ReHavaiki
The Bowery Theatre at St Albans Community Centre, Errington Reserve, Melbourne, Australia
14/07/2017 - 14/07/2017
Production Details
THE FIRST AUSTRALIAN PACIFIC ISLAND MUSICAL!
Premiering to a SOLD OUT audience at the South Melbourne Town Hall in June 2017. PICAA Inc. brings you the First Australian Pacific Island Musical, ReHavaiki.
“In a world where we are forgetting our ancestors – forgetting where we have come from – we take a journey to reawaken the gifts from Havaiki that once saw us as fearless explorers, navigators of the seas, and discoverers of new worlds. ReHavaiki explores themes of identity, belonging and re-connecting with ancestral heritage. Set in present-day Australia, we gain insight into life as a Pacific Islander youth born and raised outside of the homeland. The production showcases modern and traditional genres of music, dance and crafts. An inspiring and beautiful montage of the ups and downs of Pacific Island pride” Rehavaiki synopsis
Written and Directed by Award-winning actor and Theatre practitioner Asalemo Tofete, with Original Music Composed by Samoan choral director Rita Seumanutafa. ReHavaiki promises an array of multi-talented creative arts (singers, dancers, actors, artists, craftsmen) highlighting Pacific Island talent in Australia.
Featuring a 53-strong cast, ReHavaiki includes members of the Melbourne Pacific dance company ‘Coco Nutty Dance Crew’, Power singer Juliana Sopoaga, and well-renowned NZ urban music producer and artist, Sam Feo. The cast is made up of skilled creative artists, operating independently in Australia as singers, composers, dancers, choreographers, actors, directors, film-makers, playwrights and costume-makers – just to name a few.
Behind the scenes, our costumes are designed by Melbourne’s very own former Miss Samoa Victoria, Gina Tafea. Gina showcases a stunning range of costumes inspired by modern and traditional attires of the Pacific. There are also various Pacific community groups that are assisting with costume-making and set construction. The production also features original songs composed and taught by ethnomusicologist and Pacific academic Rita Seumanutafa, graduate of The Conservatorium of Music (University of Melbourne).
True to our cultural roots, ReHavaiki promotes and focuses on the concept of family both on and off-stage. Company members include fathers and children, husbands and wives, mothers and sons.
PICAA Inc. has united these artists to create, develop and perform a production that allows us to promote the strengths of our Melbourne Pacific Island community, sending hope and inspiration to many Australians today who are navigating their own multicultural identities in the community. Furthermore, this show will feature a mixture of western and non-western music genres – appealing to all walks of life of all ages. ReHavaiki promises comedy, drama and maximum enjoyment for all!
“ReHaviki deserved that standing ovation” – Stella Taupau, Audience.
“Really enjoyed the show. Great script and music/vocals.” – Allison Sauturaga, Audience.
“Within the first 2 minutes of the production I got goose bumps and by the end of the opening number I was crying and then crying from laughing so hard!” – Sharon Mowat, Audience.
“WE NEED MORE OF THESE SHOWS SO PEOPLE CAN HEAR OUR STORIES!!!….” – Junior-Tucee Fiu. Audience.
The Bowery Theatre, St Albans Community Centre, Errington Reserve
St Albans, VIC 3021
Friday 14 July 2017
7.30pm – 9.30pm approx.
Purchase your ticket online:
THE FIRST AUSTRALIAN PACIFIC ISLAND MUSICAL!
Premiering to a SOLD OUT audience at the South Melbourne Town Hall in June 2017. PICAA Inc. brings you the First Australian Pacific Island Musical, ReHavaiki.
“In a world where we are forgetting our ancestors – forgetting where we have come from – we take a journey to reawaken the gifts from Havaiki that once saw us as fearless explorers, navigators of the seas, and discoverers of new worlds. ReHavaiki explores themes of identity, belonging and re-connecting with ancestral heritage. Set in present-day Australia, we gain insight into life as a Pacific Islander youth born and raised outside of the homeland. The production showcases modern and traditional genres of music, dance and crafts. An inspiring and beautiful montage of the ups and downs of Pacific Island pride” Rehavaiki synopsis
Written and Directed by Award-winning actor and Theatre practitioner Asalemo Tofete, with Original Music Composed by Samoan choral director Rita Seumanutafa. ReHavaiki promises an array of multi-talented creative arts (singers, dancers, actors, artists, craftsmen) highlighting Pacific Island talent in Australia.
Featuring a 53-strong cast, ReHavaiki includes members of the Melbourne Pacific dance company ‘Coco Nutty Dance Crew’, Power singer Juliana Sopoaga, and well-renowned NZ urban music producer and artist, Sam Feo. The cast is made up of skilled creative artists, operating independently in Australia as singers, composers, dancers, choreographers, actors, directors, film-makers, playwrights and costume-makers – just to name a few.
Behind the scenes, our costumes are designed by Melbourne’s very own former Miss Samoa Victoria, Gina Tafea. Gina showcases a stunning range of costumes inspired by modern and traditional attires of the Pacific. There are also various Pacific community groups that are assisting with costume-making and set construction. The production also features original songs composed and taught by ethnomusicologist and Pacific academic Rita Seumanutafa, graduate of The Conservatorium of Music (University of Melbourne).
True to our cultural roots, ReHavaiki promotes and focuses on the concept of family both on and off-stage. Company members include fathers and children, husbands and wives, mothers and sons.
PICAA Inc. has united these artists to create, develop and perform a production that allows us to promote the strengths of our Melbourne Pacific Island community, sending hope and inspiration to many Australians today who are navigating their own multicultural identities in the community. Furthermore, this show will feature a mixture of western and non-western music genres – appealing to all walks of life of all ages. ReHavaiki promises comedy, drama and maximum enjoyment for all!
“ReHaviki deserved that standing ovation” – Stella Taupau, Audience.
“Really enjoyed the show. Great script and music/vocals.” – Allison Sauturaga, Audience.
“Within the first 2 minutes of the production I got goose bumps and by the end of the opening number I was crying and then crying from laughing so hard!” – Sharon Mowat, Audience.
“WE NEED MORE OF THESE SHOWS SO PEOPLE CAN HEAR OUR STORIES!!!….” – Junior-Tucee Fiu. Audience.
The Bowery Theatre, St Albans Community Centre, Errington Reserve
St Albans, VIC 3021
Friday 14 July 2017
7.30pm – 9.30pm approx.
Purchase your ticket online: https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/rehavaiki-tickets-32454646722?aff=es2
ReHavaiki
Assistant Director: Christian Gilbert
Music Directors: Rita Seumanutafa and Steve Tafea
Costume Concept: Gina Tafea & Bessie Fa’aaifili
Production and Stage Management: Lavinia Enosa
Choreography by Tavai Faasavalu, Sanele Savea and Elandrah Feo.
Cast:
Tavai Fa’asavalu, Juliana Sopoaga, Elandrah Feo, Olive Asi, Sanele Savea, Vineta Ioapo, Patrick Fa’aaifili, Jeramyah Gale, Tapu Elise, Mema Elise, Luana Tofete, Moeaki Finau, Lynette Lima, Gloria Tafua, Loga Lologa, Deveraux Feo, Fetu Thompson.
Theatre , Musical ,
A generous vehicle for the community’s many talented and skilled performers
Review by Forest vicky kapo 18th Jul 2017
The township of Sunshine, nestled within the municipality of Brimbank is 11 to 13 kms out west from metro Melbourne and is a place like no other. Unique in its demographic, it fosters an ongoing eclectic mix of hardworking immigrants (recent immigrants are from far flung places such as Sudan, Burma, India) and true blue Australians. It also happens to be not really on the way to anywhere, so if you have heard of Sunshine it’s because the locals alone have given this borough a strong community resonance, thankfully providing the rest of poor flavourless Melbourne many musings over its quirkiness.
Sunshine also has the ability to surprise, which it did with such ‘Pasefika elegance’ as host to a ‘live’ musical production titled ReHavaiki. It turns out Sunshine is also home to a strong Samoan community, that with spirit has produced a fine musical that incorporates, with such ease, a very present sense of theatre AND community; how about that huh? I suspect all forms are actually still truly about community: who is attending, who is performing is about community and what is being performed is about what the community is holding.
In this case ReHavaiki, written and directed by multi-faceted collaborator and leader Fulisia Asalemo Tofete, contains two musically driven narratives. The first narrative introduces us to idyllic Hawaiki, Polynesia’s version of Altantis, and the six remaining Gods that have been left to support humanity. While the others from the God-family have moved on, having decided humanity is a lost cause, these last six are wondering why they should stick around. That turns into a debate, requiring each remaining God to vote to stay or go. A draw occurs with 3 Gods on either side, so it is up to Hine Nui – encapsulated cleverly by the warm presence of 10 year-old Luana Tofete, who enters upon the shoulders of another lesser God – to preside over flaring Polynesian tempers.
Hine Nui’s costuming design is outstanding and, perhaps because it is so successful, flattens other costuming choices which, although consistent with characters roles, do not quite match the initial artistic flair apparent in Hine Nui’s attire.
The second musical narrative arises after the Gods have decided to wait it out a little longer, searching for an indication from those motley humans that they might still be needed, their powerful gifts appreciated.
Here predominantly two main characters, both female, carry the second storyline. With incredible subtlety and assurance, these two leads sum up with feeling their relationship to each other and their culture, echoing many cultural issues that exist within many indigenous individuals and Polynesian cultures across the Pacific today.
The main issue explored by ‘Jen’ (Elandrah Feo), a cousin who arrives from up north to visit her loving cousin in Sunshine played with comedic talent by Vineta Ioapo, begins to be named and addressed with Jen’s immediate confession to her Sunshine cousin: “Cuz, I don’t feel right, I feel like I’ve lost my culture, I don’t know who I am can you show me?”
This narrative is perfect for this distinctive community theatre ensemble, as it gives room for ‘the issues to arise’, while introducing other members of the community into the on stage performance.
With this device, we see the all-female weaving group, the food court youth group, the serenity ‘I wish I wasn’t Samoan all the time’ group, and with great coordination, and dexterity the pre-schoolers group.
The introduction of a dozen or so pre-schoolers singing and dancing cultural songs is truly a theatrical homerun, with the pre-schoolers outshining everyone easily with their open hearted cuteness.
Needless to say ‘Jen’ from up North gets to see and initiate many discussions around being exposed and not being exposed to culture, all encapsulated with great musical skill and of course very funny Pasefika humour; exposing with deft light-heartedness the good and not so good parts of being part of such a strong vibrant community, with a Disney-type resolution bringing even more song and good cheer from Gods and mortal alike.
ReHavaiki becomes a generous vehicle for the community’s many talented and skilled performers to share and strut their stuff. It has comic timing, great physicality, a multiple range of ages and body shapes.
With this production, this community displays very strong musical capabilities as individuals and also as a choir. The musical arrangements and compositions are interesting and dynamic in their own right, helping to shape the storyline just so, thanks to the skill of the onstage musicians. The astute chorography uses the ensembles well, allowing ALL individuals to shine in their own strengths, at least once. Along with good directorship this 70-minute show manage to entertain us effortlessly.
The male ensemble, when together, displays a great energy and presence, playing off each other with verve and bringing a harmonious physicality and groundedness – which the women’s ensemble later jokes about. The women’s weaving group brings beautiful projection as well as a softer and settled resilience, although sometimes overworking the pain of seeing culture being lost, thereby losing their natural ease for a minute or two.
Although many of the cast play multiple roles, the leads are women. While amongst supporting roles, the males are consistently good, it is the female twin Gods with their hay-bale costuming (again great artistic flair) who display strength authority and poise.
ReHavaiki, according to the two dollar program, is a PICAA initiative (Pacific Island Creative Arts Australia): a non-profit organisation that exists to promote the creation and engagement of Pasefika creative arts forms. It’s an initiative that is off to a great start, eliciting a stellar team of talented theatre and musical practitioners and leaders whilst using the values and support of Church-based faith commitment and community.
Staged in the very modern BoweryTheatre, it makes good use of this new community theatre complex and Brimbank City Council’s commitment to its community. This reviewer is happy that immigrants are discussing what happens to culture when we are in a different country. Seems the answer is sometimes nothing as it never ever really goes away; it’s just bubbling there under the surface. ReHavaiki is a sold out success.
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