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September 15, 2023
Doomed lovers start Māori theatre spring festival
Atereano Mateariki
Posted On September 15, 2023
Download AudioWest Auckland’s Te Pou Theatre is welcoming spring with its 9th Kōanga Festival, which opens today with Rōmeo rāua ko Hūrieta.
The translation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet by Te Haumihiata Mason is being published by Auckland University Press, and it was previously performed at Auckland Museum during Matariki.
Associate producer Maioha Allen says it’s a privilege to open the festival with the one-night only special.
“The cast is being directed by the one and only Te Atamira Jennifer Ward Leyland who’s just been appointed on to Te Taura Whiri, the Māori language commission, so we’re very fortunate to open up with such awesome kaupapa but also wrap up te wiki o te reo Māori and actually start up Mahuru Māori with this kaupapa reo Māori,” he says.
Te Pou will hold a whanau day at the Corban Estate tomorrow for storytelling, taonga puoro, siva, waiata and kapa haka, followed by workshops on four new plays over the next week.
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