PACIFICA THE MUSICAL
The Civic - Auckland Live, Auckland
19/08/2022 - 28/08/2022
Production Details
Written and produced by Pak Peacocke
Featuring songs from artists including Hinewehi Mohi, Annie Crummer, Che Fu, Anika Moa, Hollie Smith, King Kapisi, Nesian Mystik, Brooke Fraser, P-Money, Stan Walker and Six60
Musical direction by Stan Walker and Jacob Nansen
Choreography by Hadleigh Pouesi
The producer of PACIFICA THE MUSICAL is proud to announce an all-star cast for this love story set in the South Pacific opening at the home of musicals, The Civic, in August.
New Zealand’s finest Pacifica music artists, Tik Tok stars, and multi-award winning voices will take audiences on a beautiful journey from Aotearoa to a mythical Pacific Island, performing a catalogue of our biggest pop songs ever from artists including Hinewehi Mohi, Annie Crummer, Che Fu, Anika Moa, Hollie Smith, King Kapisi, Nesian Mystik, Brooke Fraser, P-Money, Stan Walker and Six60.
This breakthrough production is a coming of age project for New Zealand creatives, transcending cultural shows to deliver a large-scale theatre show akin to musicals like Mamma Mia! and Priscilla Queen of the Desert, by telling stories through hits that have been a soundtrack to our lives.
Former Junior All Black and The Lion King star, Nick Afoa, will lead this extraordinary cast as vocal coach and will also perform the role of kaumatua – a nod to his stellar international career as Simba on stages in Australia, the West End and New Zealand.
In the lead role of Tanga, is Jerry-Moses Roebeck, an island reggae artist and Tik Tok influencer with some 10 million views, and musician who tours with international artists including Fia, Stan Walker, Sammy J and many more. He will alternate the role with Selevasio Tu’ima (Sio) from the Rangatahi band Tone6.
Alternating in the lead female role of Venus, the love interest of Tanga, will be award-winning performer and the Voice of the Pacific vocal artist, Irene Folau; and Ezra Williams – winner of Best Pacific Female Artist and Best Pacific Soul/R&B Artist at the Pacific Music Awards in 2019, dancer, and actress whose credits include Romeo & Juliet, Madagascar the Musical, The Little Shop of Horrors.
Performer La KoKo (aka Latoia Sasa-Tepania) will play one of the Aunties. She is a multi-nominated Pacific Music Awards artist and Waiata Maori Music Awards winner 2020, and Best Maori R&B Album and Best Pacific Soul/R&B Artist for her song Waiting. Joining her in Auntie duties is Anna Grahame, best known as a support artist for some of NZ’s most talented artists including Teeks, Tami Neilson and Lavina Williams, and for performing at major events including Coca Cola Christmas in the Park, The World Masters Games, Festival One and the Aotearoa Music Awards.
Among the posse is ANASETASIA, an emerging soul, R&B and pop singer-songwriter who released her first EP last December, 2 and has performed several times with her brother Moses Mackay (Sol3Mio, The Bachelor). Gibson “Gibz” Harris, third in TVNZ’s recent talent show 60 Seconds, joins the posse, as does Valerie Fasavalu, an R&B soul artist and backing vocalist for Tahuna Breaks and Sammy J; and Henry Auva’a and George Kaisala-Hadfield, making their theatre debut.
Musical direction is from Stan Walker and Teeks’ MD, Jacob Nansen, one of the most outstanding talents in contemporary New Zealand music. Dazzling and Pacifica inspired costumes are produced by film industry veteran Eithne Curran.
Choreography is by Hadleigh Pouesi, who over his 16-year career has excelled in hip hop/street dance. As well as his hip hop background, Hadleigh incorporates contemporary dance, siva Samoa, kapa haka and physical theatre in his works.
The story begins a long time ago when a curse falls upon an island community and its descendants after a young boy loses a taonga. Fast forward to modern Auckland where a young man is told the dark secret about his island’s past. Leaving behind the girl he is falling in love with, he goes on a journey to discover the truth about his heritage, and to confront the challenge of his identity and his past. His life is changed forever.
In the tradition of smash-hit jukebox musicals, PACIFICA THE MUSICAL’s score will take audiences on a magical journey, blending sounds and styles from around the Pacific, until what emerges is a cohesive sound of Aotearoa /New Zealand today.
PACIFICA THE MUSICAL is written and produced by entertainment industry producer Pak Peacocke, whose work has been with some of the world’s biggest artists including INXS, Talking Heads, Simple Minds, U2 and Elton John. Pak has produced many large scale events throughout his lifetime career in the entertainment business.
PACIFICA THE MUSICAL’s scenic designer is Delainy Kennedy, a multi-media artist who specialises in large scale architectural projection and multi-media installations of the highest calibre.
Be part of this history-making production. Celebrate our Pacific soul, creativity and flair. Tickets on sale today via Ticketmaster from just $49 *Plus service fees
The Civic, Auckland
19 – 28 August 2022
Tuesday 6:30pm | Wednesday – Friday 7:30pm |
Saturday 2:00pm & 7:30pm | Sunday 3pm
Price: From $49 *Plus service fees
Tickets: Ticketmaster
Musical , Theatre ,
Has the potential to be even better
Review by Fiona Collins 23rd Aug 2022
It is opening night. The Civic theatre is buzzing with the excitement and anticipation of audience members as they find seats and wrangle family, friends and supporters.
Pacifica The Musical is opened by the cast with a magnificent digital set – an absolute highlight – which is key in guiding the audience through the production with beautiful images of Pacific landscapes and ocean depths. Images are also used to time jump the show by passing through the decades, highlighting various historical and iconic moments and photographs.
Once the performers are on stage and the show starts in earnest, it is soon evident that there is an unevenness and imbalance that is present throughout the show. This does not come from lack of talent of creativity within the cast or crew – far from it.
The experience and talent from the likes of amazingly talented Hadleigh Pouesi and the beautiful and gifted presence of Nick Afoa, along with all the soloists and dancers on stage is electric. The joy and freedom with which they all attack the stage is exhilarating and the audience are thrilled with every song, every dance piece – calling out in support of whoever their people are on stage.
The imbalance within the cast comes from the obvious diversity in levels of training, experience, and professionalism. This is perfectly fine when a work is ‘in development’, but in fairness to the less experienced performers (and to the paying audience), this needs to be included in the programming and publicity.
As the performers dance throughout the Pacific using traditional movement and costuming, the inconsistency of training in this sphere is most noticeable.
It can become very problematic when traditional Pacific dance is mish-mashed into one big number – the integrity and mana of each culture is jeopardised and therefore the piece can feel token and insincere. If a choreography like this IS primarily for entertainment value, then at least have all the dancers moving with precision and innate knowledge of each movement, where it comes from and what it means within each culture.
The inclusion of a Kaumatua or Cultural Advisor on a creative team has become standard practise – perhaps this would give support to the production in terms of keeping the work and storytelling within the Pasifika realm.
It might also be helpful to have a dramaturg to feed into the script writing and just give advice in terms of building a strong narrative which in any work is vital, but especially in musical theatre where narrative needs to be in partnership with the music, song and dance.
The distinct lack of narrative is worsened by the inconsistency of the microphones – probably a good third of the dialogue is lost due to mics being off or the levels too low.
The band, whilst being musically wonderful, is too loud for at least 75% of the show, again, causing moments of storytelling and acting to be lost.
The singing and celebration of New Zealand Pasifika music is outstanding. However, the widely varied styles of singing give the production more of a concert feel as opposed to a musical.
Lighting-wise, there are rogue spotlights, missed lighting cues,and a myriad of other mishaps that again can be put down to lack of rehearsal or opening night jitters. It is just very unexpected in The Civic to be – at various points – straining to see the faces of actors, although that also can be put down to actors not knowing how to find their light.
In saying that, the moments when Tanga is in the ocean and the stage feels completely submerged, it is beautiful and mystical and here is one of the moments when the music and choreography (beautiful shapes!) and the cultural presence of Atua resonate.
It is important again to note, the singing is beautiful and confident. Separately, the band is strong and musically wonderful. Again, separately, most of the choreography is simply lyrical and well-executed. All the elements are there for a great work, but there is definite room for more rehearsal, and the development and execution of a stronger storyline.
The main example of this is the importance, mana and ceremony put on the Taonga at the start of the show, compared to the lack of mana with which it is treated, once found and brought back to present day.
ABSOLUTE HIGHLIGHT:
The two Pacific hymns sung in the curtain call. Just stunning. Spiritual. Real.
Everyone is seated on stage in strong formation; everyone is breathing all together as one; everyone is singing what they intrinsically know in their fibres as Pacific performers – lead by their own. There is no ‘showing’ – they just are.
The show is loved by their community, family and friends. Maybe that is enough.
Maybe. But when our Pasfika artists have the potential to be even better, to be on a par with other professional productions – e.g. Dawn Raids – wouldn’t we 100% strive for that?
Have a great rest of the season!
Ia manuia outou uma.
Malo lava le ogosa’i ma le tauivi.
Fa’afetai tele lava.
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Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer
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