REVIEW: Rosalina (Sau E Siva Creatives)

March 22, 2019

[Siva Storytelling] By popular demand, Rosalina (directed by Troy Tu’ua and the Sau E Siva Creatives) returns to the Māngere Arts Centre for it’s second sold out season (after its first iteration at the Māngere Arts Centre in 2018). The Sau E Siva Creatives is a recently formed Pacific Dance Theatre Company that was founded by a handful of graduates, […]

REVIEW: Astroman (Auckland Arts Festival)

March 21, 2019

[Aotearoa Arcade] Astroman by Albert Belz cleverly teleports us back to the ‘80s, referencing (to name a few) the Karate Kid, rubik cubes and walkmans. Belz astutely weaves themes around racism, depression, loss and bullying, while keeping the story light and heartwarming.  Astroman is fresh, fun, and written for high quality entertainment which offers an unapologetically nostalgic escape from the […]

REVIEW: Talofa Papa (Basement Theatre)

March 14, 2019

[Cherish Your Loved Ones] Kasiano Mita, the creator and performer of Talofa Papa has cleverly crafted a unique piece which raises awareness of the vā that separates our multi-generations. We are greeted at the doors by Papa who is formally suited, dressed with a hat and hunched over, heavily leaning on his walking stick. Papa is warm and inviting and I am […]

REVIEW: Wild Dogs Under My Skirt (Auckland Arts Festival)

March 7, 2019

[Unleashed] Wild Dogs Under My Skirt speaks volumes to the intersection of fa’asāmoa (traditional Sāmoan) and diasporic upbringing. Having been a NZ-born cis-queer-male of Sāmoan descent, the performance highlights the various women I grew up with and hold dear to my heart. Although Tusiata Avia’s Wild Dogs Under My Skirt collection of poetry was published in 2004, the spoken text […]

REVIEW: Over My Dead Body: Uninvited (Auckland Pride)

February 16, 2019

[Honour the Story] Uninvited is the first of the Over My Dead Body series by Tuatara Collective. This show is written/directed by Jason Te Mete, who in 2018 won Playmarket’s Adam NZ award by a Māori playwright for his play, Little Black Bitch (which will be performed later in the year as the second in the series). Uninvited is set at […]

REVIEW: Night of the Queer (Auckland Pride)

February 10, 2019

[One Night is Not Enough] Night of the Queer is everything you’d expect in a cabaret-style theatre show and more. Having seen last year’s NOTQ, I arrive with excitement and anticipation as the super-friendly staff usher us toward our seats. A few members of the cast, dressed in beautifully fitted one-piece bodysuits, are scattered across the floor and spontaneously dancing, […]

REVIEW: Upu Mai Whetū (The Basement)

July 13, 2018

[Celestial Navigation] Upu Mai Whetū literally means words from stars. Under the direction of Fasitua Amosa and curated by Grace Taylor, the performance showcases poems from our Pasifika and Māori literature pioneers using Māori and Pacific stars of stage and screen. The set-up is simple but effective. The seating block is end-on and laid out front are tables and chairs […]

REVIEW: Herstory (Te Pou Rangatahi Season)

February 16, 2018

[Strength in Sharing] Herstory is the opening show of the Rangatahi Festival at Te Pou Theatre. Under the direction of Zandra Ah-Jay Maepu and support of The Creative Souls Project, the show combines eight emerging actresses as they each share their stories through monologues, poetry, dance and song. Alana Tele and Kirilayla Dhillon both explore their cultural identity through their […]

REVIEW: Fala Muncher (Auckland Pride)

February 16, 2018

[Much to Munch On] The term ‘fala muncher’, as described in the show’s promotion, is a derogatory term which refers to the act of a female of Pacific descent partaking in the licking and eating of another woman’s fala. The term also suggests a play on the word ‘fulla’ or ‘fella’, which loosely opens a discussion on homosexuality versus the […]

REVIEW: Night of the Queer (Auckland Pride)

February 10, 2018

[Not Scared to be Seen] Night of the Queer is a cabaret-style production celebrating members of the LGBTQI community. Under the creative direction of James Luck and Rebekkah Schoonbeck, the production showcases a variety of talent from aerial acrobatics, the athleticism required for pole dancing, lip syncing, various dance styles and, my personal favourite, live singing. The set is simple […]