Theatre Company: Taki Rua
Writer: Hone Kouka
Director: Nancy Brunning
Actors: Rangimoana Taylor, Rawiri Paratene
Location: Herald Theatre

Synopsis:

Notes from director, Nancy Brunning.

I think many of those who have chosen the responsibility of being the keepers of the fire do so to maintain a community, a family, a place of belonging for those who stretch their wings and explore the world around us. The keepers ensure that the travellers will always know they have somewhere to return to. A place called home.

Homefires or Ahikaa is about both these people, o brothers Tau (the traveller) and Jacob (the keeper of the fire). It is a story about choice, release, acceptance, of the old and the new worlds coming together and the resolution of their past in order to move on.

Thoughts on this Production:

I went to this production expecting great things after being thoroughly and utterly moved by an earlier Taki Rua production (Paraparawhetu, by Briar Grace-Smith, 1999).

Unfortunately, this production didn’t compare. The actors did a good job ... but the story didn’t seem to gel.