Q44 Will Present First Development Piece NK: A KAZANTZAKIAN MONTAGE

On the 60th anniversary of his death, Q44 Theatre in agreement with the Kazantzakian Estate Athens, presents the world premiere of NK: A Kazantzakian Montage, an exploration of the life and work of Crete's most famous writer Nikos Kazantzakis.

Nine times nominated for the Nobel Prize, Kazantzakis is universally regarded as a significant contributor to 20th Century thought and literature, but is best known as the author of 'Zorba the Greek' and 'The Last Temptation Of Christ'.

"I was drawn to the text by its language, poetry and ideas. My challenge was to find a theatrical form that would provide a more dynamic engagement with the audience while maintaining the integrity of the ideas" says Suzanne Heywood.

"I have found the more an audience engages with a character, the more they empathise with their struggles, so building a picture of this man, not just his work, was very important to me."

Performed in the style of traditional Greek theatre, NK: A montage is an immersive spectacular merging the ancient with modern, featuring breathtaking light, sound, physical theatre and Alex Tsitsopoulos as Nikos Kazantzakis. Alex is an Australian stage and screen actor currently appearing in Neighbours, his credits include Hyde & Seek (2016), Gallipoli (2015), Fat Tony & Co (2014) and he is soon to appear in Underbelly Files: Chopper.

"This little company is already the equal of ANY other theatre company in Melbourne, and infinitely superior to most." - Coral Drouyn, Stage Whispers

Season Information

Opening Night:

Monday 13th November: 730PM

Performances:

Tuesday 14th November: 830PM

Wednesday 15th November: 730PM

Thursday 16th November: 730PM

Friday 17th November: 5PM and 830PM

Venue & Booking Information

Gasworks Arts Park

Bookings: www.q44.com.au
Phone: (03) 8606 4200

Address: 21 Graham St, Albert Park VIC 3206

Casting

Nikos Kazantzakis - Alex Tsitsopoulos

Chorus - William Atkinson, Nicole Coombs, Sebastian Gunner, Tania Knight, Elyssia Koulouris, Erin Lilja, Paul Pellegrino, Kostas Ilias Philopoulos, Tabitha Veness and members of The Pancretan Youth

Bouzouki player - Pantelis Krestas

About Q44

Q44 Theatre Company aspires to develop and nurture an artist-driven environment, a place where brave players can learn and grow together whilst creating stimulating, thought-provoking and accessible theatre. Our mission is to tell stories about the human condition, and for these stories to resonate with a wide audience. It is our goal to produce plays of artistic integrity and to present them with skill, artistry and humanity. We believe in the pursuit of understanding and representing authentic human interaction, sharing new ideas and that everyone's story matters.

About Suzanne Heywood

Suzanne Heywood began her career in the theatre as a child performer playing Helen Keller in J.C. Williamsons' production of "The Miracle Worker" and worked extensively as a child actor in theatre and television. Suzanne has worked as a dialogue coach for the stage at The Melbourne Theatre Company, HIT Productions, Malthouse and Red Stitch. In music theatre Suzanne has supported artists on such shows as Sunset Boulevard, Chicago, Mamma Mia, The Wizard of Oz, The Full Monty, The Lion King, High School Musical, Jersey Boys, West Side Story, Annie, South Pacific and King Kong. Suzanne has also coached actors on all major networks, on numerous series and mini-series and on several feature films.

About Howard Dossor

Writer and public lecturer, Howard F Dossor is considered the global expert on Nikos Kazantzakis. Drawn to the writings of Kazantzakis when he came across a copy of Zorba the Greek in 1958, Howard has since focused his interest on the wisdom he has found in that writer's body of work. His published works include Colin Wilson: The Man and His Mind, Nikos: Readings in Kazantzakis and Man Ascendant. Several of his lectures are available on YouTube. Asked for his favourite quotation from Kazantzakis, he hesitated among many but finally offered: 'Reach what you cannot!'

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