O le Pepelo, Le Gaoi Ma Le Pala’ai

O le Pepelo, Le Gaoi Ma Le Pala’ai – The Liar, the Thief and the Coward
Written by Ui Natano Keni (Samoan/Aotearoa) & Sarita Keo Kossamak So (Khmer/ Aotearoa)
Directed by Ui Natano Keni (Samoan/Aotearoa)
I Ken So Productions

A Matai facing his own mortality through an unknown illness decides not to appoint a new successor, sending his family and village into a whirlwind chase for the title.

‘O le Pepelo, Le Gaoi Ma Le Pala’ai’ begins sometime in the near past, Samoa, where Pili Sā Tauilevā, a well-respected Ali’i falls into an unknown illness, sending him into a fast downward spiral and leaving him unable to tend to his duties within his family and the village council.

In his vulnerable state we witness the rest of his family, who appear to come together, only to work against each other as they vie for his position. Soon there is the introduction of a mysterious character, Masina Fa’asaogale Mū, who enters the family setting under false pretense. We witness through his infiltration, the history of how this family has ended up in this situation, from acts and seeds that were sown historically and how they may come to implode if not destroy the whole family, and system itself.

15-17 June 2023
Preview 14 June
Circa One
Tues – Thurs 6.30pm, Fri – Sat 8pm, Saturday Matinee 2pm

Adult $45 (Earlybird Adult – $35)
Conc $35 (Earlybird Conc $30)
Friends of Circa $32
Groups 6+ $35
Groups 20+ 30
Under 30 $30
Preview $35
Student $25 (w $15 stand-by)

M Rated, 13 years and up, nudity, sexual themes, coarse language, smoke effects, loud music, discharge of firearms, violence.

Runtime: 120 min including 15 min interval

No lockout period

I Ken So Productions is a company founded by Sarita So and Natano Keni, in 2017 they presented ‘Riverside Kings’, co-written together, produced by Sarita and directed by Natano Keni. ‘Riverside Kings’ was a show influenced by Natano’s upbringing as a first-generation Samoan in the area of Timberlea, Upper Hutt, New Zealand. They received three nominations for the Wellington Theatre Awards, for ‘Most Promising Newcomer’ one for the company and one for their actor Lale Ausage and a nomination for ‘Best New Playwright’, which they won for this category.

In 2019 I Ken So Productions was invited to present ‘Digging to Cambodia’, directed by Natano Keni and Anya Tate-Manning, as part of the Kia Mau Festival 2019, subsequently they have been invited to present the show again in 2020, for Fringe Wellington and The Basement Theatre in Auckland. They were invited and due to travel to Hawaii to present ‘Digging to Cambodia’, as part of the Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists, however due to Covid-19, this has been postponed until a later date. More recently they were able to continue developing the show and present a short season of the show at The Basement theatre March 2021.

The foundations of our work and the stories we tell are inspired by our own cultural backgrounds, and informed by the landscape of our upbringing, Aotearoa, New Zealand.

Nurturing the seed of the story and navigating through the sea that binds us universally.