275 Times February 2017

Theatre
Review:
LALELEI
by Susan & Vaaiga
Autagavaia
The production Lalelei
(meaning ‘beautiful’ in
its most simple Samoan
interpretation) by Sau
E Siva Company was a
delicate, powerful and
youthful expression of an
ancient Polynesian story,
a tale of a more universal
love than Shakespeare’s
Romeo and Juliet – the
Samoan legend of The
Turtle and The Shark.
Creative director, Troy
Tu’ua, with the Sau E Siva
creatives (Epine Savea,
Idalene Ati, Italia Hunt, Jill
Karapani and Leki Bourke)
brought together more
than 40 Māngere and
South Auckland performers,
designers, musicians
and technicians who
performed at the Māngere
Arts Centre – Ngā Tohu
o Uenuku for six nights in
early December 2016.
In this rendition of the
legend, Fonuea (Maxine
Tautalafua) and her true
love (Junior Finau) leave
their homes in Savai'i
because of the high chief
Malietoa Faiga’s (Lance
Leo Leone) jealous
pursuit of, and desire
for, Fonuea’s affection.
The pair’s refuge in the
village of Vaitogi in Tutuila
(American Samoa) is short
lived and in an ultimate
sign of their everlasting
commitment they are
immortalised as the
revered Turtle and Shark,
ever after dwelling in
the waters of Vaitogi.
Taking the choral songs
and group choreography
familiar to the eyes and
ears of the elders of the
community, and pairing
them with ballroom dance
and popular ballads of the
Members of Sau E Siva perform Lalelei at Māngere Arts Centre in December last year.
modern generations, Lalelei
re-imagined this story and
these artistic expressions
anew in a one-hour show.
The traditional subtle
smile of the Samoan
tamaita’i (young women)
and the graceful bounds
of the Samoan taule’ale’a
(young men) were gently
woven together with the
energy and exhilaration
of today’s maturing
Polyfest generation.
The confident and
genuinely endearing
performances of the lead
characters paralleled the
exceptional and effortless
home-grown talent of
the greater ensemble.
Even more stirring was
the constant binding
strand of Disney-level
splendour and excellence
in their orchestration of
movement and sound.
The authenticity of their
efforts reaffirmed the
outstanding quality they
aspired to and undoubtedly
attained. This authenticity
helped them to uplift
and uphold the honour
of the story’s unifying
Polynesian theme –
passionate, humble and
faithful love enduring
against the violent rage
of envious desire.
Lalelei by Sau E Siva
Company stands at that
moment that subtly marks
the changing tide where
the powerful waves that
have carried one way
pause in the delicate
brevity of time before
the sea is turned and
renewed in both energy
and direction. This is a
moment for all the people
and the land that make up
Māngere’s past, present
and future to collectively
arise, to linger in that most
slight time between the
slow and confident inhale
and exhale – the breathing
of life – knowing that the
stories of our common
inheritance are alive
today and will live on into
tomorrow. Kia Ora! Ia Ola!
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