Grad Show 2019: Acting students perform ‘The Bacchae’ in te Reo Māori

In a world first, our graduating acting students will perform Euripides’ classic Greek tragedy The Bacchae, as a bilingual version in te Reo Māori and English.

Rehearsals… Click the pic to watch the promotional video

Directed by Ariana Williams, Teiaro Taikato and John Davies, Te Pakkhai confronts issues of power, revenge, sexism and the consequence of shunning divinity. It is set in the fictional land of Kiriki, a transliteration of Greece, where the characters from the play are recognisable as Māori but are performing a story from 3,000 years ago.

“The idea is that we take a Greek tragedy and we perform it in a Māori world with Māori language, Māori behaviour and Māori sensibility,” said John Davies, Senior Lecturer – Performing and Screen Arts, School of Creative Industries.

Designer Gavin McLean and Senior Lecturer and Director John Davies. Click on the pic to watch the show trailer

In the story of Te Pakkhai – a Pacific island that looks like Aotearoa – a young king is making a fool of himself. He locks up women who seek freedom to dance and sing, he mocks the prophet, he abuses his given power and is blind to his fate. His downfall is brutal, and tragedy bites deep to the bone.

Design and Costume Design students were directly involved in the production

Te Pakkhai features a stellar line-up of industry guests including Charles Te Ahukaramū Royal, who wrote the translation, artist Vicki Yiannoutsos, designer Gavin McLean, and master carver Guy Moana, who John Davies says brings to the stage set, “a commitment and authenticity that can’t be imagined or bought.”

“This ambitious, courageous and witty rendition of Euripides’ classic play is testimony to the fact that we aim to equip our graduates with a diverse set of skills to reach a contemporary audience,” said Dr Vanessa Byrnes, Head of the School of Creative Industries. “We aim for Unitec students to confidently work in multiple media and fields, and this exciting project enables a uniquely creative bicultural experience for all involved.”

The staff and student body includes sound artist Mike Vernon, stage manager Sean Randal and costume designer Erin O’Neill, who is overseeing our costume design students involved in the production.

“The acting students have shown outstanding commitment to embrace te Reo Māori and bring vitality and skill to the performance,” added John Davies.

Te Pakkhai runs from 8-16 November at the Unitec Theatre. Tickets are available from i-ticket.

Watch the show promotional video here which talks about the background to the project and the trailer here.