Indian
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Dedication: Su’a, Fuifuiomalo Pulefiu Danny Smith Life is imperfect. Its perfection lies in the frailties that come and allow us to feel what it is to be human. There is nothing sweeter. It derives from the bitter in moments such as this, the opening night of our first piece of writing for stage, where there will be someone very important missing. My Dad. I gave up on this project because a very large part of me died when he breathed his last. I imagined that holding his hand would somehow guide him back to us but it was time to go and he slipped away into that peaceful bliss. I held his hand just as I imagined he would have held mine when I arrived on Father’s Day, 1965. Thank you Chetan and Lee for helping me pick up and push through with the play. Dad would have wanted the same. Dad, I thank God for having had you in my life for allowing me to love you and most of all for loving me. I miss you every day and no longer hold fear for tomorrow because I know your open arms and precious smile wait for me. I hear your soft voice and pray that you hear mine when I say you achieved so much and that your happiness meant everything. I realize that even now your approval was so important to me. I hope you like the play Dad. Alofa tele
Eric (Aleti)
“Traditions. We make them.” Rakhi
It’s Significance A common thread (excuse the pun) between Samoan and Indian cultures has always been the importance of Family. Being the older brother in both our families, you can hopefully appreciate why the theme of Family and the concept of Raksha Bandhan and the Rakhi is important to both Eric and I. The Indian tradition of Raksha Bandhan is marked by the tying of a rakhi (holy thread), by the sister on the wrist of her brother (The tradition can extend to cousins and other relatives who see each other as brother and sister). The brother in return offers a gift to his sister and vows to look after her as she presents sweets to him. The rakhi is a holy thread, which symbolises the the sister’s love and prayers for her brother’s well-being, and the brother’s lifelong vow to protect her. Essentially the rakhi is a symbol of love and devotion. Of the stories / tales involving the origins of Raksha Bandan and the Rakhi, one of the most popular comes from the epic Mahabharat. Draupadi (wife of the Pandavas) once tore a strip of silk off her sari and tied it around Krishna’s wrist to staunch the bleeding from a battlefield wound. Krishna was touched by her action and declared her to be his sister, even though they were unrelated. He promised to repay the debt, and ended up doing so numerous times. In turn, Draupadi came to trust and depend on Krishna. Another popular background story involved a widowed queen, who upon facing an invading army, sent out a rakhi to an Emperor, seeking his help. The emperor, touched by her plight, and recognising the importance of the rakhi, agreed to come to her aid. I’ve been fortunate enough to be blessed with two awesome younger siblings. As much as I like to think it’s been Big Brother rules, the truth is that they’ve had just as much influence on me. And I’m definitely better for it. Hopefully one day I can repay the debt...
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“Traditions. We make them.” I Don’t Do Coconut a GreyView Production
What would you do for passion, for love, for fame? Twin brothers, Lagi and Fetu Tasi, live in the house left to them by their mother’s estranged brother. Fetu is struggling to “make ends” as a DJ. Lagi MCs for his best friend Rajesh Kumar (DJ Raxaas), who lives with his sister Nikita in a plush well appointed home. History does not allow for a relaxed coexistence in the Tasi household and forgiveness does not come easy where memory sustains and entrenches the simmering tensions between friends and family. While they go about living the tightrope that is their “va”, Lagi keeps one simple card close to his chest which, if played, could bring into question his integrity or prove to be the flash-point for Karma on an epic scale. When a famous rapper stages a DJ search in New Zealand to promote his movie, all bets are off. It’s a game changer for the entrants and the delicate checks and balances that have thus far allowed the boys and their friends to live their lives in a kind of peace. ~ Eric Smith
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Cast Of Samoan and Tokelauan decent, Semu Filipo is a Toi Whakaari : NZ Drama School graduate. Been in the game since 2005, Semu is an accomplished actor. Hailing from the ‘Vegas’, Semu couldn’t be where he is without his kids and his family. From ‘Grunter’ on Shortland St to ‘Jono’ looking after his drunken mates, Semu holds a stillness on stage that is a force to be reckoned with. Lee Ah Yen (Faatoia) is a Samoan/Chinese actor, martial artist, stunt man, model and father. He studied in Sydney and now pursues acting and martial arts in New Zealand. His ambition is to be this country’s first film star in the action & martial arts genre. South Auckland raised Lee is very passionate about film and theatre. He is driven to achieve by his children, family and future. Lee is a Mr. World NZ 2011 contestant visit: www.mrworldnz.com “I want to thank Eric and Chetan and the rest of the actors for giving this opportunity. I believe in this project and that this country has a lot to offer the world media industry. Strive to the end until you are dead”.
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Cast Kahurangi Carter is currently studying the Meisner Technique with Michael Saccente. She has been busy this year with theatre, short and feature films, including Thomas Sainsbury’s Maori Monologues ( for which she also wrote). As a member of the cast of the New Zealand film ‘Desired’, Directed by Amanda Phillips, Kahurangi attended the Cannes Film festival in May this year. She would like to take this opportunity to thank Eric and Chetan for their vision and having her on board and to Semu, Lee and Isaiah for being so much fun in rehearsals. She would also like to thank her husband Darcy, mother Robin and the whanau for looking after her babes. Isaiah Vaega’s acting experience has been mainly in film, a few as lead role. He also takes part in film production working in the areas of grip and lighting. He enjoys contact sports and working out which helps given his interest in stunt work. Currently Isaiah is studying Meisner technique and this is his first role in live theatre.
Director When asked by Eric and Chetan to be a part of this GreyView production, I was encouraged by their attitude to ‘just put this play up’ and not care about what people thought. This drive to tell a story after being pushed and prodded by those that said this is not the way to do it... Well guess what? This story is going to be told whether you like it or not. No one said it would be easy, nor did they say that things are done in a certain way because that’s just how you do things in this fickle industry. Yet in just 3 weeks of evening rehearsals, 3 weeks of connecting with these characters and trying to find what motivates and drives them, I think we can be proud of what we have all achieved. The story is universal. A story about friendship, brotherhood and household traditions. But sometimes traditions can be made from something beautiful, to something that shatters you to the very core of your being. Traditions, we make them. Have you ever felt for someone so much that you know deep down in your heart of hearts that you could not and should not have these feelings for them? And knowing what the ripple effect may do to those loved ones around you? If you answered yes, then let this performance take you back to that moment. Not to remind you of lost loves, but to enrich you to be loved or love once more with not only your heart, but with your whole being. For we live for these moments. We treasure these memories. The cast. You inspired me, moved me, pissed me off, and made me laugh, You are none but no other than who you are inside. Thank you. Chetan, your constant unending hard work has not gone unnoticed. Be blessed my brother. Eric, thank you for welcoming us into your family. For one is nothing without his fam-
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ily. Fa’afetai tele lava i lo aiga! Uso, I wish I could have met him... You took me on a roller coaster ride my uso and I thank you for that. Let’s do this again. To our partners that have endured with us on this journey, no words can express our gratitude. To my Little Spoon, Wonder Woman, and my Lil Superman, my life is none without you. So from me to you and you to yours, enjoy. ~ Semu Filipo
“Sometimes helping others, is helping yourself” - Batman
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GreyView Productions
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Writer I Don’t Do Coconut is a working title taken from a premise set to get a writing project off the ground. I managed to persuade my eventual writing partner, Chetan Patel, to pursue this creative process after landing an invite to sit in on a reading of Sandra Kailahi’s “On a Different Shelf”. Well 5 years later with ninety-nine percent of subsequent Saturdays dedicated to meeting as GreyView Productions we’ve finally arrived. It’s important to share my stories and ideas and whether that fleshes out as theatre or film is irrelevant only that it’s done and that I finish what I start. It’s been hard to grasp exactly how everything works (theatre and writing) but the resources are there to provide some insight and experience, although not all pleasant, it is nonetheless educational. It is here that I should pay particular “props” to David Mamea, Jenni Heka and all of our Bananaboat brothers and sisters, Katrina Chandra, James Wilson of Massive Company, Gerald Urquhart, Chris Molloy & co. who first pulled the GreyView world into this realm and the many practitioners we’ve been privileged to have had talk, instruct, advise and share with us. I will consider this a triumph in so far as the work is finally being staged and to that end will not sweat too much on feedback, opinion or review. The words of David Mamea will resound. Getting a group of people interested in giving selflessly of their time to a piece of writing and presenting the same is no small feat, thus I thank Semu, Lee, Kahurangi and Isaiah for agreeing to the crazy schedule and pray that your good will and spirit is revisited upon you and your loved ones ten-fold. Now is the time for the GreyView world to take form and shape to reveal the communities, individuals and wonder that it will allow to pour forth. I Don’t Do Coconut is not the story it was many years ago but the characters have remained. Like all things under the sun, this story is subject to the laws of nature, change has found it but not before it has taken some part of me and possibly those who have come into contact with it since I first posed the question to my (Indian) brother from another mother, why do you hardly see Indian and Samoan couples around? Wow! I’ve been part of an Indian Samoan coupling for the past 5 years. ~ Eric Smith
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Producer’s Notes A dream realised… This is GreyView’s first foray in theatre, and from the beginning, it’s been a great experience. Even though it sounds cliché, the journey has been a real rollercoaster - the ups and downs, twists and turns. And so while it hasn’t been easy, I think we’re a lot better off for it- especially in the satisfaction and appreciation of seeing IDDC up on stage. These characters have almost become like our friends- even like part of the family. To finally see these characters brought to life… I can’t really describe it… I guess the closest analogy I can give is when a parent finally sees their offspring head out into the real world… With the various reasons we decided to go with a low-tech version of IDDC, this has been a great opportunity to cut my teeth into the Producer role- especially working with a great team. One of the things I’ve loved about producing this project was taking the trip back to the 80’s. Even though I was still a kid back then, the era brings a lot of fond memories. I can only describe it as a nostalgic treasure hunt as we went looking for various elements of the 80’s like the school bags and the boom box. And there are a lot of aspects I like about a low-tech production. I’m not talking about the fact that it makes a producer’s job easier…no- there’s a greater appreciation for the story line and the characters; it gives a chance for the actors to shine- make them focus harder in their delivery and their performance. There’s something about getting back to basics… something about keeping it simple… Having said that, it’s important to remember that what you’re seeing is the tip of the iceberg- not just with future projects, but also the IDDC story itself. A lot of my favourite music is the kind that builds and gradually progresses as you add further elements and layers that bring an extra dimension. And a lot like that music, each of our productions will have something upon which we can look to add further layers and progress further. And so what you see here is just the beginning… This may be the closest I get to giving an Oscar speech… for the foreseeable future anyway… so I’d like to take this opportunity to personally acknowledge and give thanks to everybody. And I literally mean everybody. In some way you’ve all helped me to get where I am and who I am today. Thank you: To our awesome team- Isaiah, Kahu, Lee and Semu. Thanks for your amazing work in bringing the story from paper to stage, from concept to reality. You’ve done a great jobespecially in working to our madman’s schedule.
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BANANA BOAT is proud to support Greyview's I Don't Do Coconut What's Banana Boat? It's a loose bunch of Pasifika and Maori writers www.bananaboatnz.blogspot.com | bananaboatnz@gmail.com | David Mamea @ 021 668 346
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To our sponsors, for your invaluable support and giving two budding writers / artists the chance to realise their potential. To the theatre goers for taking the time (and ‘financial support’) to be a part of this. It goes without saying- but I’ll say it anyway- we couldn’t do what we do without you. I hope you find the experience enjoyable and worthwhile as we have. To the Banana Boat Crew- especially Jenni and David- thank you for guiding and supporting us when we were ‘noobs’ to the industry. Thank you Mum and Dad- you’ve always been there no matter what. Thank you for always being so supportive and encouraging- even though I decided to follow this path and not become a doctor or an engineer... Thank you to my family- grandparents, uncles, aunties, cousins- and friends. In particular I’d like thank my close friends and family who’ve always been so positive and encouraging about the decisions I’ve made- Devan, Pretesh, Rakhee, Sandeep, and SunitaI have and will always appreciate the support you’ve given throughout this journey... Don’t worry, I won’t forget you when I’m famous... On behalf of the crew, I’d like to thank all our loved ones who put up with our absence over the past few days- thank you for your patience and tolerance. And most importantly, a massive thanks to my Samoan brother and his long suffering wife (who’s always put up with our antics). Thank you, Mr Smith, for this opportunity, where otherwise I’d probably still be just a desk jockey living the sedentary life. Here’s to a life less ordinary… I appreciate the chance to realise the dream. You’ve done your friends and family- especially your Dad- proud. Thank you and well done my friend. ~ Chetan Patel
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“Traditions. We make them.” I Don’t Do Coconut Crew & Credits
Cast Lagi Tasi Rajesh Kumar Nikita Kumar Fetu Tasi
Semu Filipo Lee Ah Yen Kahurangi Carter Isaiah Vaega
Crew Director Semu Filipo Writer Eric Smith Producer Chetan Patel
DJ Raaxas Illustration by Pravee BANG Niamskul
Rajasekharan Vichattu AV Post Raj Lawrence Chandam Law
www.greyview.net www.greyvie
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