The first full-length play by Kāi Tahu playwright Cindy Diver, a development season of Wahine Mātātoa brought together an impressive team of predominantly Kāi Tahu actors and production creatives at Allen Hall.
Co-directed by Diver and Hilary Halba, following on from the work of development workshop director Juanita Hepi and producer H-J Killkelly, the play featured Millie Manning as clever modern 16-year old Elizabeth Brown, Grace Turipa as her adventurous tupuna (ancestor) Pātahi, with Rosella Hart and Simon Anderson in a variety of supporting roles.
All were superb in their roles, with Brown and Manning beautifully embodying the fiercely independent women at the heart of the story, and Hart and Anderson nimbly shifting between characters and time-frames to bring depth and delightfully comic touches.
Accompanying the action with wonderful live soundscapes, created using traditional instruments and taonga puoro, was composer and performer Ruby Solly.
Simple and clever set co-design by Diver and Tipa, lighting design by Martyn Roberts, sound design by Matthew Morgan and costume design by Alice Karetai, all helped to enhance the visual and atmospheric impact of the piece.
Followed by emotional mihi from an audience member and production kaitiaki (guardian) Moana Wesley, and a high spirited waiata from the cast, Wahine Mātātoa — The (Mostly) True Story of Erihāpeti Pātahi. was an immersive foray into te ao Māori (the Māori world) and a fascinating family history.
