[Presented by Tawata Productions]
Ngā Rorirori is an brisk and expansive farce, which explores interpersonal relationships and particular person attitudes to remedy of whenua; by means of a formidable emulsion of dance, theatre, and music.
The play follows Pillow and Manuela Rorirori, a brother and sister. Manuela is an activist and organisational wiz, whereas Pillow is a convicted fraudster and clean talker. They are awaiting a go to from a member of the Department of ‘Whenua, Whakapapa and Whatever’, who will assess the validity of their ancestral claims to the rohe. If all goes nicely, ‘the vast coastline in their rohe reverts to their ownership, garnering millions of dollars… in back rent alone’ – to cite the programme. Pillow desires the cash and Manuela desires the wrongs to be righted. United by a standard must impress the delegate, the farce ensues.
It wouldn’t be hyperbole to name this Aotearoa’s eminent farce of the twenty first Century.
Ngā rorirori, or the idiots, is an apt summation of the 2 most important characters. It may additionally apply to the peripheral characters: Rere, electrician and good friend of Manuela; Stacey Li Paul, filmmaker and broken-hearted polymath; and R.A. Goldsmithworthy, authorities high-up and tenacious etiquette-follower. The play is rife with characters partaking in all of the hallmarks of farce: exaggerated misunderstanding, meticulous entrances and exits, mistaken identities, and mocking of social norms. There is commonly a cartoonish high quality to the motion, with characters operating in circles, blinding one another, and leaping in fright. The play echoes a lot of Robert Lord’s Well Hung (1974), a small city scandal, incompetent authorities staff, the harebrained situations to get out of a bind, and the corruption. All the anger on the system and social relevance of Well Hung is current in Ngā Rorirori, and is current, in extra. Despite its silliness, in moments, the play sends a robust message of unity and ethical fortitude. Writer and director, Hone Kouka, successfully coaxes these moments out, and ensures that every facet has room to sit down.
Ngā Rorirori really shines in its performativity. The multifaceted nature of the efficiency is audacious and complex, however meticulous in its execution. The dialogue is pre-recorded, and carried out by completely different actors to these onstage (bar Mycah Keall, who performs Manuela reside, and ‘voices’ the disembodied voice), whereas the performers onstage mouth alongside to the recorded dialogue. This is a daring alternative and, on stability, is a hit. It could be virtually unimaginable for the onstage performers to at all times be synchronised with the audio, however the onstage performers do a formidable job of this, in the primary. This pre-recording, nonetheless, does imply that the reside actors can transfer freely concerning the stage with out loss in quantity, and face away from the viewers, with out lack of readability. Another added bonus is that the dialogue could be precisely subtitled.
The motion employed all through the piece is extremely stylised, and used generously. The dialogue is commonly punctuated with spoken dance step directions, which the onstage performers then carry out. In such a fast-paced present, this serves to spotlight the dialogue, and let the viewers take up its that means. The diegetic motion is exaggerated and evokes pictures of slapstick and commedia dell’arte. This works to emphasize the over-the-top plot and dialogue, and creates a cohesive, melodramatic spectacle. There are frequent breaks for chorus-based dance and motion work, which could be very harking back to the person, however unified, work of Greek choruses. There are some notably evocative scenes which utilise a fan and a number of flags, set to a bespoke soundtrack.
Maarire Brunning-Kouka (additionally credited by stage identify, MĀ), and long-time collaborator, Reon Bell (WYNONA), pen the lion’s share of the tracks used within the play. The music covers an enormous array – haunting lamentations, cheerful interludes, and defiant taunts – however at all times accentuates and provides to the motion happening. The lighting is stark and makes use of the breadth of the Te Pou area. The lighting of actors and set from indirect and low angles supplies the premise for very compelling shadow work, and renders the actors alien within the motion breaks. The set is harking back to a city corridor, or marae, outfitted with fold-out chairs and tables, pews, and ‘kitchen’ space. The set is detailed, and supplies an enormous space for the performers to maneuver. It additionally accommodates many screens and ranges, that are each attention-grabbing backdrops, and helpful hiding locations. The play is heavy on audio-visual points, with many audio tracks, projected subtitles and fast lighting adjustments. The designers and operators needs to be lauded for such a clean execution.
The play is daring in its scope, and daring in its messages. The performances are spectacular, the soundtrack expressive, and the writing resolute. The many, busy components are in concord, and work collectively to create a humorous, deeply shifting and energetic piece. Ngā Rorirori is a name to repeatedly consider and critique ourselves, {our relationships}, and the motivations of these round us. It holds a funhouse mirror as much as an more and more insane society.
Ngā Rorirori performs Te Pou Theatre nineteenth to the twenty second of September 2024