?Telling a story which hasn?t been told ? the story of real people in Zimbabwe?. So goes the tagline for ?Born African?, a Zimbabwean production which recently played at Battersea Arts Centre.
The telling of stories which haven?t been told is what makes international work so exciting: it provides an opportunity to glimpse other cultures, gives a twist on people?s perceptions ? and in the case of much of UK Arts International?s productions, gets new audiences into theatres. Few young people would dream of going to see the latest classical drama hitting their local venue, but a hip-hop troupe from Philadelphia or a Bollywood-style musical from Bombay may just drag them away from their Xbox-es, writes Helen Stallard.
UK Arts International has presented international theatre for ten years. Originally set up by Jan Ryan to bring work over from the USA, the company has expanded over the decade and now presents performing arts from such diverse regions as South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Haiti, Zambia, India and Nigeria. In fact, the aim of representing different cultures, and particularly those that connect with diasporas in the UK, is an integral focus of the company.
One of the misconceptions about international arts is that it is ?worthy?. But it is not all about grass skirts! UK Arts International is intent on presenting work from abroad that is contemporary and thought-provoking rather than merely folkloric. International productions can give a new perspective on the familiar and give valuable insight into other cultures. The seminal South African play ?Woza Albert!?, about the experience of living under apartheid, toured Britain last summer and raised political issues for people who had probably given them little previous thought. But international theatre need not always have a political agenda ? new audiences can be attracted with such spectacles as ?Mika HAKA?, a Maori dance extravaganza which fuses the traditional Haka with contemporary dance genres.
The point is that few British companies can create this style of theatre authentically; the work grows out of the culture of those who make it. The fact that the work is international is what makes it appealing, offering diversity to venue programmers and therefore a wider choice to the public.
That is not to say that presenting companies from overseas is without its headaches. Bringing artists from abroad often comes with problems in communication and means learning to deal with the unexpected. Last summer, we brought two Haitian drummers to England to provide an authentic Haitian beat to the reggae musical ?Ragamuffin?. The logistics of bringing Haitian drums (which had to be blessed by a Vodou priest prior to their flight) and drummers to the UK via US immigration are not to be underestimated. Neither are the miscommunications that can occur when the overseas company talk ?hip-hop? and you, frankly, do not.
Helen Stallard is Tourbooking and Marketing Officer of UK Arts International. t: 01905 26424; e: helen@ukarts.com