Studies.
Rohe
I grew up in Te Awamutu, Waikato, via Ōtepoti Dunedin while studying at Otago University, and now am based in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland.
Friends (Working Title)
Artform: Experimental Theatre
Development Status: In Development
Pitch Video
Media Uploads
Synopsis
A simultaneous theatre work for two audiences.
This is a two-hander. This is a two-man show. This is Hugo and Hamish telling a story about friendship. Expect they're just with different audiences. In different theatres. In different countries. Two theatres. Two audiences. Two idiots talking to each other.
This is a work about the joys and challenges of friendship. This is a work about new friendships, old friendships, strained friendships, long-distance friendships, and lost friendships. This is a work about those things you can only say to someone on the phone. This is a work with a tightly choreographed dance sequence where Hamish somehow picks Hugo up into a Dirty Dancing lift.
Friends is a curious work that pulls a middle finger at international touring models and finds a new way to bring artists to audiences. It's a playful work that seeks to deeply integrate technology and theatre and bring together international audiences while finding a way for theatremakers Hamish Annan and Hugo Williams to collaborate.
It's an ambitious piece in the early stages of development. We're looking for Australian and New Zealand presenter/producer partners who are ready to join and support us on this journey and eager to collaborate on creating this exciting new work.
Creative Team and Crew
Hamish Annan - Writer/Performer
Hamish Annan (he/him) is an award-winning interdisciplinary artist based in Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland, New Zealand. He is known for his work as an actor, writer, acting coach, theatremaker, and performance artist.
His interactive experimental work, Access, was most recently presented at Testing Grounds, Melbourne, alongside a Festival Hub season at the Melbourne Fringe Festival.
Hamish trained at The Actors’ Program and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Theatre Studies.
Hugo Williams - Writer/Performer
Hugo Williams (he/they) is based in Melbourne/Naarm (AUS) and works across contemporary performance and socially-engaged art as a performance artist, creative producer and community facilitator.
He is a co-founder and creative producer of Pony Cam. An experimental performance collective that has most recently performed Grand Theft Theatre at Adelaide Festival 24 and will present Burnout Paradise at the Rising Festival in June 24.
Professionally he has presented and created new-work for curated, found and public spaces working with organisations such as Punctum Inc, Testing Grounds, Platform Arts and alongside artists such as Roslyn Oades, Nathan McGlynn and Simone Forti.
Hugo graduated from the VCA as the recipient of the Orloff Family and the Richard Pratt scholarship; and is a graduate of the University of Melbourne within the fields of Ancient Studies and Classical languages.
Number of People in the Touring Party
4
Access
Artform: Performance Art; Experimental Theatre
Development Status: Tour Ready
Media Uploads
Trailer
Synopsis
"Annan... was breathtaking" ★★★★ - ArtsHub, Australia
Melbourne Fringe Top Pick - The Age, Australia
NZ Fringe Touring Award Winner
On the back of an award-winning, critically acclaimed NZ tour and successful seasons at Melbourne Fringe and Testing Grounds Melbourne, we're excited to bring you Access in 2024.
Access is a 1-hour participatory experimental performance work exploring human connection and emotional vulnerability. It invites audiences into direct contact with emotional expression and repression.
Watched by a standing audience, participants sit 1-1 with Hamish and choose a shared emotional dynamic. If they ask for Aggression, they get it. Happiness, Grief, Fear, or Lust. And they sit in that exchange for as long as they like.
Hamish embodies these emotions in relation to the energy each participant brings to the space. It can be beautifully subtle or energetic and explosive, and everything in between.
Feelings ripple through the performer and audience as this dynamic work moves between the personal and the communal. It's alive, visceral, playful, confronting, and every interaction is unique.
It's ideal for galleries, foyers, outdoor locations, spaces with big windows, and those curious non-spaces in venues. It's a low-risk, flexible work that can adapt to many spaces and settings.
We're looking for partners to programme this work as a free public activation or a ticketed stand-alone performance.
Our typical audiences are regular theatre-goers aged 25-35, interested in experimental/fringe/queer works, with outdoor audiences skewing younger still. Companion workshops are available, and Deaf accessibility is ready for NZSL and Auslan.
Creative Team and Crew
Hamish Annan is the Creator/Performer/Producer.
Made in collaboration with Katie Burson (Director/Collaborator) and Rob Byrne (Production & Graphic Design, Marketing).
With Alistair Greenwood as movement coach and Edward Peni supporting the production.
We've also collaborated with Deaf consultants to translate the performance instructions to NZSL and Auslan. Deaf audiences can participate using signs. We encourage sign language interpreted performances at each season.
Number of People in the Touring Party
2 people. Hamish Annan and a supporting producer who acts as audience ‘minder’. For longer seasons, this role could be sourced and trained locally.
Previous Seasons
New Zealand:
- Auckland Fringe 2022 (Winner: NZ Fringe Touring Award)
Premiere season at Studio One Toi Tū & the Ellen Melville Centre. 200+ audience members watched/participated across the season. Our core demographic was 25-34 years, but our outdoor performance skewed younger still, with a majority teen and young adult participation.
- Whangārei Fringe 2022 at ONEONESIX
- Auckland Pride 2023 at Ellen Melville Centre (Return Season)
- NZ Fringe 2023 at Te Auaha Gallery
- Dunedin Fringe 2023 at Yours
Australia:
- Melbourne Fringe 2023 at Festival Hub: Trades Hall
- Testing Grounds' Public Art Park, Melbourne 2023
Reviews and Quotes
“Annan’s vulnerability and commitment to conjuring each emotion was breathtaking, and he delicately played with emotions without ever toying with them, creating a profound and affecting spectacle. ★★★★” - ArtsHub
“I only hope it can exist in more times and on different streets, so that more people can have access to the beautiful discomfort and transgressive power of this work.” - Theatrescenes
“The audience, even in attempting to passively view the work, is pulled in and made part of the experience.” - Theatrescenes
“Annan performs with grace and conviction.” - Art Murmurs
"It’s an incredible exercise in empathy." - Craccum
“I'm so glad you bought your work to Auckland Fringe this year. We 100% need more work that pushes outside of the norms and you definitely made an impact in the judges deliberation.” - Borni Te Rongopai Tukiwaho, Auckland Fringe
“Uncomfortable yet strangely familiar! It was powerful to surrender to the emotions that are so natural in us - a reminder of what it means to be human in its purest form.” - Andrew Tui, Depot Artspace
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.