Review: Purapurawhetu at Hawkins Theatre

The inaugural Maori Playwright's Festival has made an inspired choice by opening with a beautifully crafted revival of Briar Grace Smith's Purapurawhetu.

Neatly coinciding with the appearance of the Matariki constellation, the play provides an illuminating reference point for a new generation of Maori playwrights as it melds the past with the future and powerfully asserts that moving forward requires an awareness of what has been.

Since its premiere in 1997, the play has established itself as a classic of Maori theatre and this production suggests it will continue to exert an influence for many years to come.

What sets it apart is the complexity of the story-telling in which the mythical resonance of a tragic tale of fratricide and abandonment is skilfully interwoven with contemporary insights into the internal politics of a small Maori community.

The disparate elements are held together by the quality of the language that moves effortlessly between extreme lyricism and robust street level vernacular - with the contrasting styles often juxtaposed to great comic effect.

The shifting tone of the piece creates a challenge for the director and Catherine Downes strikes exactly the right balance with a humorous, fast-paced production that leaves plenty of space for the heightened emotions of the climax.

Josh Thomas' organic set and Phillip Dexter's subtle lighting design effectively reinforce the strong physical imagery of the work.

The play also places extraordinary demands on the cast who rise to the occasion with some superb performances.

Rawiri Paratene brings an enormous depth of experience to his deeply moving portrayal of a pathetically broken kaumatua who summons up the inner-strength required for the play's life-affirming resolution.

Robert Mokaraka plays the villain with a wickedly seductive performance that confirms the old adage about the devil getting the best lines.

Roimata Fox displays a compelling physical presence and humour in her dual roles as a young mother and a dying kuia.

Scotty Cotter brings a staunch, low-key humour as a lost youth who takes on the mantle of leadership, while Josephine Stewart-Tewhiu captures the awkwardness of an outsider trying to gain acceptance.

What: Purapurawhetu
Where: Hawkins Theatre, Papakura, ends today at 7.30pm; Auckland Town Hall Concert Chamber June 30-July 2.