SolOTHELLO
Te Rēhia Theatre are joining the fun in Pōneke this Matariki at the AHI KAA FESTIVAL, bringing their new work SolOthello to the stage. This acclaimed show has been touring Marae, Theatre and Festivals (Hamilton Gardens Arts Festival and Tauranga Arts Festival) around the North Island in 2015.
Watch Māori Performance Mask (Te Mata Kokako o Rēhia) come to life as Regan Taylor unfolds an adaptation of the Shakespeare’s Othello as a solo performance. Set in Te Ao Māori, SolOTHELLO weaves together the original prose, modern English and Te Reo Māori to deliver a dynamic and cheeky interpretation of one of history’s more tragic plays.
SolOTHELLO is presented with support from the Theatre Arts Charitable Trust and in association with our friends at The British Council as we commemorate the Bard’s 400 year legacy.
SolOthello has been in development since late 2014 and was premiered at The Hamilton Arts Garden Festival to enthusiastic reviews in February 2015:
“He is a skilled performer in this art and makes the old tale fresh and relevant to this time and place. “
“In all it’s a risk that only a highly skilled and confident actor would take on and Taylor is both of those.” Theatreview, Gail Pittman, February 2015.
With the support of Creative New Zealand’s Maori Arts Touring Fund, SolOthello has subsequently visited Marae and theatres in Palmerston North and Hawkes Bay with the following response:
“Solothello is highly enjoyable and rewarding; a bravura performance from Taylor… grab the opportunity to go and see this production” Theatreview, Joy Green, August 2015.
THE CREW
Te Rēhia Theatre
(Production Company)
Mission “To honour, revitalise and transmit Te Ao Maori through theatre to Aotearoa and the world”
Te Rēhia Theatre Ltd was established in 2012 by Tainui Tukiwaho, Regan Taylor and Kayne Peters and is headed by experienced theatre practitioners Regan Taylor and Amber Curreen. Our focus is to develop and present professional Maori theatre of the highest production quality that promotes Te Ao Maori and develops Maori audiences both in Tāmaki Makaurau and regionally. We have been highly successful in developing and presenting works including “Te Awarua”, “Hoki Mai Tama Mā”, “SolOthello” and the annual regional Tours of “Ruia Te Kākano”. We have recieved funding from Creative NZ, Mā te reo and Auckland Council and partnered with a number of festivals and venues. In 2015 we launched the Marae tour of SolOthello and recently completed our Ruia Te Kākano: Hokia Ki Ngā Maunga tour which reached 8500 youth and included an acclaimed Auckland Live season at The Herald during Matariki.
Te Whakapapa o Te Mata Kokako o Rēhia: Background to the Māori Performance Mask
In drama school, Regan was exposed to Commedia del Arte masks and their form. He became so enthused by the masks that he asked himself the question; “What if these masks spoke te reo maori?” This initial idea then became “What if the walls of our Wharenui came to life and began to speak to us?”. In 2014 this became a reality as three masks were created for performance by artist Tristian Marler. The masks first appeared on stage in Tainui Tukiwaho’s “Hoki Mai Tama Ma” presented during In an Auckland Matariki season at the Mangere Arts Centre and the Herald Theatre as well as touring to Whangarei and Palmerston North.
GALLERY
REVIEWS
“He is a skilled performer in this art and makes the old tale fresh and relevant to this time and place. “
“In all it’s a risk that only a highly skilled and confident actor would take on and Taylor is both of those.”
Theatreview, Gail Pittman, February 2015.
With the support of Creative New Zealand’s Maori Arts Touring Fund, SolOthello has subsequently visited Marae and theatres in Palmerston North and Hawkes Bay with the following response:
“Solothello is highly enjoyable and rewarding; a bravura performance from Taylor… grab the opportunity to go and see this production” Theatreview, Joy Green, August 2015.