Te Tupua – The Goblin is a tale of early colonial interaction between Māori and a Scots sailor transplanted to early colonial Aotearoa. Davies, a self-described intercultural performer, opens with his mihi which settles the space and lays the foundation for the 90 minutes of intense and fast paced storytelling that follows.

The play itself begins with Davies encountering a taonga that opens a portal for his tupuna, the rogue Scots sailor Graham, to appear. We encounter a multitude of characters – I counted at least a dozen – that Davies swiftly and effortlessly switches between, infusing them with meticulous movements and accents, enabling each to be clearly visualised.

Davies inhabits Māori, Pākehā, Scots, male, female, warrior and wahine, of different ages, each responding to Graham and the extraordinary events of his life. Davies drawls bawdy sailor shanties, sings old country folk songs, wails plaintive waiata and performs stirring haka. It is a remarkable performance in terms of its scope, its physicality and technical accomplishment.

The story drifted a little for me in the final third when Graham leaves Aotearoa, but on reflection I think this is more because the scenes of his initial encounters with Māori and his subsequent integration into Te Ao Māori are so engaging. The finale is eerie and mesmerising, a mix of cultures that have combined to create and define The Goblin.

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BATS would be the perfect venue to see Te Tupua – The Goblin. As part of the continual upheaval of COVID, the season has been moved to digital. So I am here now drawing the curtains and settling into the darkness of my lounge. The experience that unfolds is immersive and thought-provoking.

TAHI is the annual New Zealand Festival of Solo Performance curated in Wellington. Te Tupua – The Goblin was written and is performed by John Davies who has worked in New Zealand theatre for over 50 years as a writer, actor, and director. The work’s inception was in 2000 as part of his MA. It has been performed and worked on and now appears as part of this long-running festival highlighting the best of New Zealand solo theatre.

John Davies dives into New Zealand history and his imagination to conjure up a distant ancestor, James Graham. The physical theatre required to transcend both the stage and my computer screen is undeniably powerful, as the grizzled old sailor Graham recounts his journey into Aotearoa and beyond with growing confidence.  

John Davies has been aided in creating this bilingual work by his mentor Hāre Williams and translator Piri Rewa. The use of tāonga pūoro, waiata and folk songs contribute strongly to the story. The filming and editing by Pablo Araus provides subtle touches that help move the story from the stage to my screen. Overall, the team that has worked to bring this play to us have done a fine job and I am on the edge of my seat as Te Tupua works its magic. 

There are many stories which will be told, looked from new angles and examined again as we explore our collective past in Aotearoa. For myself as a Pākehā, Te Tupua – The Goblin, is a bracing dive into our collective history and imagination which challenges me.

I’ve already encouraged friends and family to buy a ticket from BATS online. I encourage you to do the same. It won’t be up for long.

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