He Reo Aroha: A universal theme to which everyone can relate

Performer Kali Kopae talks to drama on the waterfront about the return season of Tawata Productions' He Reo Aroha: its creation, its worldwide reception and the familiarity it inspires in all who see it.

DOTW: What is the basic story of He Reo Aroha? What role(s) do you play?

KK: He Reo Aroha is a simple love story …Girl meets Boy…they separate…and then lalala…they get back together. Set in NY and rural NZ, it’s a love story that resonates with all people.

I play Kaia a successful singer and also the loveable fisherman Rangi.

Kali Kopae and Jamie McCaskill in He Reo Aroha.

DOTW: Were you involved in the original development of the play? How did it come to be?

KK: It started as an idea over a few drinks at the Southern Cross. We chatted about what we wanted out of the show and basically just talked out ideas. It was a collaboration between writers Miria George and Jamie McCaskill; myself and Hone Kouka were really just a soundboard for the ideas coming out…we would say yay or neigh… Miria and Jamie would go away and do the real work of writing the piece and we’d wait in anticipation for a squiz at the next draft.

My original songs were put in, also waiata from Hone Hurihanganui. With each new season we would find out different things…you know…what worked and what didn’t…we talked amongst our selves and with the audience and changes were made accordingly, songs were cut, shuffled or added…scenes thrown out…characters flicked or freshened up….and now…phew… I think we have a pretty solid little piece of theatre.

DOTW: How many times have you performed this play? How does it feel to return to it again? What does this play mean to you?

KK: Jeepers…I have no idea, it’s been around for a few years now so I’d say I’ve preformed it A LOT!

This play is so special to me!!

1 - I get to work with my fiancé

2 - I get to play my own music

3 - I get to play a Man in a dress

4 - I get to travel the world and work with an amazing bunch of people, all thanks to Tawata!!

Kali Kopae and Jamie McCaskill in He Reo Aroha.

DOTW: I understand that you recently performed He Reo Aroha in the Christchurch Arts Festival with a different co-star – how did it feel to perform with someone else?

KK: You know to be honest it was hard but that’s only because I had to do some work, it wasn’t like being with Jamie where we know each others ways on stage…we can generally read each other and what one will do next but Christchurch wasn’t like that.

Christchurch was a different show…different in some beautiful ways…Musically we changed to suit Tola’s needs and mine, ya know, finding that sweet spot during Hapai …so I could meld with him…It was actually fun to have someone new to bounce things off, he freshened it up and made me work with him, in a good way.

There was a lot of cool stuff that came out of that season…some stuff I think Jamie and I can talk about in the future too.

Kali Kopae and Jamie McCaskill in He Reo Aroha.

DOTW: You’ve performed this play all over the world – how do international audiences react to it, compared to New Zealand audiences?

KK: I’ve found that no matter where we are in the world the reception is always the same: warm and inviting. He Reo Aroha has such a universal theme that everyone can relate to. No matter what ethnicity… Everyone has loved at some point whether it be your fiancé, Grandma…Home or just being on the Ocean. He Reo Aroha seems to have everyone’s favorite familiar family character, this familiarity is what I think our audiences love.


He Reo Aroha opens in Circa Two on Wednesday, 21 September and runs until Friday, 30 September. to book, call the Circa Box Office at 801-7992 or go online at www.circa.co.nz. 

The Circa Theatre Meetup Group

The Circa Theatre Meetup Group is Circa's official theatre club, started in July 2010 for people who love to attend the theatre but don't always have someone to go with or those who just want to have a great night out with a group of like-minded people. Free to join and open to anyone, the group is hosted by Circa's Audience Development Director or a member of the local theatre community and attends every production at Circa.

Members of the Circa Theatre Meetup Group at "Flapper Friday", The Great Gatsby,  6 August 2010

Often, the Meetup event is scheduled for opening night, so members can enjoy the first-night excitement of the show and attend the opening night after-party to enjoy a glass of bubbly and nibbles, and mingle with the cast, crew and other theatre VIPs. However, sometimes we will attend a regular season performance, meeting for dinner before the show and enjoying a Meet and Greet with the cast after the show, to get an exclusive insider's view of the production. On still other occasions, the Meetup Group will attend a special themed evening during the course of the production. Most events are scheduled during the first 11 days of the production so that those members who are also Friends of Circa may receive their ticket discount.

Members of the Circa Theatre Meetup Group at the opening night of The Lead Wait,  14 May 2011

The Circa Theatre Meetup Group provides its members with a number of benefits: ease of booking (members simply RSVP for the event they want to attend and then all of the details are arranged for them), reserved pre-show seating in the foyer, access to the group discount if the overall attendance numbers comply and the ability to bring guests (who will also receive the same benefits).

What the members say:
- "Great group, always enjoy the company at these sessions and the meet and greet the cast afterwards."
- "I got there early this time and what a difference it made! Was able to talk to people as they came in so it was a really good social occasion as well as a great show."
- "Interesting and fun folks."
- "Really friendly group and had a superb night. Was good to meet the cast afterwards and see how they felt about the show and the audience's reactions."

Members of the Circa Theatre Meetup Group during dinner at Wharfside Restaurant before attending
Four Flat Whites in Italy, 10 September 2011

The next Meetup event is scheduled for the opening night of He Reo Aroha on 21 September. (Spaces are limited.)

To join, visit www.meetup.com/CircaTheatre. Once a member, you will receive regular updates regarding upcoming events and other group-related information.

For more information, please contact Circa's Audience Development Director, Cara Hill, at carah@circa.co.nz.

I, George Nepia: "expect to cry, to laugh, to marvel at this great man"

Actor Jarod Rawiri talks to drama on the waterfront about the Tawata Productions world premiere of I, George Nepia, opening in Circa Two on 7 September.

DOTW: Can you tell us about the story of I, George Nepia? How familiar were you with this story before you started work on this play?

JR: It is a script inspired by an autobiography of the same name. Terry MacLean worked with George to write the story of George Nepia’s amazing life both on and off the field. Our play focuses on the Invincibles tour of 1924 when the All Blacks went to England, Wales, Ireland and France, winning every game they played. That’s 30 games in all. Amazing considering George played in all of them. I knew George was a legendary All Black but I knew none of the things that he accomplished and there was quite a list.

DOTW: What are the challenges/pressures in portraying such an iconic figure? What has been the best part of the process, for you?

JR: He is a legendary full stop so once I became comfortable with that it all kind of fell into place. He did so many things but maintained a humble, genuine way about him. As it is a solo show there are many challenges for an actor to overcome: multiple characters, the physicality of rugby and his prowess as a musician. That was the scariest thing for me. I started learning the guitar 2 weeks before we started rehearsal. I have to play it in the show. Hopefully I have passed.

DOTW: I understand family members of George Nepia are associated with this play; how did they help to shape the development of the play and your portrayal?

JR: There was no way that we could ever have tried to do this play without getting it right for his whanau first. That is how Hone Kouka approached the initial script idea. George Nepia Jr came to the first public reading and was very supportive of what Hone was trying to say about his koro. Once he knew that the whanau were supportive we set about bringing his script to life.

DOTW: What can you tell us about playwright Hone Kouka and director Jason Te Kare? What was it like working with each of them?

JR: I put it this way, they are my theatre whanau. Hone has been a big influence on me as an actor as well as a Maori actor. His writing always has an unassuming strength to it. It gently taps you on the shoulder and says, ‘What do you think about this?’, rather than bashing you on the head so you can’t help but listen. Jason is a big brother, who I looked up to and it is only natural that he is directing now. He takes it very seriously and has so much knowledge it’s a little scary. We are both G I boys too. Glen Innes for the uneducated. Ha ha.

DOTW: Finally, what can audiences expect from I, George Nepia?

JR: I have been asked this question before and my answer was this: expect to cry, to laugh, to marvel at this great man. He was a great rugby player but his greatest desire was to be a good father, a loving husband and to live a quiet simple life. I think you did that e koro. 


I, George Nepia runs until 16 September. To buy tickets, contact the Circa box office at 801-7992 or go online at www.circa.co.nz. 

Four Flat Whites in Italy: incisive insights and loads of laughs

Just before launching into his fifth performance as Adrian in Roger Hall’s Four Flat Whites in Italy, actor Stuart Devenie tells drama on the waterfront about how it feels to return to this audience favourite Hall comedy.

DOTW: What is the basic story of Four Flat Whites in Italy? What can you tell us about your character?

SD: Adrian and his wife, Alison, two librarians, are about to embark on their first overseas holiday for decades when their old friends are unexpectedly unable to go. Harry and Judy, two similarly aged but vastly different personalities become the reluctant travelling companions. Secrets, lies and old habits die hard as the hapless four attempt to negotiate Rome, Venice and Tuscany and have compromise forced upon them.

Adrian has led a regimented and frustrating life and his buttoned down view of life is sorely challenged by Harry and Judy. But as he says, “the holiday that didn’t go according to plan turned out better than either of us could have hoped for.”

DOTW: I understand that this is your fifth production of Four Flat Whites; what is it like to return to this production yet again? Does it change for you each time?

SD: I’ve performed Adrian in Auckland, Dunedin, Palmerston North, Napier, and now Wellington. The play always unfolds in a different way with new actors and directors and of course the different venues, and for this reason it remains fresh and enjoyable to work on. It’s been great re-connecting with Darien Takle, my first Alison in Auckland and Viv Bell who played Judy with me in Palmerston North. It’s also the first time I’ve worked with Ross Jolly in theatre. We did a lot of work together on television in the 70s and 80s, most notably, Gliding On and Market Forces. We’ve all had a lot of fun in rehearsal and I’m sure our audiences will as well.

DOTW: Nearly everyone on the cast (except Heather O’Carroll) has performed in this play before – was it challenging bringing together all the different experiences into one cohesive production?

SD: I think because of everyone’s familiarity with the piece it’s allowed us to explore lots of different options with the play. As we all understand the substance of the play we are free to hone the style specifically for the new space.

DOTW: Although you directed and starred in many productions in the original Harris Street building – including directing the very first production in that space, The Italian Straw Hat – this is your debut in Circa One. How does it feel to return to Circa after so long? How does the current building compare to the old?

SD: Well, it’s been a long time coming and I always love having an opportunity to be in Wellington for a while. The main difference between the buildings is that Circa is no longer performing theatre on a postage stamp and there are no decomposing pigeons in the air vent!

DOTW: Finally, getting back to Four Flat Whites in Italy, what can audiences expect from this production?

SD: As with all of Roger’s comedies, and this one has been his most popular, the audience can expect some incisive insights and loads of laughs. I’m looking forward to our opening night.


Four Flat Whites in Italy opens in Circa One on 3 September and runs until 7 October. To book, call the Circa Box Office at 801-7992 or go online at www.circa.co.nz.