A high octane performance with two actors, a three piece jazz band and four contemporary dancers.

It’s graduation night. Ash and Mary discover they are pregnant. A flash flood hits their hometown. The war crimes overseas accelerate and become more horrifying.

Running into the Sun arrives home in Aotearoa after a breakthrough debut at the 2024 Melbourne Fringe, winning Best Theatre and Best Emerging Company.

After winning Best Theatre at the Melbourne Fringe, Running into the Sun comes home to Aotearoa for the first time. The 10 creatives in a2 Company create an “exhausting but exhilarating” story of what it means to be alive right now with live music, dance and theatre. It’s graduation night. Ash and Mary discover they are pregnant. A flash flood hits their hometown. The war crimes overseas become more horrifying. RITS is “messy, joyous, heartfelt and completely off the chain.” Dance, Clown, Live Music, Film and Physical Theatre weave together to catch the feeling of hope in the face of oncoming doom.

Running into the sun was developed by a2 Company; The Dance & Theatre production house co-directed by Nadiyah Akbar (Footnote, Joel Bray Dance, Malia Johnson) and Ben Ashby (Artistic Director of Long Cloud Youth Theatre 2020-2023)

“A magical gift of a show.” - Melbourne Fringe Festival: Judges’ Picks.

“...suffocating and comforting ...exhausting but exhilarating” - My Melbourne Arts

Running into the Sun is also on in Wellington, Wānaka and Christchurch; Go to our website or follow us on instagram to find out more.

www.a2company.com.au

@_a2_company_

Credits

Ben Ashby - Writer, Director, Producer, “Ash”
Nadiyah Akbar - Choreographer, Rehearsal Director, Dancer
Ethan Morse - “Morris”
Jasmine Susic - “Mary”
Alec Katsourakis - “Jack”
Luke Romero - Dancer
Toby Leman - Composer, Saxophone, Synths
Seth Boy - Double Bass
Lennox Grootjans - Composer, Drums
Asha Barr - AV, Cinematography, Stage Design, Technical Stage Manager
Cleo Copplestone - Graphic Design

A massive thanks to the 2021 Long Cloud Youth Theatre Company and Pōneke Classical Sessions Ensemble who devised the very first version of Running into the Sun in 2021 at BATS theatre, to Climate Consultants Professor Bronwyn Hayward and Raven Maeder, to Dany Akbar and Davin Ojala who were in the 2024 Melbourne Fringe development process and performance. And to our friends and family who have housed and supported us on this tour of Aotearoa.

Supported by Creative New Zealand.

Content & Trigger warnings: Loud Noise (Music). Very Strong Language. Discussion of War, Genocide.

Want to see even more from Basement Theatre? Click here to see their full schedule of upcoming shows!

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Please arrive at least 15 minutes before show start time. Latecomers admitted into the theatre at Basement's discretion. No refunds will be given. 

$15 and $20 Basement Mates tickets available for this event. Find out more about Basement Mates here.

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COVID-19 measures at Basement Theatre:

- The Government mandates may be gone, but our frenemy COVID (and a bunch of other nasty flus) are still hanging around. Head HERE for the information on what to do if you're feeling unwell and have a ticket.