TANGLED WATERS
The Church, 50 Dundas Street, Dunedin
19/03/2012 - 20/03/2012
Production Details
What happens when a Scotsman turns up at St Clair beach on the day of a tsunami? He ends up making a documentary about sharks, naturally.
Tangled Waters is a story about marine biologist and filmmaker Andrew Scott’s year long journey creating a documentary about the shark nets ofDunedinand the road to their removal.
From an outsider’s view, he explains just how shark documentaries really get made, how pulling bait is the last great subtle art, and how he got bitten by a shark – three miles inland.
Using unseen footage, interviews and out-takes, Tangled Waters gives a rare personal “making of” in a show like nothing else you’ll see. It’s a stand-up show with bite. Because it’s about sharks. Geddit?
Tangled Waters
The Church
Jan 19 + 20
8:00pm
$10
Sublime creatures and casual style win through
Review by Patrick Davies 21st Mar 2012
Scientist-comedian Andrew Scott travelled all the way from Banff,Scotland, to have an epiphany while wandering along the St. Clair Esplanade. One Masters in Science Communication later he has wrapped his journey to make a documentary about the shark nets of Dunedin into an entertaining and informative show. Replete with power point slides, some of which are side-splitting hilarious, he stands and simply talks us through his time here.
Once you’ve sat through the ‘Da Dum’ style Jaws theme warm-up you know the territory we are in. Scott has a very easy manner that is easily accessible to the audience – you feel like you’re in the pub and he’s spinning his tale. He, and partner in marine crime Nicole, research the shark attacks that started in the early 70’s and go on to come up against institutional bureaucracy and stupidity left right and centre.
It kind of leaves you feeling ‘only inDunedin’! I also didn’t know some amazing facts about sharks such as they been around for 450 million years without fundamentally changing. I feel I am well equipped, now, to understand the Ampullae of Lorenzini; though may fall foul of simple definitions like ‘oily sea’.
His joy at understanding and also meeting these beautiful animals shines through with a child-like infectiousness. The footage of these sublime creatures at Stewart Island is very thrilling.
On the first night there were a few nerves and some of the timing of the comedy was slightly missed but Scott’s casual style won through.
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