Multi-award-winning Samoan Production 'Talofa Papa' Goes Digital
After delighting audiences at Measina Festival, NZ Fringe Festival, Kia Mau Festival, FRINGE WORLD Festival in Perth, Adelaide Fringe Festival and Basement Theatre in Auckland, Talofa Papa is returning to Wellington as part of the 2020 New Zealand Improv Festival.
For the first time, Talofa Papa will be hitting the stage and your screens at the same time, by live streaming the one-night-only, already sold out production, straight from BATS Theatre.
Written and performed by Kasiano Mita (Most Outstanding Performer, NZ Fringe 2018), Papa takes you on a journey with your grandparents in the comfort of your jandals. Expertly shaping the audience's story using Samoan culture, audience interaction and mischief, Papa takes you by the hand and transports you to a world of kindness and compassion.
Talofa Papa has been a crowd favourite in many festivals, with multiple sold out seasons, and has managed to scoop up four awards and three other nominations along the way. Mita was awarded “Most Outstanding Performer”, Talofa Papa was awarded the “Adelaide Fringe Tour Ready Award” and the production company, The Co – Lab, was awarded “Most Promising Emerging Company” at New Zealand Fringe Awards in 2018. Talofa Papa also won a Theatre Weekly Award at FRINGE WORLD Festival in Perth in February 2019.
Mita said “I wanted to create a universal piece of theatre with a Samoan edge that I could continue to develop and explore what family and identity mean to our audience. Now, more than ever, I think the world needs kindness, as well as a night to celebrate our loved one’s past, present and future.”
The Co – Lab are excited to be a part of the 2020 New Zealand Improv Festival programme. Producer, Vanessa Immink, is thrilled to bring the production back. “We can’t wait to bring Talofa Papa back, out of retirement to audiences in Wellington, as well as experimenting with the interactive show through a livestream with a potential global audience. This is a show that will keep on giving well after you’ve left the theatre (or closed your laptops down). It’s an incredibly potent piece of theatre, and Kasiano’s performance is a masterclass in clown characterisation”.
New Zealand Improv Festival Artistic Director, Jennifer O’Sullivan says “Talofa Papa joins New Zealand Improv Fest as a work not traditionally considered improv - but one that embraces spontaneity and highlights the huge crossovers between what we consider theatre vs improv. We're thrilled to host it for 2020!”
While the in person show on Thursday 8th October is already sold out, The Co – Lab, New Zealand Improv Festival and BATS Theatre have teamed up to create a high quality live stream option for audience members who were unable to purchase tickets in time, have access restrictions, do not live in Wellington, or are still cautious of leaving the house due to COVID-19. Tickets to the livestream are “pay what you can” starting at $5.
On the digital aspect of Talofa Papa, Immink, says “While at the start of COVID-19 I was initially hesitant around digital offerings, BATS Theatre have proven themselves as a leader in the livestream space for live performance in Aotearoa. I’m very excited to see how far Papa can reach across New Zealand and Te Moana-Nui-A-Kiwa with this initiative”.
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What: Talofa Papa (in person and livestream)
When: This Thursday 8th October, 8pm
Where: BATS Theatre & online
Price: From $5 onwards
In person tickets: Already sold out – can go on the waitlist by emailing BATS Theatre box office staff
Live stream tickets: Can be purchased at bats.co.nz - click here