Review: What's a Samoan? Opening act of Papaioea Festival of the Arts

Putting Wellington behind them, James Nokise, left, and Tofiga Fepulea'i have discovered a mini Samoa in Marton.

What's a Samoan?
Starring and conceived by Tofiga Fepulea'i and James Nokise
Regent on Broadway
February 17, 2021
Reviewed by Damian Thorne

The opening night of the Papaioea Festival of the Arts, originally slated for Te Marae o Hine, was hit by a change in Covid alert levels, and moved to the Regent on Broadway.

Supposedly to keep us safe and make it easier to socially distance, I was curious to understand why they allowed the majority of ticket holders to gather in a group of well over 100 outside the theatre as I waited, very patiently, to be shoved like a sardine through one open door into the foyer and its labyrinth of office dividers, only to be allowed to choose my own seat with very little distancing being policed.

I would have rather taken my chance in the open air of The Square.

Perturbed but undeterred I sat back to enjoy New Zealand-born Samoan comedians Tofiga Fepulea'i and James Nokise in the New Zealand premiere of their high-concept, community-inspired vehicle What's a Samoan.

The pair ooze charm, but on very different levels: Nokise is brash with gags up his sleeve, while Fepulea'i had laid-back patter – very natural intuitive humour.

Having spent five days among the Palmy Samoan community, the show was geared especially for our city. Supported by a slick, brilliantly edited AV package featuring interviews with Palmy folk, the two covered off various topics innate to being Samoan.

These ranged from health to sport, through church and a very funny segment on Samoan food. Jokes about smuggling KFC to the island from New Zealand were based on actual experiences, with my biggest giggle coming when Nokise referred to KFC as "affordable".

As the duo traversed the lighter side of being Samoan, they also peppered it with moments of unexpected noir. One in particular almost showstopper involved Palmerston North city councillor Renee Dingwall joining them on stage to share her experience of being Samoan, including sexual assault and homelessness. Brave, but not what we'd signed up for.

We all got to sing along with Pusi Nofo, translating to Cat sit on the Mat, rugby was renamed "chase and cuddle", Marton is apparently "mini Samoa", and Fepulea'i had some lovely moments on a Casio keyboard, followed by the Regent's grand piano.

To say the show was polished would be wrong, instead I'd ask the question: "Did it need to be?" I mostly enjoyed watching the two comics move through their material in a warm, conversational way - like they were chatting with 350 friends, albeit separated by a landfill's worth of coreflute.

What's a Samoan is by design a show of audience engagement, and while there is tightening to be done before it takes on its next city, the engagement was obvious, and the crowd largely lapped it up.

So, in a week where I had resigned myself to thinking my only lesson would be the whereabouts of my local DX post box, I left the Regent having learnt the importance of being a Samoan, and with an overall feeling of excitement for the festival ahead.