Cult Chur

Have you always thought there must be something more to life? That perhaps you are stuck in a cage but you just can’t see it? You might be right. And Acacia O’Connor and Hone Taukiri know the answers.

So yeah, sure, they didn’t grow up in te ao Māori. But they didn’t exactly grow up in te ao Pākeha either. Between the two of them they have sampled almost everything that isn’t mainstream, and as a result they are better than everyone else. They’re going to tell you exactly how in this double bill of solo theatre shows.

Now nearing their 30s, the unusual pair have found their calling. They want to give back, and they want to give back to you. Join them on a wild ride as they sift through their incense-clogged pasts to find wisdom that will save you from your crippling mediocrity.

With Hone, you’ll deep dive into his childhood world of Hare Krishna on the Kāpiti Coast. You’ll hear tales of multi-headed demons, long days on street corners with a stack of books, chanting, food, practising acting in WINZ offices and a guru’s warning that making films goes against God’s plan.

Then join Acacia and her roaming parents in her van life, busking, searching, Montessori, Steiner Schools, Lizard People, traveling light, finding the answer, falling in love, renouncing old ways, then breaking the facade, breaking hearts and starting the search again with nothing but the songs in their hearts to keep them going.

And sure, it was hard, but now they are enlightened and you can be too. As they prepare to lead you into battle against The Man, fiery swords aloft, they will dirty your brains that have been washed empty by mainstream schools, they will tie their souls to yours and they will even take The Final Test for you so that you don’t have to. Their stories are sometimes silly, sometimes alien and often oddly heartwarming.

And don’t worry, your soul won’t really be attached to theirs forever. As Acacia’s mum pointed out, the only way to merge souls with someone is to sleep with them. So yeah, you’re safe for now.

These shows are a peek into what life can look like if you’re looking for something ‘more'.