The SEEyD Theatre Company

The SEEyD Theatre Company was named after its first production, SEEyD. Until that show opened the company had been operating under the rather dubious name of The Claw Footed Tomatoes!

The Company was born out of a frustration with the New Zealand theatre scene where local issues never seemed to be given enough weight and design and narrative was not well integrated in fringe or alternative theatre; design is rarely well integrated in any theatre. The Company had a mandate to write and devise over a longer period than the usual five weeks given to a new play. The three month process colludes design, narrative, scripting and acting all at the same time.

The first month is set aside for assimilation of the research, broad story lining, general improvisations to see what is thrown up, and writing and documentation of all the material.

The second month sees further improvising and writing to allow a proper shaping of the narrative.  Time is set aside to allow sound composition and lighting ideas to be work shopped with the script; the design is thus integrated and informs the narrative. Scripted scenes are work-shopped to test their viability and necessity. The beginnings of rehearsal then begin.

In the third month rehearsal takes a more formal part of the schedule. The script is fine tuned right up until opening night. The final logistics of staging are decided upon and refined.

The SEEyD company consists of whoever is assembled for each production. However the initial ideas and funding is co-ordinated by Tim Spite.