O le Pepelo Education Pack by Auckland Theatre Company

EDUCATION PACK

2024

He pou atua, he pou whenua, he pou tangata.

Ko Waitematā te moana

Ko Waikōkota te whenua.

Ko Te Pou Whakamaharatanga mō Māui

Tikitiki a Tāranga te tohu o te kaha, o te kōrero, o te whakapapa o tēnei wāhi, o tēnei whare.

Nau mai e te tī, e te tā ki te whare kōrero, ki te whare whakaari o ASB ki te tahatika o te moana.

Mauri tau, mauri ora!

The symbols of support, of strength and of guardianship stand fast and proud.

The waters of Waitematā ebb and flow against the shores here at Waikōkota, the land upon which we stand.

The pou of remembrance to Māui Tikitiki a Tāranga stands tall as a beacon of courage, of stories passed down and of the history that connects us all to this place and to this space.

We welcome you all from near and far to this house of stories, to the ASB Waterfront Theatre.

Mauri tau, mauri ora!

Pouwhakamaumāharatanga mō Māui Tikitiki a Tāranga

The Memorial Post of Māui the Topknot of Tāranga

Robert Jahnke ONZM (Ngāi Taharoa, Te Whānau a Iritekura, Te Whānau a Rākairo o Ngāti Porou) 2016

Laminated tōtara and Corten steel

Proudly commissioned by Auckland Theatre Company for ASB Waterfront Theatre

Ae le’i utufia le vaitaloa ma le vaimoe na iite iai le Tagaloa.

O le aga masani a le au matutua, a tu se loma o se taeao faitauina, ona tatalo lea ma anapogi ma moe manatunatu ia maua le tofā ma le fa’autaga.

O lea ua iai i le ’auga o aso e pei o le fale nai Amoa, e lau i ula ae pou i toa. E fa’atalofa ma fa’atulou, o outou paia ma faiga, nu’u nu’u atu ia faatini o tausala.

O le a matou talatala atu e ala I a matou fa’atinoga, e fafau ma lalaga se ie o le malo o so’otaga ia vavalalata. A logo tai ua logo uta.

O le fa’aaloalo maualuga ma le alofa lea ua tatala mai.

In the tradition of our forebears, as a special moment approaches, we turn to prayer, fasting, and dream dialogues for insight. Today marks that significant day as we acknowledge you.

In our devotion and actions, we weave connections, crafting a fine mat of familial bonds. Love and respect flow effortlessly, akin to a river tracing the contours of cherished connections. With humility, we seek pardon for any oversight. The sentiments expressed echo with profound and genuine respect—a homage to the essence of our shared heritage.

AUCKLAND THEATRE COMPANY, TE AHUREI TOI O TĀMAKI AUCKLAND ARTS FESTIVAL & I KEN SO PRODUCTIONS PRESENT 2 5 – 23 MAR 2024

CAST

Ana Corbett — Vailoloto Sā Tauilevā - The Daughter

Jesme Fa’auuga — Vaofefe - The Village Vale

Haanz Fa’avae-Jackson — Matagi Puifatu Sā

Tauilevā - The Son

Semu Filipo — Pili Sā Tauilevā - The Father

Villa Junior Lemanu — Tama’i Toea’ina - The Kid

James Maeva — Kilifi Lili’avanu - The Minister

Taofi Nehemia — Afinamumū PuifatuThe Nofotane

Aruna Po-Ching — Fa’asoa Sā Tauilevā - The Mother

Andy Tilo-Faiaoga — Masina Fa’asaogalemūThe Fai Avā to be

PRODUCTION

Production Managers — Jamie Blackburn & Khalid Parkar, Pilot Productions

Stage Manager — Ahi Karunaharan

Deputy Stage Manager — Chanelle Muirhead

Assistant Stage Managers — Annah (AJ) Jacobs, Ariana Williams

Lighting Programmer — Tony Black

Technical Operator — Peter Davison

Audio Mix Engineer — Joel Orme

Fly Technician — T.J Haunui

Set Construction — Division 22 & Pilot Productions

Publicity — Michelle Lafferty

Community Consultant — Tanya Muagututi’a

Producer in Training — Batanai Mashingaidze

Photographer — Anna Benhak

CREATIVE

Co-Writer, Director — Ui Natano Keni

Co-Writer, Producer — Sarita Keo Kossamak So

Assistant Rehearsal Director — Maiava Nathaniel Lees

Choreographer — Tupua Tigafua

Composer — Poulima Salima

Set & Properties — Mark McEntyre & Tony De Goldi, GOM Arts Collective

Costume Designer — Cara Louise Waretini

Lighting Designer — Jennifer Lal

Sound Designer — Karnan Saba

Visual Designer — Delainy Kennedy,

Artificial Imagination

Dramaturg — Tusi Tamasese

Intimacy Director — Bree Peters

Dance Captain — Villa Junior Lemanu

Fight Choreographer — Amand Weaver

Fight Captain —

Andy Tilo-Faiaoga

Education Pack Writer — Anna Richardson

Education Pack Graphic Designer — Wanda Tambrin

O le Pepelo, le Gaoi, ma le Pala’ai | The Liar, the Thief, and the Coward written by Natano Keni and Sarita So, directed by Natano Keni premiered at the Kia Mau Festival in 2023 and is the second production in Auckland Theatre Company’s 2024 season. It begins previews on Tuesday 5 March and premieres on Thursday 7 March at the ASB Waterfront Theatre, Auckland.

O le Pepelo, le Gaoi, ma le Pala’ai | The Liar, the Thief, and the Coward is 2 hours and 30 minutes long, including interval. The production contains coarse language, smoke effects and violence. Please switch off all noise-emitting devices.

PRINCIPAL

FUNDERS: CORE FUNDERS: UNIVERSITY PARTNER:

Note from Auckland Theatre Company & Auckland Arts Festival

Auckland Theatre Company and Auckland Arts Festival are delighted to be in collaboration with I Ken So Productions to bring to the Tāmaki stage the extraordinary O le Pepelo, le Gaoi, ma le Pala’ai | The Liar, the Thief, and the Coward.

Natano Keni and Sarita So are two brilliantly original theatre artists who have written a play in the classical idiom that tackles themes both current within indigenous communities and immediately recognisable to everyone. The questions of who will take up the mantle of leadership, who will decide to whom the leadership shall pass, and the tension between conservatism and modernity.

The tale of Pili, a chief fighting to uphold tradition against the winds of change and contemporary intrusions, shot through with the politics of his village and the divided loyalties of his family, is epic and universal.

While entirely a work on its own terms, the play resembles a great Shakespearean tragedy. A faltering, imperious leader. A family at war. A violent clash between old and new. Classism. Dastardly politics. Betrayal. It is breath-taking, heady stuff and great theatre!

The ambition of these artists is dazzling. The bold vision is brought to life by a cast of skilled actors and experienced creatives, each an honour for us to work with.

We mihi to Kia Mau Festival in Te Whanganui-a-Tara who premiered this play in 2023.

If we are to be arts companies of this place and time, in this city in the South Pacific, then this is the work we are so proud to produce. We are humbled Sarita and Natano have chosen to work with us. Fa’afetai tele lava.

Auckland Arts Festival

Shona McCullagh MNZM Jonathan Bielski Kaitohu Toi | Artistic Director Tumu Whakarae | Artistic Director & CEO Te Ahurei Toi o Tāmaki | Auckland Theatre Company

Note from I Ken So Productions

It is with great pride that I Ken So Productions has entered into a collaboration with Auckland Theatre Company to present O le Pepelo, le Gaoi, ma le Pala’ai’ | The Liar, the Thief, and the Coward.

Throughout this collaborative process, one of the play’s themes, contracts, and covenants, has been consistently emphasised within this partnership. Thank you to Auckland Theatre Company for recognising the significance of this narrative and embracing the concept of story sovereignty.

As an independent theatre company, our strength lies in our cultural perspectives and stories. As artists, our aim is to refine our craft continuously and broaden the scope of storytelling, sharing our narrative with our community and beyond, thereby fostering connection.

The development and evolution of our voices depend on access to opportunities and regular practice. However, the arts industry presents challenges, such as limited opportunities, high costs and the inherent risk of investing in ambitious projects like this. This environment often traps us in a cycle of seeking constant validation, which hinders our ability to explore new paths, break down barriers, and fully realise our creative potential.

Therefore, our collaboration with Auckland Theatre Company, in conjunction with the Auckland Arts Festival, marks a significant step in advancing our artistic mission. We are profoundly proud to join forces in presenting and sharing this tale with all of you. We can dream it but it takes many to bring it to life. Fa’afetai tele lava for allowing us to share this dream with you.

Natano Keni and Sarita So Founders I Ken So Productions

About I Ken So Productions

I Ken So Productions, located in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington, was established in 2017. We are a creative and cultural partnership founded by Sarita Keo Kossamak So (Khmer) and Ui Natano Keni (Sāmoan), both graduates of Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School.

Our collaboration aims to share and celebrate the diverse cultural heritage of our backgrounds, inspired by the landscapes of our upbringing in Aotearoa New Zealand.

We are dedicated to nurturing the seed of every story, navigating the universal sea that binds us all.

UI NATANO KENI Co-writer and Director

Satupa’itea and Maagiagi

Natano is a New Zealand-born Sāmoan actor, playwright, and director from Timberlea, Upper Hutt, Wellington. He has immersed himself in the arts for 15 years, dividing his time between theatre and film.

A graduate of Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School, Natano has collaborated with various New Zealand theatre companies, including Tawata Productions, Tikapa Productions, and Barbarian Productions.

In 2017, Natano co-founded I Ken So Productions with Sarita So, marking their debut with the cowritten play Riverside Kings at the Kia Mau Festival. This production also served as Natano’s directing debut. Since then, he has expanded his horizons into film and TV, focusing on casting.

In 2021, Natano’s creative journey continued with the invitation to present his new play, O le Pepelo, le Gaoi, ma le Pala’ai’ | The Liar, the Thief, and the Coward, co-written with Sarita So, and with dramaturgy by Tusi Tamasese at the Breaking Ground festival. The show premiered as part of the Kia Mau Festival 2023.

SARITA KEO KOSSAMAK SO

Co-writer and Producer

Sarita is a first-generation Cambodian-born New Zealander. She is an actor, writer and producer; she co-founder of the company I Ken So Productions with her partner Ui Natano Keni in 2017. She is a graduate of both Victoria University and Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School. She returned to Victoria University, completing her MA in Creative Writing at the International Institute of Modern Letters there in 2017.

Sarita won the Chapman Tripp awards in 2013 as best new playwright for her first play Neang Neak’s Legacy. Her production of the co-written show Riverside Kings with co-writer and director Natano Keni was a success, winning The Peter Harcourt Award for best new playwright at the Wellington Theatre Awards in 2017.

Sarita works between theatre and film, and is a guest facilitator at Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School.

the Director

journey has truly been a collaborative endeavour. This play represents the culmination of my upbringing, influenced by the teachings of my parents and my experience as a Sāmoan born in Upper Hutt, Aotearoa New Zealand. As a child privileged to have lived in Sāmoa for a period of my life, I, like many others, navigate multiple worlds. These aspects are all reflected in this work; it embodies the accumulation of teachings and influences encountered along the way. Moreover, we craft the narratives we wish to witness, manipulating these teachings to transcend into new realms and construct a world that challenges, exhilarates and resonates deeply with us.

To Auckland Theatre Company, thank you for recognising the vision of this play and extending the invitation to continue its strength, sharing it with a wider audience in Tāmaki Makaurau. To Mīria George, Hone Kouka, and the Kia Mau Festival, thank you for believing in us and giving this show its initial platform, which has paved the way for this second iteration.

Maiava Nathaniel Lees, your continued guidance and mentorship throughout this journey have been

invaluable guidance during the writing process.

To the cast, I extend my sincere thanks for your contributions throughout this process. The belief and unity you have all displayed, coming together as an aīga, is truly beautiful. I hope that, in the future, Pasifika storytelling of this scale and ambition will become more common.

To the dedicated production team, I am deeply grateful for the support provided behind the scenes. Similarly, I extend my heartfelt appreciation to all the designers who have willingly embarked on this epic journey to breathe life into our story.

May this fictional village serve as a mirror, reflecting our essence, inspiring not just pride in our culture, but, also curiosity. Let us continue to seek connections and engage in meaningful conversations as we continue our journeys.

Fa’afetai tele lava to the entire production for safeguarding the essence of the play, the Vā, ensuring its integrity throughout the process. This play is dedicated to both those who have remained and those who have departed from the homeland. I le ava ma le fa’aaloalo lava!

Natano Keni

Synopsis

In Sāmoa’s not-so-distant past, Pili Sā Tauilevā is a proud Ali’i (chief) in the village of Moa. He has forged a path for his position through the fa’a Sāmoa tradition of service. When he suddenly falls gravely ill and refuses to name a successor, his daughter and son become rivals, competing for the title. But nothing plays out as expected when others come out to join the race.

Education Activities Director's Concept

When you are revising for your live performance exam, you will want to unpack what you think the Director intended to communicate through their choices. In the case of O Le Pepelo and its journey to the stage it is important to consider the show's whakapapa - Natano Keni & Sarita So’s writing, how O Le Pepelo was brought to life on page and stage, Natano Keni’s research and preparation as part of the director’s concept. These activities will help you brainstorm and collate your ideas, as well as providing evidence or quotes to support your explanations and discussions around the exam questions.

PRE-READING ACTIVITY

Using the “Note from the Director” and the “Note from I Ken So Productions” and the following prereading activities to identify quotes, ideas and themes that you could explore and unpack in a revision and in a report construction context. The resource you will need access to for this activity is a Know, Want to Know, Learned Chart: KWL chart (reference: NCEA Literacy Planning Resources)

• Your topic is “Unpacking the Director's Concept”

• Fill out the ‘know’ section of the chart. What do you as an audience member already know about what the director was trying to communicate from the way the O Le Pepelo was brought to life on stage? You can include what you learnt at the forum.

• Note down things that you ‘want to know’ in the next section. Discuss this with a peer or small group. What questions did you have as you watched the production? What themes, motifs, symbols stood out to you that you would like supporting quotes or ideas for in order to unpack these?

• Read both “Note from the Director” and the “Note from I Ken So Productions”:

• Circle ideas that you want to explore further as a class

• Highlight quotes that might support an exam answer or be included in your report

• Underline ideas that you would like your teacher to unpack with you

• Share what you have circled, highlighted and underlined with the rest of your class and with your teacher. Discuss and make notes as a class that you can access later.

• On your own; from what you have circled, highlighted and underlined - fill out the “Learned” section of the chart.

Extension: you may want to take these notes, class discussions and ideas and do further reading and research so that you can incorporate your own thoughts, responses and perspective in the way you respond in your exam or in the report you construct.

LOOKING AT WIDER CONTEXT - O LE PEPELO

Split your class into three groups to complete this activity. Assign one of the following articles to each group.

NZ wants more seasonal workers –but Pacific nations no longer want to be the ‘outposts’ that ‘grow’ them

Seasonal employment schemes an 'opportunity' but concerns they 'will empty villages' | RNZ News

Paying to work: Life as a seasonal worker | The Spinoff

Activity: One person in each group is the reader and everyone else will have pens and brainstorm paper. As the article is read, each member of the group notes down ideas or quotes from the article that are challenging, thought provoking or you want to explore and discuss further. Make note of any links between what is in the article and what you saw on stage. As a group, discuss and make further notes around what you have collated in your brainstorm. Focus your discussion around the following questions:

• How does the article connect with the stage show?

• What did you find challenging about the article? How did this connect with aspects of the show that challenged you?

• Were there aspects of the article that you saw represented through drama components on stage; actors' use of techniques, combination of elements and conventions and use of technologies?

• What aspects of the article could you use as wider context in an exam setting or report?

As a group, present your main ideas back to the class. You could do this through a short presentation or a more casual discussion. Ensure that you take note of the work that other groups have done, that you might like to look into individually. Make sure all groups' work is saved in a central location for revision and report construction purposes.

CONCEPT MOOD BOARD

Choose a moment in the O Le Pepelo that you found particularly compelling. Create a physical or digital mood board around what you think the Director was trying to communicate to the audience through their creative choices. You can imagine what they might have been thinking, drawing on from research and how they might have directed the designers or actors to bring that moment to life. Your moodboard could include the following:

• Reference pictures you think might have inspired the scene

• Colour palette for the designer

• Research they might have drawn on

• What they might have said to the actors

• Sketches with annotations of how they have directed actors to use the space and interact with set/ staging

• Any other notes you imagine the director was thinking about, for example, highlighting symbols, imagery or motifs or building tension and contrast.

You may choose to use parts of this in your report or reference it during revision.

REFERENCES:

NCEA Literacy Planning Resources

Meet the Characters

Pili Sa¯ Tauileva¯

The Father

Semu Filipo

The venerable chief of the village of Moa, a formidable presence, has ascended to his position through relentless determination. He has forged a path for his family, prioritising his own ambitions above all else. However, as fate would have it, he now confronts the unavoidable duty of choosing his heir. Despite his bullish demeanour and unwavering resistance to change, he is confronted with the repercussions of his stubbornness.

Fa’asoa Sa¯ Tauileva¯ The Mother Aruna Po-Ching

Pili’s wife, esteemed in her own right within the village, serves as his greatest champion. As his primary confidante, she has consistently supported and guided him, upholding their family and the community’s traditions with unwavering devotion. Yet, her role as the voice of reason prompts her to question the sacrifices she makes, wondering at what personal cost.

Matagi Puifatu

Sa¯

Tauileva¯ The Son

Haanz Fa’avae-Jackson

Pili and Fa’asoa’s eldest son is driven by ambition yet burdened by a weak heart. He adheres strictly to the established order, convinced that steadfast adherence to tradition guarantees advancement. Remaining rooted in Sāmoa , he aspires to fortify the community by establishing a robust foundation, dedicating himself to the pursuit of self-reliance through the establishment of the chicken farm.

Vailoloto Sa¯ Tauileva¯ The Daughter

Ana Corbett

The sole and youngest daughter was sent to New Zealand at the tender age of 11, under the guardianship of Pili’s sister, to immerse herself in the intricacies of the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme. Despite the program’s intended benefits for both New Zealand and Sāmoa, her physical separation from her family required her to sacrifice closeness for the sake of their advancement.

Afinamumu¯ Puifatu

The Nofotane

Taofi Nehemia

The Nofotane, wife to Matagi, ceaselessly endeavours to elevate her husband to the summit. Endowed with a keen intellect and fiery spirit, she adeptly tries to steer both her husband and their status within the family hierarchy. Yet, she is constrained by the limitations of her position, and her unwavering dedication fails to secure her a place at the table.

Masina

Fa’asaogalemu¯ The Fai Ava¯ to be Andy Tilo-Faiaoga

Entering the family abode by way of Kilifi and his church, Masina is brought in to offer supplementary support. Without any apparent ancestral connections to the land, he arrives bearing a rich reservoir of traditional wisdom to bolster the household. However, as the play progresses, he finds himself unable to remain aloof, inevitably entwined in the unfolding action of the situation.

Kilifi Lili’avanu

The Minister

James Maeva

The newly arrived minister brings with him a fresh religious doctrine, aiming to propagate the teachings of his faith throughout the village. His ambition is to unify the scattered communities under one banner. By winning over figures like Pili, he endeavours to solidify his influence, leveraging the construction of a grand new church to bolster his position.

Vaofefe

The Village Vale

Jesme Fa’auuga

Tama’i Toea’ina The Kid

Referred to as the village idiot, he is a man without a fixed abode and without limitations. He assumes the role of the grand conductor, a chameleon of sorts, capable of revealing truths and observing all, yet seemingly lacking in power. Is he divine in nature or merely a passing enigma?

Known as “the little old man”, Tama'i is a seasoned soul; though young in age, he has been summoned from the outback to serve within Pili’s household. As the kitchen worker, he holds a unique privilege, freely traversing the levels of the house. With steadfast dedication, he works tirelessly and without complaint, faithfully adhering to the natural order of life, never wavering in his commitment, nor questioning its path.

Villa Junior Lemanu

Education Activities

Actor's Choices

When you are thinking about an actor's performance to write about in an exam or report setting, you will want to build a comprehensive profile of how they used their body, voice, movement and use of space. Details about motivation, ideas or symbols they highlighted and moments of subtext that pointed to themes or relationship dynamics. You will want to link these details to specific moments in the performance, describing what was happening on stage and linking to big ideas and wider context.

These activities will enable you to build a kētē of information about characters you found compelling or who were integral to the narrative:

The characters within O Le Pepelo are interconnected by their relationship to the family. You will need to explore the position in the family, the way that impacts their individual narratives, relationships and tensions. It will also be important to consider whether the character represents choosing to stay or to leave, upholding tradition or meeting the rising tide of the modern world.It is important to understand why the character is behaving the way they are, what has happened for them prior to the play beginning that makes them who they are and what they are communicating to the audience.

CHARACTER MAP

The family dynamics and character relationships are integral to the story being told in O Le Pepelo. In order to understand each character’s purpose within the wider narrative it is important to map how they are connected and delve into what motivates them. Using information above in the “Meet the characters” section of this education pack, including the photographs complete the following activity:

• Draw a family tree - you could pull the images directly from the pack to create a physical or digital version. Yours or your group's version of the family tree should make sense to you and can look different from your peers.

• Annotate their position in the family, their ties and relationship to Samoa, whether that has been influenced by leaving or by outside ideas, such as religion

• Outline the key relationships and hierarchy within the family

• Annotate what the characters think of each other, include how the characters contrast, the tensions of the relationships

• Add key quotes for each character

• Come up with a key sentence which captures each character's purpose in the story being told.

Reflection question: As you constructed the character map, did you find out new information or come up with interesting new ideas to explore? Discuss this as a class with your teacher.

READING AND REFLECTING ON CHARACTER

Choose one character that you found particularly compelling. (Your teacher might like to ensure that within your class you are covering all the characters in the play.) Research and explore that character using the information available to you in this pack, through ATC’s social media channels, newspaper articles or Youtube clips Auckland Theatre Company - YouTube.

If you’re looking at Pili Sā Tauilevā, you might like to reference Semu Filipo’s Podcast Interview here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/ 0gJVtfYbHY8RW4V7LQzZWf?si=UPK fH2-fSgyfvS3efKqv_Q

Build a character revision profile for the character you have chosen based around the following framework:

• Character name, age, physical attributes

• Purpose in the narrative being explored on stage

• Were they born in Samoa, New Zealand born Samoan or have they left Samoa for part of their

life, how does this impact the way they see the world? How does this impact their motivations and relationships within the performance?

• Reflect on the type of language they used, were they speaking in Samoan or English? Did the dialogue feel epic or natural? Were there aspects of poetry in how they spoke and how does this impact the way you understand the character?

• Describe a moment that was important to that characters story on stage

• Explain how the actor used techniques; voice, body, movement and space in that moment to bring the character to life

• Pull out quotes and important ideas from the education pack, including interviews

• Add ideas from your own research, including what you have been able to find in the media

• Add quotes from the performance that you feel are important to this character, demonstrate motivation or tension or from moments that drove the story forward.

• Read the article from The Post with Semu Filipo via this link The Liar, the Thief and the Coward: Exploring Fa’a Samoa, the Samoan way | The Post

• Think about how this question posed in an article affects the character you have chosen to profile: “Can Fa’a Samoa and Western ways of living walk hand in hand? Do we sacrifice tradition to modernism?”

Add your ideas to your profile.

Extension activity: Share your character profile with the rest of the class. You may choose to cluster with other students who have done the same character and add information. You may also like to upload your profiles to a shared space for report writing or revision purposes.

NARRATIVE MAPPING

Split the class into groups, one for each character. On large pieces of craft paper create a timeline of key moments in the narrative that impact that character. (Note: not every moment has to be covered, only the important ones that move that character’s story forward.) For each of the moments plotted out on the timeline, add the following details and annotations:

• Is your character the focus of this moment or are they observing or focusing on another character?

• The tensions happening between characters in that moment.

• Important lines of dialogue, including annotations around subtext (what isn’t being said but conveyed?)

• How the actor was using techniques; voice, body, movement and space in that moment.

• Short paragraphs about how this moment impacts relationships and the story going forward.

• A sketch with annotations about what is happening physically on stage.

• Links to wider context; such as research, information from this pack or media articles.

Once complete, share your timelines with the rest of the class and discuss, adding more details. Save in a shared space so you can access the information when it comes to constructing your report or revising for your exam.

Set Design

Track the evolution of the set design by Mark McEntyre and Tony De Goldi.

Sketching

Initial drawings:

Model Box:

Set Timelapse | O le Pepelo, le Gaoi, ma le Pala’ai | The Liar, the Thief, and the Coward

CAD Render:

Costume Design

In their own words…

Read Cara Louise Waretini’s approach to costume design in O le Pepelo (as told to Sam Phillips).

Kia ora, I'm Cara Louise Waretini and I'm a costume designer for theatre and film. I’ve costume designed O le Pepelo for both seasons (Poneke, 2023 and Tāmaki Makaurau, 2024).

I’m from the world of Te Ao Maori, so to be designing for the Sāmoan culture was quite overwhelming to begin with. I was careful to not do anything tapu. I asked, is this respectful? Am I allowed? It’s been a really great opportunity to do it again, to begin with what I started with, and build extra layers on top of it, really flesh it out, and give it more grandeur.

In my design process, I like to start with talking. It's great to hear from the director and all the designers. About their direction, where they’re seeing lightness and darkness in their designs. But mostly I research, research, research. I grab hold of keywords that sing out to me. So, for O le Pepelo the design is kind of period, kind of vintage. Kind of traditional and a bit modern.

I latched onto period elements because I know historical costumes.

I used traditional costumes as the first building block. Then I asked, what are the crossovers in costume and clothing between the traditional ways, and the colonialism that happened in the country? I asked, where is their overlap? Where can we mix them together? And I found a design language there.

I always really like it when people don't necessarily notice the costumes. I want people to take in the whole world, and not focus on particular elements. So, I would hope that people see the world that I am building with the rest of the designers.

I am particular about the shows that I work on. If I have any opportunity to raise the mana of brown people, because I'm a brown person. I'm interested in giving platforms to people and stories that you may not necessarily get access to and making sure that they are as accessible to as many people as possible.

I buy into “who you're working with, why you're working, and what you're working with”. As long as you have that solid foundation, then it's easy to make things work. Enjoy it while you're doing it; it's for a good reason and a good cause. Get those brown voices out there. Love it.

CARA’S TOP TIP FOR EMERGING COSTUME DESIGNERS

Don't be afraid to ruin some fabric. Find a beautiful piece of fabric and a clothing item you like, and don't be precious, just cut into it. Then learn how to fix it next time and learn a lot from your mistakes. Get second hand clothes, take them apart, put them back together. Form them on people you know, put them on different body shapes, make them fit. You're your own mannequin.

Learn more about Cara; watch the free 10 minute documentary available to view for free on Ahi Kā, until 28 May 2024 https://www. moananui-kiamaufestival.org/film/ ahi-ka-tuarua-cara-louise-waretini/

Lighting Design

In their own words…

Read Jennifer Lal’s approach to lighting design in O le Pepelo (as told to Sam Phillips).

O le Pepelo is epic. It's an epic script that requires a dramatic response to it. As a lighting designer, I follow a few different paths in the script and in the project.

The story is set in Sāmoa on an island. The play is on an architecturally sculpted space, so there's a lot of room to play. There's a lot of levels in the set, and a lot of characters with different statuses in their community. The play follows a lot of people; from the people who just keep the fire going all the way to the people fighting to pass on the Sā Tauilevā family name.

The actors are playing huge characters. They speak massive sentences that contain a huge amount of poetry and humanity. And it’s funny! So we need to support the jokes in the play.

I try to follow all those paths. And it’s my job to provide striking imagery to match the epic storytelling, the huge characters, and the beautiful language.

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In my design process, I work off the script, off what the actors are doing, and off what the other designers have brought to the process. My process this time has been a bit different, because the set and the costumes have already been designed. But Karnan Saba, the sound designer is shifting to match the new theatre, and I can work with him and the director to shift and adapt.

Lighting is important because it supports the dramaturgy, so people pay attention to certain moments. And I use lighting to change spaces so it correlates with the tone and world of the script. Keep an eye on the apron, and notice when characters come downstage and the dialogue that they’re saying. Then notice how they’re lit.

In O le Pepelo, I’ve used lighting to create image structure. Lighting is all about the use of darkness, the dark. the shadows, the half-light. I’m using lighting to ask people to look at what's happening in the shadows.

Who is conniving in the shadows, or just out of the light? When do actors move in and out of light? I’m using silhouettes and side lights to create and then shift dimensions.

There’s magic realism in the show. Tama’i Toea’ina’s best friend is a turtle, and I can use lighting to turn the stage space into the ocean.

We looked at the way Caravaggio uses light to make a moment epic. In Caravaggio’s paintings there’s a particular colour set, and he uses beams of lighting to create epic snapshots. You see beams of light used in video games too. In O le Pepelo, you’ll see sharp beams of light can bounce back to create epic images that are timeless or are time immemorial.

JEN’S TOP TIP FOR EMERGING LIGHTING DESIGNERS

I would reach out to your school, your drama program, or your local theatre. Get in there, use your voice, and say “I want to be part of this”. Start as a lighting operator, so you can learn about which cues to use and where, and you’ll learn the way things are done. You’ll learn by watching and you’ll learn by doing.

Education Activities Designer's Choices

When we are thinking about the design or technological elements of a show, we need to explore how this supports the story being told, heightens atmosphere and tension or creates mood. O le Pepelo tells a story of politics, power and tradition, therefore, the design and set need to be multifunctional and play an integral part in communicating the narrative. Keni and So created a vivid world for the designers to work from. This section will support you to explore the design choices made and what they communicate to the audience. Whether you are doing Level One or Levels Two/Three, you are encouraged to complete the activities in this section.

SKETCHING AND ANNOTATING COMPELLING TECHNOLOGY

The design choices in O le Pepelo were highly symbolic and each designer has taken the director's concept and fleshed this out through design to bring the world to life on stage. Choose a technology that you found particularly compelling and construct a detailed sketch. Annotate the following:

• Choose one moment where this technology was used in a surprising or interesting way, describe that moment in detail.

• Explain why you found it compelling.

• Add in details from the education pack, referencing the designers notes.

• Research and add notes around any culturally significant components. Why were they important to the story, in particular this specific use of technology?

• Add details about how other technologies interacted with the one you are focussing on.

• Add quotes from characters that you think are significant.

EXPLORING CULTURAL ELEMENTS THROUGH DESIGN

The play examines the influence of Fa'a Samoa (the Samoan way) on the lives of the characters within the play. This is aptly reflected in all the design choices made by the director and designer. Read through the interviews from the designers and look at the imagery included in the pack. Create notes, sketches or collect imagery around the following ideas:

• Pull out quotes from the interviews that highlight cultural design elements and make notes about why this is important to the story being told.

• Sketch the design elements and annotate important details.

• Add notes about what this represents thematically or symbolically in the performance.

• Is there a clash between contemporary design and cultural elements in the design? What impact does this have from an audience point of view?

• Which elements were incorporated to explicitly reflect Fa’a Samoa?

• What questions do you have? Where can you go to research the answer? Who can you ask or talk to?

THE BIG MOMENTS REPRESENTED THROUGH DESIGN

Fill in the table below for all the big moments of the performance, with an explicit focus on the way design and use of technology moved the story forward. Note: You could reference the timeline you made in the ‘character’ section of this pack for this activity and tie them together.

Your big moments may differ from what your peers/classmates choose to include. This table should reflect your individual understanding and experience of the performance as a member of the audience.

Moment Technologies used

Describe a big moment in detail.

Explain in detail what technologies were used.

Small Sketch

Draw a small sketch to remind you of the moment.

Cultural elements

Notes about culturally significant elements of design. What did they represent or symbolise?

Notes from the Designer

Any relevant quotes from the designers' interviews.

Education Activities Pacific Performance Practices

and Traditions

In the new NCEA drama matrix there is a piece of significant learning that asks students to: “understand Aotearoa New Zealand as a Pacific nation, and that there are Pacific performance practices and traditions that have travelled here.” This section of the pack will support you to think deeply about how O Le Pepelo draws on a rich legacy of pacific theatre playwrights, directors and actors. It tells a unique story of family traditions, preservation of traditional cultural values and how this can be out of step with modern ideas. Like work that has gone before, this play pulls on some of the same dramatic features that have enabled pacific artists to carve out space for their voice.

In the pre show pack pacific performance traditions and features were listed so that you could look out for examples as you watched the performance. Looking at the list now that you have viewed the performance, it is time to unpack what you saw and why it was important to the story being told.

The play explores the way of Fa’a Samoa (Samoan way) in the modern world. As a class look at the ideas listed below and think about how these features of performance were reflected in this play. To deepen your discussion you may want to think about other plays you have studied or seen that are based around pacific stories. How do they differ from O Le Pepelo? How is your experience enriched by seeing different types of stories being brought to life on stage?

Split into groups and focus on a particular idea or performance feature, making notes in the way you express yourselves the best (voice notes, sketches, mood boards, writing) and be prepared to share back with the class. Your teacher may also choose to unpack different ideas with you.

• Family traditions and preservation of traditional values - you will want to think about, research and discuss the power vacuum being created by Pili’s approaching death and his refusal to choose a successor. How living in Aotearoa and western ideas have impacted the way some characters think, feel and act. What is lost or gained when western ideas encroach on traditional ways of living and being?

• Social differences in language use and style - you will want to discuss and explore the use of language in the performance. What impact the use of Samoan language and subtitles had on your experience of the performance? Why did the playwrights structure the play this way? Think about the type of language and style of speaking each actor used and why that was important to the way the audience understood that character. The impact that big, impactful dialogue and poetry had on you as an audience member and on the story being told.

• Developing national identity, cultural identity and individual identity - you will want to think about how national, cultural and individual identity was developed by the characters in the performance and why that was important to the story being

told? How does this impact you as a member of the audience? Why is it important to see stories that explore identity from different perspectives? How is the way national, cultural and individual identity represented in this play different to other plays of the same genre? Why is that important? You could explore the idea of Mana Moana - “all individuals are connected, just as all peoples are connected by the largest ocean in the world.”

(Working Together: Cultural Practice in the Theatre Space by Nathan Hoturoa Gray)

• The use of song and dance - Go through the performance and think about how cultural song and dance was used to enhance the story being told. How it contributed to your understanding of the characters and their purpose within the story being told. How this was enhanced by use of technology. The cultural significance of the songs and dance that were included. Research will be integral to your understanding. You might also consider pacific performance traditions interwoven or highlighted by theatre trends in the western world when thinking about the use of song and dance.

There is a good conversation on the use of contemporary movement in O le Pepelo in the “Sunday Forum” episode of ATC’s “Backstage Story” podcast.

• Changing social perspectives

- In interviews Semu Filipo has discussed the idea of the production exploring ‘the tensions between those who remain in Samoa and those who choose to leave, offering insights into the evolving dynamics of the community’ (Indigenous theatre thriving in Aotearoa). You will want to explore this idea in detail, as you think about the tension between tradition and the way traditions evolve as the world changes. How does this impact each of the characters, their position in the family and the wider story.

• Place and time reflects a moment in history - you will want to discuss how a sense of place and time was constructed through the use of technology, characterisation and dialogue. How this relates to the world today and how it might have challenged the audience. You could include your own perspective as an audience member.

• Realism and how it has been manipulated or heightened to communicate a message - You will want to think about moments of realism throughout the performance and how they have been heightened or manipulated, for example, the use of poetry within the dialogue or the way the set was constructed to represent

the world of the play, the use of lighting to create light and dark or enhance themes or the use of sound to heighten moments of tension and contrast. You will want to think about the drama components; techniques, elements, conventions and technologies and how these work in conjunction to communicate a message.

• Exploring tragedy through comedy and satire - Think about how the director and designers have explored moments of tragedy through a comedic or satirical lens. How does the use of humour and satire enhance or highlight moments of tragedy? Choose specific moments and discuss how actors used techniques in this moment and why it was important to the story being told.

PACIFIC VALUES

FRAMEWORK IN O LE PEPELO

The Pacific Values Framework is drawn from the refresh of NCEA Level One. It is designed to be “inclusive and relevant to Pacific learners and contexts” and aims to “incorporate Pacific knowledge, languages, cultures, and identities as inherently valuable to teaching and learning.”

The five values are Alofa, Kuleana, Vaka, Vā and Fonua. For this activity your teacher will need to go through each of the values with you, using the information via this link: Pacific Values Framework – Delivering for Pacific Learners and Contexts | NCEA.

Activity: Using the descriptions of the five values from the NCEA website here: Pacific Values Framework – Delivering for Pacific Learners and Contexts | NCEA and how they might appear in the arts by looking at the Arts section via this link: Pacific Values Learning Area Guide. Discuss how these values could be applied or examples of how they appear in the performance of O le Pepelo.

• For each value find an example of how this is expressed either in the rehearsal room or in the performance. You will want to draw from the interviews and information in the pack to flesh out your ideas.

• Think about the impact these examples have on you as a member of the audience. How has exploring these values helped to widen your world view or deepen your understanding of the world of the play?

• As a group choose one value to explore in depth and choose a sentence out of the definitions that could be your research topic. You could construct a performance, write a short essay or do a presentation about what you have learned. For example; exploring the idea of Vaka and thinking about how O le Pepelo helps you to “understand who and where we come from in order to inform how we move today to influence tomorrow.” You could bring this to life as a short devised performance, drawing on moments that inspired you in the performance.

REFERENCES

Pacific Values Framework –Delivering for Pacific Learners and Contexts | NCEA

03: Working Together: Cultural Practice in the Theatrespace | Playmarket

Te Ao - Maori News: https://www. teaonews.co.nz/

Education Activities

O Le Pepelo and Level One NCEA

“Drama transforms the tangible into the intangible.”

This section of the education pack is designed to support Level One drama students navigate the new Level One external Achievement Standard 91943 - Respond to a drama performance. Unlike like the Level Two and Three external standards, which are an exam, you will be constructing a report, over a period of time in class and it will be based around three key aspects;

• key message of the performance, the use of drama components and your own personal response to the performance, capturing the wairua (spirit) of what you watched.

This report can either be verbal or written, or a mixture of boththe main question you should ask yourself as a student is; how do I communicate my ideas, thoughts, and feelings about what I saw, the best? With that in mind, you are encouraged to collect your thoughts,

discussions and do your research in a range of formats. Such as; voice notes, sketches and annotations, brainstorms, moodboards, recorded physical responses and writing.

Below are three activities to support you to expand your ideas and support you during the teaching and learning phase of unpacking the performance.

KEY MESSAGE

In pairs, small groups or as a whole class, discuss and brainstorm the following prompts:

• What do you think the playwright was trying to say? Why this story? Why these characters? Why this period of time?

• What do you think the director was trying to communicate through the choices they made? How does this connect with what the playwright has written?

• What do the characters in the performance represent and what do they communicate to the audience?

• What do you think the designers are trying to communicate through their choices? How does this bring the playwright's ideas to life?

Once you have brainstormed around these questions, you could journal, voice note or record thoughts around the following questions:

• How do you identify the key message of a performance?

• Can there be multiple key messages?

• Think about your interpretation of the performance - what was the key message to you?

• What physical evidence from the performance connects to the key message? This could be a scene, a moment between characters, dialogue, a moment where the use of technology highlighted an idea.

• Describe these examples and sketch them in specific detail.

USE OF DRAMA COMPONENTS:

Drama components are techniques, elements, conventions and technologies. Make sure you have explored this language and terminology with your teacher.

Now that you have fleshed out what the key message might be, you need to connect it with the choices that the director, designers and actors have made and how they have used the drama components in combination.

Brainstorm in small groups, or in pairs:

• How an actor used drama techniques in a moment that communicated the key message

• How elements created a sense of mood, atmosphere or tension

• How conventions were used throughout the performance

• How technology enhanced the story being told

WAIRUA OF PERFORMANCE AND PERSONAL RESPONSE:

In the unpacking on the NCEA website for this standard, this aspect of the assessment is unpacked in detail. Your teacher will support you in understanding this and guide you to explore, research and develop your ideas. They will unpack ‘wairua of performance’ with you in a deeper manner than what is covered in this pack.

“The wairua of the performance is experienced as the intangible energetic and emotive qualities that carry the spirit and intention of the play. How the wairua is expressed by the performers provokes a response from the audience and allows them to reflect on the ideas and themes of the play based on their own life experiences and perspectives.”

- 1.4 - Unpacking

• What thoughts, ideas and feelings did the performers provoke in you?

• What have you reflected upon since watching the performance?

• What have you been thinking about (head) and feeling (heart) since?

• What did your gut/sense of intuition communicate to you as you watched the performance?

• What life experiences or perspectives do you bring? What connections did you make?

REFERENCES

Drama | NCEA

Level One External Specifications

Level Two and Three Revision Questions

If you are a Year 12 and 13 student who attended the production of O Le Pepelo you will likely have had your Live Performance exam in mind as you watched the performance. You are encouraged to look at the questions written for Year 11/Level One students in the previous section and the activities connected to Theatre Aotearoa. Having discussions around theatre’s ability to heal, educate, entertain and/or transform can deepen or widen your point of view. With this in mind, the questions below will support you to revise for your exam at the end of the year but will also enrich your thoughts, feelings and ideas about the performance of O Le Pepelo and may expand your own work that you develop in the classroom. You are encouraged to explore the questions both individually and with your peers.

Note: When answering the following question you will want to find and provide physical examples from the production. A physical example is when you describe, with specificity, what is happening on stage at the time. Get down to specific detail, for example, explaining how the actor/ performer is standing or moving, how far away from the audience they are, what is happening with technology, where exactly they are in space, etc. The more detail, the better!

DRAMA TECHNIQUES: BODY, VOICE, MOVEMENT AND SPACE:

• Describe how an actor, who you found interesting or compelling, used drama techniques in a specific moment in the performance.

• Describe how two actors used proximity during a moment of tension.

• Discuss how an actor uses drama techniques during a solo moment on stage. What were they aiming to communicate? What did you understand at that moment?

• Explain another actor’s use of drama techniques and how they created a sense of authenticity within the performance.

• Choose specific moments where you felt the actor used their body, voice, movement, and space in combination to create impact, focus, or to support an important idea.

• Discuss why you think authenticity is important in a contemporary New Zealand performance

• How did an actor use drama techniques to communicate subtext in their performance? Use a specific moment and example to discuss this use of subtext.

• Discuss what you found compelling about an actor’s use of drama techniques in the performance. Choose a specific moment to focus on.

CHARACTER:

• Discuss what the character communicated to the audience; how did the actor portray them? Plot their character arc and describe how he uses techniques to communicate this.

• Discuss the purpose of the characters:

• What impact do they have on the narrative, as well as the audience and actors' relationship?

• How does the actor's use of techniques communicate their purpose in the performance?

• Thinking about how the characters were represented in the story - were they born in Samoa or Aotearoa born Samoan, or had they been influenced by their time spent in Aotearoa?

• How did the actor use techniques to create a sense of time and place?

• How did the actor use techniques to communicate the characters' history?

• How did the actor use techniques to communicate the characters' world view and what they were influenced by?

• Explore the idea of ensemble: what purpose does representing a family unit and outsiders encroaching on this family serve in the narrative?

DIRECTOR/DESIGNER CONCEPT:

• Discuss how technology or design was used during a climatic moment in the performance? What do you think was at stake within the scene?

• Discuss the purpose of the performance and how the themes or ideas link to what is happening in the world; socially, politically or historically. Link your ideas to specific moments or examples from the performance.

• How did the way the performance was realised impact the style of delivery of the narrative/story?

• How does the content of the play challenge and serve the audience?

• Discuss how the director brought the story to life using Drama Components - Elements, Conventions, Techniques and Technologies.

• What do you think Natano Keni is asking you to think about in the way he has directed O Le Pepelo?

• How did the acting and staging choices affect you as an audience member?

• What was the impact of the way the design, directorial, and acting choices worked together? Choose a moment that surprised, shocked, or excited you to talk about.

• Discuss why the use of sound and lighting design was integral to this performance? Focus on the mood created by sound choices, use of colour and the shapes created by the angles or composition of lighting.

DRAMA CONVENTIONSSTRATEGIES ESTABLISHED TO MAKE MEANING AND CONNECT TO WIDER CONTEXT:

(NB - make sure you are familiar with what the established Drama Conventions are by discussing this with your teacher)

• Identify a moment in the performance where Drama Conventions were used to create focus, mood or atmosphere:

• Explain how the convention or combination of conventions were used in the performance

• Discuss the impact of the use of the convention or combination of conventions in this moment

• Discuss how meaning was created for you, as an audience member, in this moment

• Discuss how the use of a convention or combination of conventions in a specific moment helped you think about the big ideas and themes of the play.

• What was the wider context (socially, historically, politically or geographically) that this moment linked to?

DRAMA ELEMENTS AND HOW THEY DRAW OUR ATTENTION TO THEMES, MOTIFS AND SYMBOLS:

• What were the main themes, questions and ideas evident in the performance? Link these themes, questions and ideas to specific moments or examples from the performance.

• How were design and directorial elements (props, setting, AV, costuming, audience positioning and interaction) and the Drama Elements used to build the performance? How did this make you feel as a member of the audience?

• Identify recurring cultural elements, symbols or motifs throughout the performance. Explain why they were important in helping you understand ideas being communicated in O Le Pepelo?

• How do these cultural elements, symbols or ideas link to the wider world of the play and what impact does this have on the audience?

• Were there moments where the content was confronting or forced you to think about something in a new light? What impact does this have on the audience and you as a member of the audience?

• Reference the wider reading around the Recognised Seasonal Employer Scheme and think about the impact this scheme has on the lives and arcs of the characters in the play.

TECHNOLOGY: LINK YOUR IDEAS TO SPECIFIC MOMENTS OR EXAMPLES IN THE PERFORMANCE.

Think about lighting, set, sound, props, costumes, make-up and how this helped bring you into the world of the play.

• How was technology used to create the atmosphere in the performance?

• How was technology used to highlight important ideas, themes and symbols in the performance?

• How was contrast and/or focus created or built through technology and why was this important?

• How did the use of technology help you gain a deeper understanding of the themes of O Le Pepelo?

• How did technology highlight Pili Sā Tauilevā within the performance?

• Discuss why this was impactful, exciting or challenged your expectations.

• How were costumes used to communicate the characters' purpose in the performance?

IMPORTANT NOTE:

When you are writing about Set or Costume, you need to be specific about the following details and also sketch what you see. Imagine the person you are writing for has not seen the production and create a vivid image in their mind of what you saw:

• For example: Set/Props

• The size, shape and dimensions of any set pieces or props used

• The materials used, their textures and the colours

REFERENCE:

NZQA Level Two Exam Specifications

NZQA Level Three Exam Specifications

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