PAREKOTUKU MOORE in WHO DAT SHEILA?

Cavern Club, 22 Allen St, Te Aro, Wellington

15/05/2012 - 19/05/2012

NZ International Comedy Festival 2012

Production Details



“They say ‘you are what you eat’. Well then I must be the sexiest Peanut Slab out!”  

Wellington’s own Maori power feme comedienne. Described as a loud, proud Diva, sensual and witty.

A natural with characters aplenty in her repertoire with great takes on race relations, bodily mis- functions, Gastric Bypass surgery, Maori politics, Diva drama’s and growing up in working class State housing when it was flash! She premiered in 2011 documentary series “I know a Sheila Like that”, Maori Television.

“I’m an urban Maori, identified with this long before John Tamahere. I didn’t grow up riding bare back on a horse across whanau land. Grew up in a State House. We were flash, because we had a Beer Garden before they were known AND we had Venetian Blinds!”

Parekotuku is a larger than life Maori Wahine nestled in the big city lights of Wellington. By day Parekotuku is the National Director for Maori Development with Wellington Stopping Violence and by night a glamorous Comedienne Diva. Dedicated to the issue of domestic violence and bringing light to the issue but in contrast, a committed comedienne who believes that the funniest people are the ones who can laugh at themselves. 

As part of the NZ International Comedy Festival 2012 

PAREKOTUKU MOORE IN WHO DAT SHEILA?
WELLINGTON
Date: Tues 15 – Sat 19 May, 7pm
Venue: The Cavern Bar, 22 Allen Street,
Tickets: Adult $23/ Conc. $20/ Group $20
Bookings: 0800 TICKETEK www.ticketek.co.nz
Duration: 1 hour + 

For a full line up of performances, booking details & more information, visit www.comedyfestival.co.nz 




A class act

Review by Maraea Rakuraku 17th May 2012

I haven’t heard the description ‘shelia’ applied to females since I was a kid and even then it was very specific applied by my shearing gang relations to rousees. So, with a show titled Who Dat Shelia? I’m expecting that straight-up kind of roughneck talk. Of course I’m wrong.   Who Dat Shelia? is a play on the TV series I know a Shelia like that, that screened on Maori Television last year profiling wāhine Māori of which Parekotuku Moore was one. 

When the Sheila, aka Parekotuku Moore, comes on stage it doesn’t take me long to figure out I am witnessing the antithesis to shearing shed banter. For one thing there’s the voice: beautiful, lulling waves caressing a shoreline doesn’t do it justice.  Seriously, she has a criminally lovely sounding voice.  Cue bluebirds singing.

Then there’s her overall gorgeousness which – combined with the nerves, that don’t really ease until three quarters of the way through her set – makes her very endearing. 

This is a woman who knows her audience but better yet, and refreshingly, knows herself.  We are observing Parekotuku Moore. Period.  It’s very comforting and familiar.  It’s like hanging out with a diva in the airport lounge, the whānau at the Pa or the bros leaning on a shovel.  Yet it’s not exclusive.  As she says, “Pākehā, it’s ok you can laugh too!” And they do.  Heartily. 

With a first name like Parekotuku, of course you’re going to incorporate its variations, and hilarious/cringe mis-pronunciations into your comedic routine. I look around, every Māori in the audience is nodding in agreement at some of the scenarios. 

With a smiling delivery and general big heartedness, ditto medical procedures and other life-changing events. It’s in setting a scene and telling a story that Moore hits her stride.  This is obviously what she is comfortable with and she’s good at it. Kapa Haka envy, first kisses, gardening, housie … they all get a mention. But it’s the all faithful, never far from the surface, inter-Iwi competitiveness that gets the whoops and the crowd going.  Ruatāhuna kakahu mauku all the way, yo.

When it ends I realise I don’t want it to stop as she’s just starting to relax into it and is hitting her mark. I’m not the only one.  People linger even when “I’m every woman” by Whitney Houston comes over the speakers, which I’ve got to say is very appropriate.  Parekotuku Moore.  She’s a class act. 

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