KEY POINTS:
The heroic deeds of New Zealand's most notorious troublemaker are brought to life in this spectacular staging of the legends of Maui.
The show is energised by an explosive fusion of genres, in which aerial theatre and contemporary dance collide with kapa haka and waiata to create a stunning evocation of the world of Maori mythology.
The show's creator and artistic director, Tanemahuta Gray, shows a lively visual imagination in a series of tableaux that clearly delineate the key moments of Maui's career.
Gray's international experience is noticeable in the cohesion of the visual images in which the intricate logistics of aerial harness work are seamlessly blended with a sophisticated stage design, complex choreography, and Gareth Farr's booming soundtrack.
The unity of the production design makes it impossible to single out individual contributions, and the synergy of the design team is vividly expressed in the way fabric is animated to create stunning visual effects.
A turquoise sheet undulates as a shimmering, restless sea, fiery strips of orange fabric flicker in the inferno of the fire god, and the swooping robe of Hine-nui-te-Po expands and envelops to establish the haunting presence of the goddess of darkness.
It also difficult to single out individual actors, as the vigorous ensemble work draws on a huge range of performance skills.
Highlights include a wildly energetic taiaha battle, the slapstick clowning of Maui's brothers and a moving lament from Maui's earthly mother, Taranga.
The innumerable versions of the Maui myths present an enormous challenge for the play's writers, who have focused on the three most-famous exploits - taming the sun, stealing fire from the gods, and fishing up land.
But these familiar incidents are woven into a narrative that constantly foreshadows the fateful encounter with Hine-nui-te-Po and introduces a back-story that has Ra, the god of light, agonising over his role as Maui's guardian and teacher. I was disappointed the darker elements of the Maui myth were not represented.
There was no mention of Maui stealing his grandmother's jaw bone, and the play excludes the tittering of the fantails which, in popular versions of the myth, are unable to suppress their laughter at the outrageous impiety of Maui's assault on Hine-nui-te-Po.
These omissions sanitise and flatten Maui's character, but such reservations should not cloud the achievement or the sheer entertainment value of this spectacular show.
Review
* What: Maui One Man Against the Gods
* Where: The Civic
* Reviewer: Paul Simei-Barton
