The Court Theatre is thrilled to be producing a trio of Pasifika plays this season, with schools tour O Le Malaga Fa’a’Atua on the road until the 13th September; Forge production Au Ko Tuvalu running from the 12 – 24th September and mainstage comedy Fresh Off the Boat beginning on the 19th October.
Produced in association with Pasifika theatre collective Y|NOT, O Le Malaga Fa’a’Atua (The Journey of the Gods) is an inventive production introducing Canterbury’s children to the magic of theatre and inspirational Pasifika myths and legends.
“We don’t get a lot of shows that tour to schools with Pasifika stories. It’s fantastic that these tales of Samoa and Tonga – and Aotearoa! – are being told,” says director Gregory Cooper.
Back in the theatre, sold-out Ē Toru hit Au Ko Tuvalu is returning to The Forge for a full season. This essential piece of theatre follows three siblings as they pack up their home in Tuvalu, preparing to flee to New Zealand as the world’s first environmental refugees. Bittersweet yet comic, this poignant play packs a real punch.
“Climate change and its effects in the Pacific is an issue that needs to be talked about,” says writer, director and producer Tavita Nielsen-Mamea. “There is a saying in the Tuvaluan community, ‘You save Tuvalu, you save the world’.”
Over in The Court’s mainstage, classic Pacific Underground play Fresh Off the Boat is being revived, bringing Oscar Kightley and Simon Small’s iconic culture-clash comedy back to life.
For director Tanya Muagututi’a, these Pasifika stories are all interesting, relevant and compelling for everybody in Canterbury – regardless of their culture.
“We want everybody to come and see what we’re doing. We’re raising awareness of how we live and who we are here in Aotearoa through theatre.”