The Road That Wasn’t There

— This is a story about a girl who followed a map off the edge of the world...

In New Zealand there are some 56,000 kilometres of paper roads – streets and towns that exist only on surveyors’ maps. Or do they? A young woman strays from the beaten track and finds herself in a paper world. It seems a land of possibility but she soon discovers that things that happen in the fictional world can have frighteningly real consequences.

From Trick of the Light Theatre (The Bookbinder) comes an award-winning production drawn from the twitchy edges of children’s literature - a dark fable in the vein of Pan’s Labyrinth. Combining puppetry, shadow play, and live music, The Road That Wasn’t There is a captivating cross-over work for adults and older children.

Running time 60 mins
Represented in North America by Boat Rocker Entertainment

Premiered August 2012

The Three Sisters, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, UK

"Thoroughly enchanting and totally engrossing, The Road That Wasn’t There is a must see show."

- The Dominion Post
"Charming, funny and haunting in equal measure.... a storytelling triumph."

- Word on the Street
“If there is only one show that you can watch this Fringe, this one is the pick of the crop.”

— The Advertiser, Adelaide

Outstanding New NZ Play
Most Promising New Director
Production of the Year

Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards 2013

Auckland Arts Festival Award

Auckland Fringe Festival 2013

Children's Event Award

Fringe World, Perth 2016

Weekly Fringe Award
Best Children's Event

Adelaide Fringe 2016

Best Children's Event

Adelaide Fringe 2016

Cast

**Gabriel, Walter, Retlaw, Father**
(2015-present)
Paul Waggott

Rosie, Reginald, Constable Good-One, Wiri White-Rats, Roland, Noland, Mother

Ralph McCubbin Howell

**Gabriel, Walter, Retlaw, Father**
(2012-2016)
Oliver de Rohan

Crew

Writer

Ralph McCubbin Howell

**Composition & Sound Design**
Tane Upjohn Beatson

**Marketing & Graphic Design**
Edward Watson

**Lighting Design**
Rachel Marlow
Previous design by Marcus McShane

Video trailer

Dean Hewison

Ruby Reihana Wilson — **Production Manager**
(2018-2019)
Roo Reihana-Wilson

Puppet Design

Hannah Smith

Lyrics

Ralph McCubbin Howell

Puppet Costumes

Nicola Holter and Fiona Bayes

Upbeat - RNZ 2017

Three performers playing with their pants backstage

Paul using the overhead projector with some shadowplay

Previous seasons

Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington)

Circa Theatre, NZ
Jul 22 - Aug 1, 2020
Kirikiriroa (Hamilton)

The Meteor Theatre, NZ
May 22 - 23, 2019
Ngāmotu (New Plymouth)

Theatre Royal, NZ
May 18 - 19, 2019
Whanganui

Royal Wanganui Opera House, NZ
May 16, 2019
Te Papaioea (Palmerston North)

Globe Theatre, NZ
May 14, 2019
Ahuriri (Napier)

MTG Theatre, NZ
May 10 - 11, 2019
Tūranganui-a-Kiwa (Gisborne)

War Memorial Theatre, NZ
May 7, 2019
Tauranga

Baycourt X-Space, NZ
May 4, 2019
Southland Festival

SIT Centre Stage, Waihōpai (Invercargill), NZ
Apr 27, 2019
Te Anau

Fiordland Events Centre, Te Anau, NZ
Apr 28, 2019
Oamaru

Oamaru Opera House, NZ
Apr 23, 2019
Ōtautahi (Christchurch)

Papa Hou, YMCA, NZ
Apr 17 - 20, 2019
Waiharakeke (Blenheim)

ASB Theatre, Marlborough, NZ
Apr 13-15, 2019
Wānaka Festival of Colour

Hawea Flat Hall, NZ
Apr 2 - 4, 2019
London

The Albany, Deptford, UK
Jun 9 - 10, 2018
Edinburgh International Children's Festival

Lyra Theatre, Edinburgh, UK
May 30 - Jun 1, 2018
Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Assembly Roxy Upstairs, Edinburgh, UK
Aug 3 - 27, 2017
Te Whanganui-a-Tara

Whitereia Performing Arts Centre, NZ
Jul 23, 2017
Te Awa Kairangi ki Uta (Upper Hutt)

Expressions Upper Hutt, NZ
Jul 19, 2017
Auckland Live

Herald Theatre, Tāmaki-makau-rau (Auckland), NZ
Jul 11-15, 2017
Adelaide Fringe

The Bakehouse Theatre, Adelaide, AUS
Feb 12-20, 2016
Fringe World

The Blue Room Studio, Perth, AUS
Jan 27 - Feb 6, 2016
Kokomai Festival

Carterton Events Centre, NZ
Oct 22, 2015
Tauranga Arts Festival

Baycourt X Space, Tauranga, NZ
Oct 24, 2015
Nelson Arts Festival

Suter Theatre, NZ
Oct 22-23, 2014
Te Whanganui-a-Tara

Circa Theatre, NZ
Jul 8-19, 2014
Dunedin Fringe

The Playhouse Theatre
Ōtepoti (Dunedin), NZ
Mar 14-16, 2013
Waikari

The Old Mill, NZ
Mar 9, 2013
Ōhinehou (Lyttelton)

Wunderbar, NZ
Mar 6-7, 2013
Oamaru

Oamaru Opera House, NZ
Mar 5, 2013
Dunstan Creek 150

St Bathans Domain, Central Otago, NZ
Mar 3, 2013
Auckland Fringe

The Basement Theatre
Tāmaki-makau-rau (Auckland), NZ
Feb 24-27, 2013
Kirikiriroa

Riverlea Theatre, NZ
Feb 20-21, 2013
NZ Fringe

Bats Theatre
Te Whanganui-a-Tara, NZ
Feb 12-17, 2013
Edinburgh Festival Fringe

The Three Sisters, Edinburgh, UK
Aug 2-26, 2012