Thoroughly Modern Maui Photo: Supplied
Rutene Spooner Photo: Screenshot
Cabaret Thoroughly Modern Māui stemmed from a conversation between musical theatre performer Rutene Spooner and actor Jennifer Ward-Lealand.
Discussing a news story about racial profiling, Spooner casually explained it happened to him all the time.
“I don’t want to be seen in public in a black hoodie. People automatically assume I’m up to no good.
“As I was saying that, I started crying and it was really weird.”
That moment was a realisation for Spooner. A realisation of what he had normalised.
Serving his community is often front of mind for Spooner when devising a new show and Thoroughly Modern Māui became a love letter to his brothers, cousins, uncles and all the Māori men in his life. The show tackles and addresses the challenges they face everyday.
Spooner looked to a strong East Coast connection - Māui.
Māui is often portrayed as a hero and a Maori man of brute strength. But the version of Māui Spooner grew up with was quite different.
“He was not only a staunch warrior but he was flamboyant, cheeky and inquisitive; those were the sides I really wanted to bring forth.
“He was the king of going against the grain and he made mistakes.”
Spooner’s journey with cabaret started with the Modern Māori Quartet and as the group ventured internationally, he grasped how big and exciting the industry is overseas.
In New Zealand it remains a niche form but to the singer and actor, cabaret is “so very Māori.”
“It’s a direct message to the audience and the only way to further that yarn is to either sing or move which is a very Māori and Pacific thing to do.”
It felt completely natural to Spooner, explaining for him why the greats - Howard Morrison, Billy T James and Prince Tui Teka - thrived in that world.
But Spooner wanted to know what cabaret in New Zealand looks like beyond the ‘70s and ‘80s and set out to establish a modern version.
With songs like ‘Rutene Chutney’ and ‘Goody in a hoodie’, it’s Spooner’s way of “tickling the heart and punching the gut.”
“Understanding each other in Aotearoa is what’s going to help us get through and I feel like that’s what this is trying to do.
“Take a walk in our shoes, rolled in sequins and glitter and all of the musical styles Maoridom has adopted - country, RnB - all of that.”
Thoroughly Modern Māui will hit the stage at the Hamilton Arts Festival on 29 February.
