Te Pou Theatre's Front Yard Festival visits Stratford rest homes

Regan Taylor, Tuakoi Ohia and Acushla-Tara Kupe were performing at Marire Rest Home in Stratford last week.

Te Pou Theatre was performing its Front Yard Festival in Stratford last week.

Actors Regan Taylor, Tuakoi Ohia and Acushla-Tara Kupe were in the region as part of the Te Pou Theatre's outreach into the community.

Te Pou Theatre is known as Auckland's home of Māori theatre and while it's based in West Auckland, it took its performances on the road to keep people connected during Covid-19.

Actor Acushla-Tara Kupe said the roadtrip was about bringing theatre to the most isolated, at a time when theatre performances had been stopped by Covid-19.

In Stratford last week the actors visited rest homes, bringing an energetic and fun performance into the lounge area of each home.

"It's about putting a smile on faces, making people happy, and hopefully singing along," said Acushla.

Live performances like this bring a specific type of joy that can't be replicated on a screen, said Acushla.

"As performers we use the energy from the audience, their response helps us and makes each performance slightly different."

The stories told in the performances are chosen to reflect a time the rest home residents might remember fondly, she said.

"We set things in a dance hall, using music from a few years ago that the residents will recognise and know. The stories can be timeless, but the setting is hopefully one they will know well."