WHEEL OF EXPERIENCE is a unique blend of music and theatre that tells the lives and legends of early New Zealand through epic original song. Watch three consummate performers walk a fine line between history and legend, humour and heart, as they paint eight stories of struggle, triumph and iniquity from another time.
Led by Peter Daubé’s (King Skinny, The Crucible) powerful vocals and commanding theatrical presence, the music morphs with each unfolding story, as brilliant multi-instrumentalists David Ward (Ruckus, Shindig) and Dave Khan (Reb Fountain, Marlon Williams) shift rhythm, pace and texture. Each song is a journey unto itself as the performers move from haunting ballad, to wailing sea shanty, from blistering bluegrass to pounding blues.
The trio performs live on a vast array of acoustics instruments including banjo, fiddle, mandolin, cigar-box and zhong ruan, as well as hearty vocal harmony. Together they bring alive each rich story in a production steeped in the history it exudes.
Experience the crimes of the Burgess Gang, love and betrayal on the Raurimu Spiral, the murder of Joe Kum Yung, the plight of a hardy band of shipwrecked sealers, confidence trickster Amy Bock’s most infamous transformation and the legend of archetypal 'westie' Francesco Rodriguez Figuera, known since as Don Buck.”
Since its first incarnation in the 2011 Random Acts Festival, the show has toured the entire length of NZ, a successful season at Q theatre and 5 nights as part of the Small Hall Sessions. From town halls to theatres to opera houses, Wheel Of Experience has been received to unanimous praise:
“Neither musical nor theatrical experiences come any more astonishing than the Wheel of Experience. You hear about good performers bringing songs to life, but in this case, the songs seem to give birth to the performers.” - Nick Bollinger
“Will haunt me for days...you can hear a collective sigh after each piece finishes”
- Vivienne Quinn, Theatreview
Dave Ward, Dave Khan and Peter Daube have composed a musical taonga that should not only be enjoyed but also seriously discussed and listened to.... a national theatrical treasure.
- Tamati Patuwai, Theatreview
The fact that these are all original compositions showcases the amount of skill and talent that these men possess, making music that just sinks into your bones with a sense of timelessness.
-Ingrid Grenar, Keeping Up With Nz
