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

Welcome to an egregiously late after-match report.

Although ‘upcoming events’ in the minutes below are long past, ‘recording for posterity’ is a great stick to wave about when memory, inevitably, fails.

Present

– were DANNY AUMUA, GRANT BAYLEY, STUART HOARE, MICHELLE JOHANSSON, AHI KARUNAHARAN, NATANO KENI, MURRAY LYNCH, MARIA, CHRIS MOLLOY, CHETAN PATEL, MICHAEL REWIRI-THORSEN, SARITA SO, VENUS STEPHENS, SHONA TARAI, LEILANI UNASA, GERALDINE WARREN, JENNI HEKA and DAVID MAMEA.

Apologies

– were received from WILL ILOLAHIA, OLE MAIAVA, ERIC SMITH and JAY WILLIAMS.

Banana Boat Business

Banana Boat has been running for two years now. It has reached a point where it must decide what to do:
– to continue as a writers support group;
– to expand or somehow split off into active development and production;
– to find some middle ground; or
– to fold.

The decision is always in the hands of its members.

To this end, an AGM-style meeting is called for October for the group to discuss its future.

News to Use

JENNI plugged the Playmarket Aotearoa/Pasifika Playwrights Competition.

She also gave a gentle reminder about the final in the Playmarket Metro Reading series, Massive Theatre’s in-development Lenny James’ Havoc in the Garden.

LEILANI has been scheming about fundraising along the lines of a charity auction called Hot Chocolate Specials. Exactly what is on the auction block is still to be discussed but the possibilities are intriguing. Get those imaginations working.

It was agreed that the next meeting be held somewhere in South Auckland in recognition of a sizable proportion of the group hailing from down yonder. Details to follow.

Coming Up

JONATHAN RILEY is one of the writers involved with the Stir Fry series.

CHETAN PATEL and ERIC SMITH’s Retro Club Night fundraiser for their I Don’t Do Coconut play is on Friday 5 November at the Pull Bar on Karangahape Road.

Script Reading

LEILANI very generously shared her current script, “Apeshit”, which has been through a Banana Boat workshop earlier in the year. Its concepts and characterisations challenged and drove the group discussion that followed.

Next Meeting

– will be on THURSDAY 23 SEPTEMBER at a South Auckland venue to be arranged.

– will be on THURSDAY 28 OCTOBER at the usual time and place.