Endling

Hannah Playhouse, Cnr Courtenay Place & Cambridge Terrace, Wellington

16/11/2024 - 17/11/2024

Production Details


Performed by Thom Monckton

Kallo Collective


An existential NZ/Latvian-made physical comedy about nothing in particular.
Performed by Thom Monckton

Endling is a show made up of some of the favourite acts from physical comedian Thom
Monckton’s previous 13 years of creating solo shows including Only Bones v1.0, The Pianist,
The Artist, and The King of Taking. Created partly at Vogelmorn Bowling Club in Te
Whānganui-a-Tara, with its first public outing in Lyttelton Arts Festival and official premiere in
Latvia, Endling’s pathway to completion is as eclectic as its content.
Niamh Campbell-Ward and Thom Monckton live off-grid in a house bus and caravan. They
created the majority of Endling at Wellington’s Vogelmorn Bowling Club and at home when
solar power levels and bus space permitted. After wrapping up at Vogelmorn they packed the
show into two suitcases and headed towards Latvia with a brief stop in Lyttelton Arts Festival.
The development process continued under the roof of one of the oldest circus buildings in all
of Europe; Rigas Cirks (established 1888) in the capital city of Riga. The official premiere in Riga
Cirks’ annual circus festival Re Riga! was to a packed house of enthusiastic Latvians who gave
the show a standing ovation.
The show blends physicality, painting, comedy, puppetry, chaos, and a little bit of text to
create a show that’s difficult to define but easy to digest. Aimed at adults the show is still
enjoyable for young adults and brave children. Already primed in two hemispheres, Endling is
ready for ignition at Hannah Playhouse in Wellington in November.

“A meticulously choreographed piece of art. Excellently executed and magically
mesmerising.” ★★★★★ – Everything Theatre (UK) on Only Bones v1.0
“A highly skilled clown and circus performer, Monckton is an expert at eliciting laughs as well
as gasps from his audience.” – Art Murmurs (NZ) on Monckton’s The Artist
Thomas Monckton is an award-winning physical theatre and circus performer originally from
Patea, South Taranaki. Monckton trained for two years at Christchurch circus school CircoArts,
and two years at the physical theatre school Lecoq in Paris. He has been based in Helsinki,
Finland for many years, and collaborates frequently with physical comedy company Kallo
Collective. His previous works The Artist, The Pianist, Only Bones v1.0, and Moving Stationery
have all earned considerable and acclaim in Aotearoa and abroad.
Niamh Campbell-Ward is a technical operator, lighting designer and stage manager based in
Te Whānganui-a-Tara/Wellington. Her work in physical theatre, theatre and dance has taken her
around Aotearoa, as well as Australia and Northern Europe. Niamh is a frequent collaborator of
Kallo Collective, BRAVE Productions, A Mulled Whine and TAHI Festival. Niamh loves working
on solo shows, and has operated three of Thom’s previous productions: The Artist, The King of
Taking, and Only Bones v1.0.
ENDLING at Hannah Playhouse
16 & 17 November 2024
Tickets $20 full / $10 concession
Bookings from: https://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2024/endling/wellington


Lighting Design and operated by Niamh Campbell-Ward
Costume by Victoria Gridley
Music compiled predominantly from designs by Tuomas Norvio
Thanks to Tuomas Norviom, Sanna Silvenoinen, Gemma Tweedie, Wes Peden, and Atte Kantonen for their part in creating the original productions where some acts in this show come from.


Physical Theatre , Theatre , Puppetry , Solo ,


60mins

The remarkable physical talent of an expert, generous clown

Review by Gin Mabey 17th Nov 2024

The stage at the Hannah Playhouse is set with velvet-covered unknown bulks, and a series of hanging ropes.

At the start of his solo show, Thom Monckton tells us that this piece doesn’t mean anything, there is nothing below the surface … it’s all surface. Don’t try to find meaning, there is none.

But it means a whole lot to watch Thom Monckton, one of Aotearoa’s best and most imaginative theatre artists. It means a lot to sit in an audience of grownups giggling, gasping and enjoying being together for a joyful hour.

Endling is a collection of short acts, some only involving Thom and his remarkable physical talent. I could watch Thom manipulate his body as though his head weren’t attached to his body for hours! It’s quite meditative after a while, I find myself thinking about human bodies, how they move, how odd they are, how full of potential they are. Sorry Thom, I can’t help finding little tidbits of philosophy!

The show makes great use of ‘stuff’: Paintings, fruit, boxes, wrapping paper, fabric, balloons. Items of the everyday are now thrown into bizarre spectacularness at the hands of this expert and generous clown. I love how Thom takes the raw essentials of life – body, voice, breath, movement, bland items – and presents them to us in a way that reminds us of what it was like to be a kid when everything was new and funny and full of awe.  

I’m so happy to have seen another Thom Monckton show, and I hope we get to see him again one day, even if it is a very, very long time away as he alluded to at the end of the show.  

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