For those of us who were starting to wonder why the hell all of these skateboards, hoodies and loud laughter have materialised on Cuba St during the daytimes this past week, you probably won’t be surprised to learn that it is school holidays. So, for those of you who know or have children of your own, why not shuffle them down to some of the great kids theatre that’s on offer?

Hinepau, at Capital E, is a well-executed re-staging of a play based on a story-book by Gavin Bishop. Hinepau is mistrusted by her tribe because of her red hair and green eyes. After an incident involving some bizarre flying flax-works, she is cast out of her tribe and must fend for herself in the forest. However when the mighty Mountain God is angered by her ex-tribesmates, it is Hinepau who rises to the challenge and restores the land.

The story of Hinepau struck a surprisingly deep chord with me, in part because of Erina Daniel’s superb and warming portrayal of Hinepau and in part because Hinepau is simply the kind of girl I’m prone to falling in love with. She’s smart, funny, pretty hot and, most beguiling of all, misunderstood. Aw, don’t worry, Hinepau, you can come stay with me if you want…

Inappropriate attractions aside, the design elements of this production were what really made it stand out. Glenn Ashworth integrated some great visuals, especially the backdrop which incorporated mountains, owls and tree branches, all of which had a distinctive picture-book charm. Puppetry also features prominently, and Rebekah Wild has constructed some excellent renditions of native birds which look great.

However, the best feature for me was the soundtrack, composed by Stephen Gallagher, which used a wide scope of sounds ranging from modern, roots-inspired singing to the exciting sound-effect of a mountain eruption.

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Hinepau is a stylishly presented, sophisticated piece of work that contains moments of beauty and technological wizardry as well as a highly relevant message about the environment. First presented in 2005 by Capital E, it is the tale of an outsider, someone who is different. In Hinepau’s case she is eventually excluded from her tribe because she is a brilliant weaver, has red hair, and protests when a giant totara is felled in the forest.

Her woven creatures are works of art (particularly the fish) and her friends, the tui and the piwakawaka, are delightful puppets, and the volcano that devastates the land erupts with fiery gashes of lava sliding down the mountain side, while Hinepau flies off on the back of the Great Ruru in a beautifully conceived climax to the her story.

Despite a rather slow start and the singing of a waiata at the end that makes it appear as if Aotearoa has suddenly become an American colony*, the production is a lively affair with good performances from Erina Daniels as Hinepau, Regan Taylor as Pori, Reihana Haronga as the cocky Rua and Miriama Ketu, who took over the role at short notice, as Hera.
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*[see forum on this]

Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer

Returning and revitalised following a "hugely successful Australian tour of the 2005 production, performing to over 7000 children at The Sydney Opera House and The Arts Centre in Melbourne," Hinepau uses the simple sorcery of theatre to dramatise the Gavin Bishop picture book.

The new director, Murray Lynch, and the mostly new cast bring a light touch to the tale while ensuring the empathetic connections and key learning points have due effect. Nothing is forced and nothing is missed.

With sympathetic intelligence Erina Daniels reprises the role of Hinepau, the compulsively different redhead who, in contravention of the established rules, weaves her splendid harakeke (flax) artefacts back-to-front, inside-out, the wrong-way-round. Hence she is branded a witch, ridiculed, shunned then banished to the wilderness to fend for herself.

Reihana Haronga captures the posturing arrogance of soon-to-be chief Rua to comic effect without reducing the seriousness of his foolish actions, specifically felling a totara without observing the correct protocols. So some rules, the story says, are absolute, like respect for the forces of nature that give us food and shelter.

Doubling as wise old Koro and naïve young Pori, Regan Taylor likewise strikes a good balance between humour and seriousness, handling the age-difference with a minimum of fuss.

Miriama Ketu is compelling in the stillness and depth she brings to Hera, torn between going with the flow and the mob, and wanting to be friends with Hinepau.

The production values are crucial to telling this story well and every department rises to the challenge wonderfully. Francis Salole’s animations and Tim Capper’s filming combine to produce projections that carry core narrative and add magical touches. Rebekah Wild’s puppet designs and construction are fabulous, bringing Hinepau’s weaving to life and animating a fish and two birds beautifully.

Glen Ashworth’s set design, not least the clumps of flax, Jo Kilgour’s lighting and Stephen Gallagher’s elemental sound design – culminating in a volcanic eruption – serve the story superbly.

Pitched as ideal for age 8 and above, Hinepau has something to say to us all and does so with great skill and charm. A taonga.

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