Silo Theatre Unleashes An Epic Aotearoa Adventure These School Holidays

These July school holidays, Silo Theatre invites tamariki and their whānau on a theatrical adventure from the everyday into the extraordinary. Taniwha is an immersive new stage experience that blends puppetry, live music, diorama, and real-time videography to conjure up a vivid, technicolour world – full of mystery, courage and imagination. From the creators of Silo’s critically acclaimed and award-winning Peter and the Wolf, this is an audacious new work for people aged five and up.

On a bustling building site in a small Aotearoa town, the earth begins to rumble. Something ancient is stirring – huge blue mushrooms sprout from portaloo doors, and two shadowy developers are closing in. When young Mereana and her fearless band of buddies discover a taniwha has been disturbed by the new construction, they spring into action to protect it. But standing up for what’s right isn’t easy – and they’ll need all their creativity, courage, and teamwork to save their world.

Written and composed by Leon Radojkovic (Ngāpuhi, Dalmatian, Pākehā) and directed by Sophie Roberts, Taniwha draws on the anarchic spirit of 80s and 90s adventure flicks while echoing the fantastical world-building of Miyazaki (Studio Ghibli). The result is a genre-bending, multi-sensory spectacle where theatre, animation, and conscious storytelling meet — made especially for curious minds and courageous hearts.

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“Think of this as a wild, home-grown sequel to our adaptation of Peter and the Wolf,” says Roberts. “We’ve kept the same magic and immersive artistry, but this time we’re telling a story from Aotearoa. It’s playful, adventurous and grounded in something real: the importance of protecting our natural world, and also the importance of protecting young people’s imaginations.

Master puppet maker Jon Coddington (Peter and the Wolf, Indian Ink’s Paradise or the Impermanence of Ice Cream) returns to animate a unique cast of 2D puppets, joined by puppeteer Talia Pua who recently completed puppetry training in Indonesia. The storytelling unfolds in real time, projected onto a large screen as a live “film” is created before the audience’s eyes.

Lissy (Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Kahu) and Rudi (Ngāti Pāoa, Ngāruahine, Ngāti Makirangi, Ngāti Tu, Te Arawa) Robinson-Cole, known for their large-scale crochet installation Wharenui Harikoa, make their theatre debut by contributing a vibrant, joy-filled visual aesthetic to the set design, in collaboration with designer Daniel Williams. Lighting design by Rachel Marlow enhances the magic, while Dr Dan Hikuroa (Ngāti Maniapoto, Waikato-Tainui, Ngaati Whanaunga, Pākehā) provides mātauranga Māori and climate consultation.

A rotating cast of narrators bring the world to life, including beloved screen and stage performers Kura Forrester, Jarod Rawiri, Nī Dekkers-Reihana, and Nicola Kāwana, with more to be announced.

Accompanying the visual storytelling is an original score composed by Radojkovic and performed live. The band is led by Leon Radojkovic and features virtuosos from across disciplines and cultures: Peau Halapua (performed with L.A.B., TEEKS, Tami Neilson, Sol3Mio) on violin, Rebecca Zhang on yangqin (Chinese hammered dulcimer), and J.Y Lee (Yoko-Zuna) on flute. Together, they provide a rich, cinematic soundtrack to this live adventure.

At its heart, Taniwha is a celebration of kaitiakitanga, imagination, and the joy of unstructured adventure. With free take-home puppet kits available after each performance, Silo Theatre hopes to spark creativity that continues long after the lights come up.

“There’s something joyful and defiant about kids running wild, exploring bush tracks, noticing what’s alive around them,” says Radojkovic. “Taniwha celebrates that. It’s a love letter to the freedom of childhood – and to the magic and mana of our whenua.”

silotheatre.co.nz

TANIWHA
26 June – 13 July 2025
Presented in Partnership with Auckland Live
Herald Theatre, Aotea Centre
Run Time: 50 minutes
Recommended for ages 5+
Tickets and info: aucklandlive.co.nz

CREATIVE TEAM
Creation, Composition & Musical Direction: Leon Radojkovic
Direction: Sophie Roberts
Puppet Master: Jon Coddington
Set Design: Daniel Williams, Lissy & Rudi Robinson-Cole
Lighting Design: Rachel Marlow
Narrators: Nī Dekkers-Reihana, Kura Forrester, Nicola Kāwana, Jarod Rawiri & more
Puppeteers: Jon Coddington & Talia Pua
Band: Peau Halapua, Leon Radojkovic, J.Y Lee & Rebecca Zhang
Mātauranga Māori & Climate Consultation: Dr Dan Hikuroa

Commissioned by Silo Theatre with support from Creative New Zealand and Silo Theatre Patrons.

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