Enter the potter's den and experience the Middle East.
Jessica Paipeta Latton and Rhys Latton, of Macandrew Bay, co-directed the Dunedin Fringe Festival show Stuck in the Mud, on tonight.
‘‘It's about the evolution of humanity. We are all stuck in the mud, we all suffer, we've all got our difficulties and we're all trying to aspire and to help lift us out, we need music, dance and culture,'' Paipeta Latton said.
Ironically, the co-directors struggled to get a trailerload of clay down their wet driveway yesterday from the ‘‘intense storm'' in Macandrew Bay.
‘‘We got stuck and we couldn't move,'' Paipeta Latton said.
The clay eventually made it to the Athenaeum basement and was spread across the floor for the premiere last night.
The show was based on the work of Macandrew Bay ceramic artist and dancer Zehavit Darlington and her Israeli heritage and Jewish-Arab bloodline.
‘‘We mix her work with clay with dance and wrap it around this culture.
''And we have a band with music that reflects that.''
The Dunedin band, International House Band featuring musicians Motoko Kikkiwa, Duke McDirksn and Matt Sanson, played Middle Eastern-inspired music during the show.
Darlington said her ‘‘personal intention'' for the show was to make the clay move in every possible way.
‘‘The audience have the opportunity to come into the potter's den and experience the Middle East.''
●The dance theatre Stuck in the Mud is on in the Athenaeum basement tonight and ends with a children's workshop at Macandrew Bay Beach tomorrow.
