If you’re serious about making a ‘must-do’ list before you’re too old or no longer with us, here are two more to add.

The Dreaming – Australia’s international indigenous festival held at Woodford 100km from Brisbane, which this year (its fifth) ran from 5-8 June, brings together hearts, minds and souls in a celebration that energises and strengthens all who are lucky enough to be there.

There is traditional and contemporary dance, music, visual art and cultural workshops and exchanges in a true spirit of learning, sharing and reconciliation, and also, some stunning theatre. Which brings me to the other must do: see a Taki Rua production. The theatrical highlights of the past two Dreaming festivals for me, have been the two presentations of this inspirational company.

This year’s offering, Te Karakia, left me again feeling that this company is making a wonderful job of mastering the fragile art that is theatre. Festivals in the bush need a very special type of theatrical style and design to succeed in a big muddy tent, away from the comforts of the modern high tech theatrical environment. Te Karakia‘s simplicity in storytelling style and design kept the audience spellbound amid the sound spill from a vibrant festival.

The big political picture of the 1981 Springbok Rugby Tour becomes the background for a beautifully told story of two families living on the land in a small rural community. We see various episodes in the growing-up years of Matthew and Ranea that focus on the way that family history and events influence and add shape to our lives. The innocence of two young children brings a lot of humour into the issues of race and religion, allowing the surprises to unfold as the story develops.

There are no simplicities here and no easy answers. The story carries no fat as the bones of the narrative are joined together. So too, the back stories of the other characters deal with the complexity of our outwardly straight-forward selves.

The cast works well as an ensemble with Michael Whalley’s boyish energy transforming into a very believable adult version of Matthew. Ngapaki Emery also finds dimensions that show the stages of Ranea’s development, and with Rangimoana Taylor (Tohu her dad) she creates some lovely theatrical sparks.

Donogh Rees beautifully portrays the emotional journey of Elsbeth (Matthew’s nan), and Matariki Whatarau’s  policeman, Philip, makes light of the extraordinary situations he finds himself in. Tainui Tukiwaho’s entry as Uru takes the production into a higher gear. He does well with the tough task of delivering the political fervour.

Albert Belz’s script will endure; this is a play that should have a long life internationally. David O’Donnell’s direction provides a beautifully paced production. There is some magic about this company’s work.

Thank you Taki Rua, we’ll keep dreaming, and please send us more.

Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer

“They got me: I cried”

If there’s a genre that local playwrights – usually Māori – have made their own, it’s high-tension family drama. They deal with potentially deathly topics like cultural identity and land politics in a compelling way, calculated to leave no dry eye in the house.

Te Karakia – revamped since its premiere in Wellington last year – is a worthy addition to this canon from the reliably excellent Taki Rua Productions.

Playwright Albert Belz keeps the genre fresh by playing with its conventions: this self-assured play is ostensibly about a Pakeha-Māori romance, but for plot purposes it could almost be a mono-cultural Pakeha or Māori relationship, and anyway, it only serves as a catalyst for the real drama. [More]

Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer