I gauge my receptivity of a performance for kids by how much I laugh – and the children laugh – during the show. If I get into snorting territory, well, the measure is self-explanatory.  

Rangi and Mau’s Amazing Race has me from the get go; I find myself snort laughing throughout. Co-devised by Producer Tanya Muagututi’a and cast members Joy Vaele and Avefua Sua, the storyline is simply modelled to mimic the TV Show, The Amazing Race. 

This copy has teenage characters Rangi, of Maori descent, and Mau, who is Samoan, set to task by a Genie, who they conjure up whilst searching in the school library to find information for a Matariki homework assignment. The duo search at pace for challenge cards, which lie in wait in different eras and different locations around the North and South Islands. 

Correctly completed challenges earn a star, each star symbolises one of the Pleiades constellation, also known as the Seven Sisters, or in Maoridom, as Matariki. The ultimate goal is to collect all seven stars, so the Genie may grant them the information required to complete their Matariki homework. Utilising a clue card format, weaving education, music and engaging choreography, this certainly beats Saturday morning TV, much to the delight of the youngsters in the audience.

Their formula of short, snappy dialogue, musical interludes, dandy costumes and dandier characters deliver the Matariki message via tongue in cheek hyperbole, claiming the kids’ attention whilst craftily slipping in precious facts of Maori lore and playing up the importance of intercultural understanding.

Today’s ‘Star of the Day’ will have to be quartered in honour of this deft crew of four. As with most performances I review, I find I am drawn to characters that are resolutely confident. The gloriously sparkly Genie character, played by Flo Lafai, is a laugh out loud vision in star flecked gossamer. Raniera Dallas is versatile as a jogger character (I missed his name) and Kahu, a coy gentleman who tutors the young charges through their time warp race. Rangi is energetically mastered by Joy Vaele. Mau is ‘sensitively’ brought to life with great success by Avefua Sua.

My snort laughs get embarrassingly loud as Kahu drops his cheesy one-liners on the bewitching and all too eager Genie, the chemistry of their wonderful dialogue is bad on so many levels; contradictorily speaking, it is this mix of humour that makes the viewing so good. Plenty of laughs are provoked when the young adventurers stumble through the finer nuances of Maori culture.

Mau’s misunderstanding of hongi (a formal Maori greeting performed by pressing noses) is respectively funny and kindly shown. Rangi’s steadfast nature is representative of Mana Wahine, a timely reminder to those of us of Maori descent, detached from our culture, to step up and start representing ourselves in a way that befits our heritage.

One of the many upsides of theatre reviewing is the ongoing chance to learn. Mau and Rangi’s Amazing Race has pulled me a little closer to the understanding and respect Matariki, Maoritanga and Pasifika cultures duly deserve.

My only lament is my children weren’t along to see the performance, a mistake I will not be making next time Pacific Underground are in town. 
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