4 Aug 2019

Alone again, naturally: Tahi Festival

From Standing Room Only, 2:49 pm on 4 August 2019
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Photo: Provided

It's the  most cost-effective drama there is, and often the most riveting.  Solo Performance - one person on stage for an hour or so with no visible support - has a noble tradition in New Zealand - from Bruce Mason's End of the Golden Weather to Jacob Rajan's Krishnan's Dairy, from Madeleine Sami in Number Two to Cathy Downes channeling Katherine Mansfield, and Sophie Henderson's Fantail.

But solo performance has never had an official dedicated festival - we think - until now. Wellington is about to host the Tahi Festival, and we're joined by its director Sally Richards.

"This five-day festival is dedicated to showcasing New Zealand’s finest, most engaging solo performance. It gathers soloists from around the nation – from established to emerging practitioners – to present work, collaborate, and make connections across the industry. Alongside premiering and showcasing solo performances, the Festival aims to provide opportunities for practitioners to extend the life of their performance work, to upskill, and to network through an integrated programme of performance, workshops, and forums. It also seeks to foster relationships among tertiary institutions, actor training courses, secondary schools, BATS Theatre, and industry professionals."