Pasifika producer and director Justine Simei-Barton revives an ancient Samoan theatre discipline in a new work that combines a dining experience
During the past few weeks I've been preparing to present my new work Takurua - Nafanua War Goddess, reviving a pre-colonial form of ancient Samoan theatre called fale aitu.
The unique performance and dining experience combines the retelling of the story of Nafanua, the Samoan goddess of war, through dance and theatre while audience members feast on a five-course meal of traditional delicacies.
Fale aitu is satirical political clowning. There's normally a spiritual sanction put on our performers that everyone understands. Fale aitu is spearheaded by clowns; they are the people's voice, ears and eyes. Their job is to turn the world upside-down. They challenge authority. If the people have anything that they're unhappy about, the political structure, or authority figures, it's the fale aitu that can address these issues. Aitu means ghost or spirit, and during fale aitu performances the lead actor becomes like a spirit while they are performing their roles, and this is what gives them sanction that allows them to parody authority figures in the village.
Samoan society is very hierarchical. You can get into trouble if you were to approach a high chief with freedom of speech. But you can do it with the fale aitu. They go from village to village, like journalists, and they do it in a comical fashion because laughter and comedy is a healing process. The message can be very hard but it's undercut with humour, because that's how we cope. Performers jump in and out of character and sometimes break the fourth wall. If the audience wants to interject to what's happening on the stage, they have the right to do it because they are a part of the performance. It's a call and response.