Cel­eb­rat­ing Matariki with the best of Maori theatre and dance, the inaug­ur­al Ahi Kaa Fest­iv­al offi­cially opens tonight. In a city where some theatre prac­ti­tion­ers think it’s okay to use black­face on stage because ‘it’s what the audi­ence of the theatre form would have expec­ted’ it is wel­come. This fest­iv­al will show off truly innov­at­ive work that draws on tra­di­tion to cre­ate some­thing new.

The fest­iv­al is on from 9 June – 11 July 2015.  Shows range from in devel­op­ment, to new works, to return sea­sons of clas­sics, to fam­ily friendly shows.

Bats Theatre hosts Not in our Neigh­bour­hood by Jam­ie McCaskill, and 2080 by Aroha White.

Te Marae at Te Papa Tongare­wa hosts Ngā Pou Wahine by Bri­ar Grace-Smith.

The Han­nah Play­house hosts Double Derel­icts, presen­ted by the White Face Crew (excel­lent phys­ic­al theatre for the fam­ily), and The Mod­ern Māori Quar­tet. (Here’s the quar­tet singing on TV.) There is a tick­et deal to both shows, and a spe­cial stu­dent deal as well.

Circa Theatre hosts The Beau­ti­ful Ones by Hone Kouka.  (I am super excited about this one. The devel­op­ment sea­son com­bined visu­als, live music, and dance, in a story with epic over­tones.)

Happy Matariki!