Local play steeped in tikanga Māori

Theatreworks & Wow! Productions present Wahine Mātātoa - The (Mostly) True Story of Erihāpeti Pātahi

Friday, March 28 — Allen Hall

Review by BRENDA HARWOOD

 

The fascinating life story of a fierce and independent wahine Māori ancestor is explored by Dunedin playwright and actor Cindy Diver in her extraordinary play Wahine Mātātoa - The (Mostly) True Story of Erihāpeti Pātahi.

 

First presented to local audiences in a development season at last year’s Dunedin Fringe Festival, the award-winning play returned to Allen Hall last week for a full season in the Dunedin Arts Festival.

 

Directed by Hilary Halba and Diver herself, the production featured the return of brilliant young actresses Millie Manning and Grace Turipa in the central roles of Elizabeth Brown and her fiercely independent Kai Tahu ancestor Erihapeti Pātahi.

 

Both were superb in their roles, exploring the challenges of life for Māori women in modern times and in the early history of Aotearoa with passion, pathos and humour.

 

Manning was believable as a young woman confronted the modern life dilemma of a very early pregnancy, drawing inspiration from the passionate life lived by her ancestor.

 

Turipa was equally excellent as the fierce and determinedly independent Pātahi, whose life choices put her at odds with her hapu and led her to far flung places across Te Waipounamu.

 

Simon Anderson returned to fulfil multiple male supporting roles, while Diver joined the cast in female supporting roles — the pair playing variously parents, mates, partners, judges and colonisers.

 

Both were strong and adaptable, inhabiting multiple characters with ease and adding greatly to the enjoyment of the play.

 

Enhancing the action was an evocative soundscape, created with live taoka pūoro composed by Ruby Solly and Madison Kelly and performed by Kelly.

 

Additional touches were added by sonographer Keri Hunter.

 

Working with a simple, adaptable set, the actors moved freely about the space, subtly lit with lighting design by Martyn Roberts.

 

While much of the play remained intact from the development season, this version brought added depth to the historic story in particular, including a beautiful moment when Anderson - in the character of Pātahi's husband - sang a touching waiata for his departed wife.

 

With its fascinating combination of historic and modern stories steeped in tikanga Māori, and superb performances, this arts festival production of Wahine Mātātoa - The (Mostly) True Story of Erihāpeti Pātahi was an impressive achievement.