Meet Ralph McCubbin Howell, writer and performer of Trick of The Light’s TRÖLL. Fresh off an amazing, award-winning season, this performance is coming the Capital E National Arts Festival to wow our young audiences with an imaginative and inventive blend of storytelling, music, and puppetry!

A behind-the-scenes look at the creative process behind Trick of the Light’s innovative visual design

 

Hi Ralph! Can you describe your show TRÖLL in five words or less?

A lo-fi wi-fi fable

What do you want tamariki /children to take away from your show?

The nourishment of a good story, the excitement of getting spooked in the theatre, and an appreciation of how bad the internet was in the 90s!

What are you most looking forward to in the Capital E National Arts Festival?

Bunk Puppets’  Swamp Juice because we’re excited by the idea of making shadow-puppets from junk, and Taki Rua’s Te Kuia Me Te Pūngāwerewere because we’re interested in watching theatre that isn’t in English.

How has theatre helped you grow your creative spirit?

Theatre is all about the connection in the room, leaning into fear and failure, and finding creative solutions to problems. 

What’s your earliest ‘creative’ memory?

My dad was the lead in a production of Macbeth when I was about four. I remember tagging along to rehearsal one day where he introduced me to the actress playing Lady Macbeth by saying “this is my wife” and I was gripped by an existential crisis as I took this to mean he had a secret other marriage unbeknownst to mum. 

Make sure to catch Ralph in TRÖLL at the Capital E National Arts Festival on Saturday March 9, 2019.

Book your tickets today!