Patua

Patua

Press Release

Fresh from one of New Zealand’s hottest Māori playwrights, Renae Maihi, comes PATUA, a brave new story about the death of a small child at the hands of her family.

PATUA is a verb that means to strike, hit, beat, kill, subdue, ill-treat. This story centres on baby Moni who has been beaten to within an inch of her life, a life that was wrought with poverty, desperation and broken hearts. But her cry for justice and love will not be unheeded when in a twist of fate, her unknown extended whānau discover the truth and bury her as the princess she should have been.

Following two vastly different whānau of the same whakapapa, but different tikanga, PATUA constantly asks the question “what happened to make them behave like that?” It’s a play that will provoke audiences to consider ‘nature over nurture’ and whether the wider historical and social issues facing Māori, have played a role in creating the abusers.

Writer/ Director Renae Maihi says that PATUA mirrors society but its enduring message is that when all is said and done, this must never happen again: “I am pleased to bring this important work to the stage. We’ve seen multiple cases of child abuse in New Zealand and though I am not saying it is specifically a Māori problem, it is undeniably so.

It is my belief that real change can only happen from the inside so as an "insider" ie. a Maori woman, I decided it was necessary for me to write this play because the children we have lost during my life time is unacceptable to me. Writing this play is my way of exploring some of the tough realities, examining the issues and history that has given birth to these tragedies and suggesting the importance of maintaining ones culture because this is not our way.” Before it has even hit the stage, PATUA is already scooping awards with Renae Maihi receiving Best Play by a Māori Playwright at the recent ADAM NZ Play Awards.

Featuring a stellar cast of superb talent, PATUA welcomes to the stage: William Davis, Stephen Butterworth, Aroha Hathaway, Maria Walker, Cian Elyse White, Vinnie Bennett, Mohi Critchley and introducting Ngahuia Piripi.

Full Press Release:

http://img.scoop.co.nz/media/pdfs/1305/PATUA_EPKV2.pdf

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