Tag Archives: Grant Bayley

January Fono

Boat Business, Film, Theatre, , , , ,

Taloha ni
Fakaalofa lahi atu
Malo e lelei
Kia orana
Tena koutou
Ni sa bula
Talofa lava

Welcome to a rather late after-match report from Banana Boat’s January fono in Grey Lynn.

Present were Aroha Awarau, Grant Bayley, David Mamea, Leilani Unasa, and Geraldine Warren.

Apologies were received from an in-the-neighbourhood-but-double-booked James Nokise, a deep-in-rehearsal Arnette Arapai, a middle-a-pre-prod Louise Tu’u, and an I’m-in-Rarotonga-with-a-drink-with-a-tiny-umbrella Jenni Heka.

BANANA BOAT BUSINESS

Banana Boat’s end-of-year drinkies function was very well received.

Apparently the trustees met and schemed schemes for the long-term good of the trust. Details to follow.

COMING UP

(Apologies that the lateness of this post means that some of these shows have finished.)

Louise Tu’u’s Horse and other farm animals goes up in mid-February.

Victor Rodger’s Black Faggot premieres in mid-March at the Basement Theatre.

Chris Molloy’s The Last Taniwha opens in early March at the Basement Theatre.

Kila Kokonut Krew’s The Factory is part of the Auckland Arts Festival in March.

… Damn, there’s a lot of brown theatre out there.

SCRIPT READINGS

Grant very generously shared a revised first draft of his maiden screenplay. It was an impressive screenwriting debut, with enthusiasm all round for a second draft.

NEXT FONO

– will be on Thursday 28 February 2013 at the Toi Ora Live Art Studio, 6 Putiki Street, Grey Lynn.

Share

November Fono

Boat Business, Theatre, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Talofa lava
Taloha ni
Fakaalofa lahi atu
Malo e lelei
Kia orana
Tena koutou
Ni sa bula

Welcome to the after-match report from Banana Boat’s November fono in Grey Lynn.

Present were Arnette Arapai, Aroha Awarau, Grant Bayley, Samson Chan-Boon, Jenni Heka, Leki Jackson Bourke, Leroy Lakamu, Shadon Meredith, Natalie Malietoa-Moa, David Mamea, Suli Moa, Leilani Salesa, and Leilani Unasa.

Apologies were received from a night-shootin’ Bobby Romia, an always-giggin’ James Nokise, a lu’au suppin’ Geraldine Warren, a middle-a-rehearsin’ Louise Tu’u, a baby-sittin’ Claire Noble, a catch-uppin’ Teresa Brown, and a stuck-at-work Chris Molloy.

BANANA BOAT BUSINESS

Jenni had something about Spit.It.Out, a reading/performance opportunity for closet-performer writers and brazenly-out-there-already performers. This minute taker has of course lost the piece of paper Jenni entrusted him with – for actual details please either check our Facebook page or email Jenni.

Banana Boat’s end-of-year drinkies will be on Thursday 6 December at the Neighbourhood Bar in Kingsland. Check our Facebook page for more details.

COMING UP

Louise Tu’u’s Gaga: the unmentionable goes up for just two nights: Monday-Tuesday 3-4 December 2012 in Newton.

SCRIPT READINGS

Aroha spoke about his public reading of Luncheon earlier in the week. No matter what was said, David was just gutted on missing out, damn it.

David’s first full-length draft of Goodbye My Feleni was generously read by Shadon, Samson, Andy and Leki, with Leilani U. very kindly reading the directions. David is grateful to everyone’s forbearance for the hour-long reading – and always, grateful for any and all feedback on the draft’s strengths and weaknesses.

NEXT FONO

– will be on Thursday 24 January 2013 at the Toi Ora Live Art Studio, 6 Putiki Street, Grey Lynn. This will be the first fono for 2013.

Share

October Fono

Boat Business, Theatre, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Ni sa bula
Talofa lava
Taloha ni
Fakaalofa lahi atu
Malo e lelei
Kia orana
Tena koutou

Welcome to the after-match report from Banana Boat’s October fono in Grey Lynn.

Present were Arnette Arapai, Aroha Awarau, Bobby Romia, Chris Molloy, Grant Bayley, Jonathan Riley, Joy Vaele, Leilani Salesa, Leilani Unasa, and David Mamea.

Apologies were received from a Nippon-travelling Louise Tu’u, an otherwise-engaged Geraldine Warren, and a dreadfully sick Jenni Heka.

BANANA BOAT BUSINESS

David was going to spring an annual general meeting on this fono… until he saw that the trust deed does not require an AGM. Still, we like to be transparent: Banana Boat’s maiden financial accounts are with the Charities Commission.

COMING UP

Ahi Karunaharan‘s one-man play, The Mourning After, is still playing at the Circa in Wellington.

SCRIPT READINGS

Bobby read his intriguing and absorbing monologue, Frozen Smile, which he’s planning to expand into a full-length play. We’re hooked.

Leilani‘s play-in-progress, Church Street, was read by the group, and she openly discussed her development process to date; its first appearance was at our August fono. We’re enchanted.

Aroha shared the first draft of his play, Luncheon, fulfilling the promise of his April fono teaser-reading. We’re riveted.

We here at Banana Boat count ourselves damnably honoured to be at the bleeding edge of Pasifika and Maori writing with our monthly fono. Luck has nothing to do with it.

NEXT FONO

– will be on Thursday 22 November at the Toi Ora Live Art Studio, 6 Putiki Street, Grey Lynn. This will be the last fono for 2012.

There is a high probability of a Festive Season Fa’afiafiaga sometime early in December – details will follow sometime in November.

Share

September Fono

Boat Business, Theatre, , , , , ,

Tena koutou
Ni sa bula
Talofa lava
Taloha ni
Fakaalofa lahi atu
Malo e lelei
Kia orana

Welcome to the after-match report from Banana Boat’s September fono in Grey Lynn.

Present were Grant Bayley, Louise Tu’u, Bobby Romia, Aroha Awarau, Geraldine Warren, David Mamea, and Jenni Heka.

No apologies were received.

BANANA BOAT BUSINESS

Geraldine was welcomed back!

Jenni shared some news.

Aroha had a full on month of play watching and he shared his views to a very appreciative audience.

COMING UP

Louise‘s We Should Practice is holding workshops on applying for International Residencies, Wednesday 10 to Thursday 11 October 2012 – more details here.

Suli Moa‘s A Heart’s Path is on right now!

SCRIPT READINGS

Louise gave the fono the “Five Items Exercise”.  It was challenging!  It was hilarious!  It was fun! 

David visited the meeting with another undercooked TV pilot spec script.

NEXT FONO

– will be on Thursday 25 October at the Toi Ora Live Art Studio, 6 Putiki Street, Grey Lynn.

Share

August Fono

Boat Business, Theatre, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Kia orana
Tena koutou
Ni sa bula
Talofa lava
Taloha ni
Fakaalofa lahi atu
Malo e lelei

Welcome to the after-match report from Banana Boat’s August fono in Grey Lynn.

Present were Grant Bayley, Bonnie, Kahurangi Carter, Teena Enoka, Rob Mokaraka, Leroy Lakamu, Tanya Muagututia, Claire Noble, Rick, Jonathan Riley, Shona Tarai, Leilani Unasa, David Mamea, and Jenni Heka.

Apologies were received from James Nokise, Louise Tu’u, Kahurangi Carter, Arnette Arapai, Aroha Awarau, Jason Greenwood, and Geraldine Warren.

BANANA BOAT BUSINESS

Jenni spread the word on the Asian Ink initiative.

COMING UP

Jonathan’s got fingers in all sorts of pies. I quickly lost track of what he’s going up so I suggest you just Facebook him.

The Pollywood 2012 submission deadline is Friday 31 August. Get shootin’, rockin’ and choppin’.

Kila Kokonut Krew’s tenth anniversary remounting of The Taro King is in its last days – matter of fact, it closes on Friday 24 August 2012.

Suli Moa‘s A Heart’s Path is going up in October.

SCRIPT READINGS

Leilani’s Church St was read by Rob, Jenni, Jonathan and Tanya, with script directions read by Kahurangi. Everyone wanted more; David whined that it was unfinished but was a sole voice of whiney-bitchiness. The group was heartened by the Q&A that followed and look forward to its next stage of development.

NEXT FONO

– will be on Thursday 27 September at the Toi Ora Live Art Studio, 6 Putiki Street, Grey Lynn.

Share

July Fono

Boat Business, Theatre, , , , , , , , ,

Malo e lelei
Kia orana
Tena koutou
Ni sa bula
Talofa lava
Taloha ni
Fakaalofa lahi atu

Welcome to the after-match report from Banana Boat’s July fono in Grey Lynn, which was very kindly run by Leilani Unasa.

Present were Arnette Arapai, Aroha Awarau, Grant Bayley, Jason Greenwood, David Mamea, Jenni Heka, Louise Tu’u, and Leilani.

Apologies were received from James Nokise, Kahurangi Carter, and Geraldine Warren.

BANANA BOAT BUSINESS

David apologised profusely to Arnette for not crediting her for running the previous month’s fono (the minutes have been very belatedly fixed).  Just this once, she stayed her hand, and David understood just how lucky he was.

COMING UP

Enter the Banana winner Suli Moa‘s A Heart’s Path will have its world premiere in October as part of the 2012 Matala Tongan Festival.  When we know more, you will know more.

Kila Kokonut Krew’s tenth anniversary remounting of The Taro King is due at the Mangere Arts Centre 16-21 August 2012.

Jenni, Louise and David reported on the reading of Goretti Chadwick’s Galulolo (Tsunami), which they attended earlier in the evening.  Auckland Theatre Company will be be mounting Galulolo 11-20 October 2012.

SCRIPT READINGS

The July fono was just spoilt with not one but two readings:  Aroha‘s short play, Poi; and Jason‘s short story, Mae.  Man, we’re spoilt alright.

NEXT FONO

– will be on Thursday 23 August at the Toi Ora Live Art Studio, 6 Putiki Street, Grey Lynn.

Share

June Fono

Boat Business, Theatre, , , ,

Fakaalofa lahi atu
Malo e lelei
Kia orana
Tena koutou
Ni sa bula
Talofa lava
Taloha ni

Welcome to the after-match report from Banana Boat’s June fono in Grey Lynn, which was very kindly run by Arnette.

Present were ARNETTE ARAPAI, GRANT BAYLEY, RAWIRI, STAN WOLFGRAMM, and DAVID MAMEA.

Apologies were received from Journalist-of-the-Year nominee AROHA AWARAU, a keeping-warm-and-hydrating KAHURANGI CARTER, a show-opening LEILANI UNASA, and a travelling play-reading escorting JENNI HEKA.

BANANA BOAT BUSINESS

Banana Boat has a website! You’re at it right now! ISN’T THIS COOL?

NEWS TO USE

Radio New Zealand and Playmarket Brown Ink are hosting an Audio Drama: A Writer’s Dream workshop on Friday 6 July in Auckland. For more details, click on the Opportunities link at Playmarket.

COMING UP

Arnette’s looking forward to the 2012 Playmarket Brown Ink announcements due at the end of July.

Two nights to go at Wakapurei 2012: Rough, Raw and Ready, with Dianna Fuemana’s My Mother Dreaming and Mitch Tawhi Thomas’s Have Car Will Travel.

And two nights to go on Indigenous Theatre’s run of Chris Molloy‘s The Revival. Buy your tickets here.

And rumours abound of a tenth anniversary remounting of Kila Kokonut Krew’s seminal The Taro King – keep your eyes peeled in August.

SCRIPT READING

Grant very generously shared a recent draft of his Earthquake Weather script with the group. You and your script have come a long way, baby! We look forward to the next stage of its evolution.

NEXT FONO

– will be on THURSDAY 26 JULY, at Toi Ora Live Art Trust, 6 Putiki Street, Grey Lynn.

Share

May Fono

Boat Business, , , , , , , ,

Talofa lava
Fakaalofa lahi atu
Malo e lelei
Kia orana
Tena koutou
Ni sa bula

Taloha ni

Welcome to a belated after-match report from Banana Boat’s May fono in Grey Lynn.

Present were GRANT BAYLEY, KAHURANGI CARTER, OLE MAIAVA, JONATHAN RILEY, ARNETTE ARAPAI and DAVID MAMEA.

Apologies were received from a Big Apple-devouring JENNI HEKA, a Wellington-swingin’ AROHA AWARAU, an ever-gigging JAMES NOKISE, a child-wrangling LEILANI UNASA, and a wish-I-was-there-but-I-am-writing GERALDINE WARREN.

My apologies if you were present but are not listed or gave apologies but are not listed – I have lost my notes, and my memory was never… something.  Email me and I shall make the corrections.

16Jun12:  My profuse apologies to the one, the only Ole for having forgotten his presence – an unexplainable mistake given how his reading of Jonathan‘s script had everyone in stitches.

BANANA BOAT BUSINESS

Enter the Banana‘s inaugural writers are Suli Moa and Rob Mokaraka.  Go hard, boys!  We look forward to your next reading at a future Banana Boat fono!

NEWS TO USE

Playmarket’s Brown Ink 2012 development programme is now open for applications – the deadline is Friday 1 June 2012.

COMING UP

GreyView Productions’ – that’s members Eric Smith & Chetan Patel – 3 Up  season opens on 14 June and runs for a mere three nights until 16 June.  3 Up is three short plays by Chetan, David Mamea and Eric, all at the Herald Theatre, all that quality for a mere $25/$15/$15.  Tickets can be bought online here.  Details about the evening are rampant on Facebook, GreyView, and Chocolate Stigmata.

SCRIPT READING

Jonathan shared his latest script with those assembled, the prolific so-and-so.  It was, as always with Mr Riley’s scribblings, a hoot to read and we look forward to it’s next stage of development… after his long-awaited Makigi has been staged.

18Jun12:  My further apologies for the typos and ambiguous phrases that made this post so confusing, second-rate and potentially upsetting to those present.  They have been fixed.

NEXT FONO

– will be on THURSDAY 28 JUNE, at Toi Ora Live Art Trust, 6 Putiki Street, Grey Lynn.

Share

April Fono

Boat Business, , , , , , ,

Taloha ni
Talofa lava
Fakaalofa lahi atu
Malo e lelei
Kia orana
Tena koutou
Ni sa bula

Welcome to the after-match report from Banana Boat’s April fono in Grey Lynn.

Present were GRANT BAYLEY, AROHA AWARAU, ERIC SMITH, ARNETTE ARAPAI and DAVID MAMEA.

Apologies were received from a Mangere Arts Centre-ushering JENNI HEKA.

BANANA BOAT BUSINESS

David didn’t even have any gossip to share.  Shame.

NEWS TO USE

Playmarket’s Brown Ink 2012 development programme is now open for applications – the deadline is Friday 1 June 2012.

COMING UP

Massive Company‘s The Brave is playing at the Mangere Arts Centre until Sunday 29 April 2012.  Go.  Go now because it’s the main reason why these minutes are up now rather than months from today.

GreyView‘s 3Up opens in June – brace yourself for not one, not two, but three plays from three Banana Boat writers.  The season runs from Thursday 14 to Saturday 16 June 2012 at the Herald.  (There’s a public reading of the plays-in-progress in Ponsonby on Saturday 12 May – go here for more details.)

Aroha and Arnette did some stand-up at the Classic since the last fono.  They may do some more there in the near future so start haunting those open-mic nights now.

GreyView’s I Don’t Do Coconut will return in November.

SCRIPT READING

Grant shared the first few pages of an as-yet untitled new play that he’s working on, which sparked some lively talk about love and life.

Aroha shared the first few pages of his play, Luncheon, which was a tasty wee teaser (and Aroha has promised to share more at the next fono, WHICH HE BETTER).

NEXT FONO

– will be on THURSDAY 24 MAY, at Toi Ora Live Art Trust, 6 Putiki Street, Grey Lynn.

Share

February Fono

Boat Business, ,

Tena koutou
Ni sa bula
Taloha ni
Talofa lava
Fakaalofa lahi atu
Malo e lelei
Kia orana

Welcome to another belated after-match report from Banana Boat’s February fono in Grey Lynn.

Present were GRANT BAYLEY, JODHI HOANI and DAVID MAMEA.

Apologies were received from GERALDINE WARREN, LOUISE TU’U, ANOUSHKA KLAUS, and JENNI HEKA.

BANANA BOAT BUSINESS

David announced the Enter the Banana development stream.

David also announced the grand news that Banana Boat is a charitable trust.  He tried to answer some excellent questions on what that meant but suspects he achieved an epic fail.

NEWS TO USE

Louise Tu’u‘s Providence is back returned for a two-night-only season at The Edge.

Leilani Unasa‘s His Mother’s Son is showing played at the Mangere Art Centre.

COMING UP

A Banana Boat retreat is being organised for early 2012. Be careful what you wish for.

SCRIPT READING

Jodhi shared a beautiful short story she wrote prior to the Banana Boat retreat earlier in February.  We look forward to its return as a short film.

NEXT FONO

– will be on THURSDAY 22 MARCH at the Toi Ora Live Art Studio.

Share