An epiphany struck while watching a return season of the Afro-Kiwi play Po Boys and Oysters, written by and starring Estelle Chout, who was born in the Caribbean nation of Martinique and now works as an accountant in Auckland. Unique, funny, sincere, political, and confronting – the production marks a meaningful evolution in New Zealand theatre. Like the stories of many immigrants who now call Aotearoa home, it is among the first to capture the African-Caribbean-Kiwi experience on a local stage.

Set in Auckland’s Mission Bay and directed by Dione Joseph, the play centres on three Black women – played by black actresses – two whom immigrated to Aotearoa and one who once lived in Taranaki but returned to her home in the U.S. – and a pair of supporting characters who are the quintessential Pākehā Kiwi men: rugby-loving, beer-drinking, and endearingly familiar. The story unfolds over a New Orleans–inspired culinary dinner, hence the play’s title, as Po Boys and Oysters is a quintessential Louisiana dish. These ingredients combine to create the perfect recipe for tension, drama, and hilarious physical comedy.

Flo and Jo (Chout and Sonya Renee Taylor), a liberal Black lesbian couple, host the evening in their stylish Auckland home. Their guests include Flo’s ultra-conservative, National-supporting sister Marie (Sandra Zvenyika), her Kiwi tradie husband Shane (Andrew Johnson), and Shane’s workmate and uninvited tag along, Felix (Jack Briden), a young man from Feilding and an avid Trump supporter. Flo has invited Marie to share news she knows her sister will disapprove of, while Marie and Shane arrive with a secret of their own – a matter of life and death.

When the debut season of Po Boys and Oysters premiered in 2022, it was the first Kiwi Black queer play of its kind. Chout has since updated the script to reflect today’s political and social climate: Jo, a talented Black queer artist, is preparing to return to the United States for an exhibition, and Flo worries she may be detained at the border because of her anti-Trump posts online.

The dinner guests only heighten the tension: Felix, an avid Trump supporter drawn in by celebrity more than policy; and Marie and Shane, enthusiastic backers of a Christopher Luxon–led National coalition and its policies. Flo and Jo, meanwhile, remain staunch Jacinda Ardern admirers. What begins as an innocent dinner quickly becomes a pressure cooker of political debate – fueling some of the play’s sharpest and funniest moments.

The humour lands because the punchlines arise from the characters’ unfiltered ignorance – particularly Marie’s – rather than malice. Each character is passionate about their beliefs, yet the play ultimately shows that family, loyalty, and love should rise above ideological divides. Even Felix demonstrates openness, reflecting on how his youth, inexperience, and rural Manawatū upbringing have shaped his worldview.

Po Boys and Oysters gives audiences the chance to see Black actresses from diverse cultural backgrounds commanding the stage – Chout from the Caribbean, Zvenyika from Africa, and Taylor from the U.S. – together telling a uniquely New Zealand story. Taylor, a body-positivity advocate, influencer, and New York Times bestselling author, returned from the U.S. for this production, captivating audiences with her impeccable stage presence and her natural flair for physical comedy. All three performances shine in portraying proud, body-positive, successful, flirtatious, and fiercely opinionated women, delivering every line with conviction – even when the dialogue is confronting and controversial.

Chout’s writing captures not only the lives of Black women with authenticity but also the psyche of the quintessential Kiwi bloke through Shane and Felix. It’s no surprise the play earned a nomination for the Adam Playwriting Award in 2021 – New Zealand’s most prestigious playwriting honour – recognising a script that is both sharply funny and profoundly poignant.

Dione Joseph’s directing masterfully balances comedy and drama, keeping the audience laughing throughout the entire play while allowing the dramatic moments to land with equal impact. Natalia Pereira’s vibrant, urban set, adorned with African art, evokes the traits of our main characters, artistic, culturally proud, financially successful, and socially conscious, while Petra Verweij’s use of bold block colours and prints in her costume designs enhance the visual impact.

The opening night of Po Boys and Oysters also launched the first Aotearoa Festival of Black Arts, a month-long celebration founded by Black Creatives Aotearoa to highlight Afro-Kiwi talent in music, theatre, and film. The play was the perfect choice to open the event, embodying the festival’s mission by showcasing the stories from our Afro-Caribbean communities in Aotearoa.

Po Boys and Oysters deserves to be embraced and seen by audiences here and abroad because it’s unapologetically Black, uniquely queer, and distinctly Kiwi.

Disclaimer:
Aroha was asked to place the publicity for Po’ Boys and Oysters but was not involved in any way with the creation of the work or the marketing material. The editors feel he had the ideal credentials to review it and has done so with integrity.  

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