Thoroughly Modern Māui

Metro Māori Productions & PANNZ

Thoroughly Modern Māui

Written and performed by Rutene Spooner

Aotearoa New Zealand Tour

September - October 2022

Aotearoa is in for a treat of legendary proportions this Spring as Thoroughly Modern Māui hits the road for a nationwide tour. A modern retelling of the legend of Māui, written and performed by Rutene Spooner with a four-piece band, this cabaret extravaganza mines the myth to explore the challenges facing modern Māori in Aotearoa - complete with rhinestones and glitter. The show was an instant hit when it premiered at the 2021 Auckland Live Cabaret Season, and the 2022 tour sees Spooner take the man, the myth and the legend to audiences across Aotearoa from September - October 2022.

Many moons ago, a superhero of a different kind ruled this side of the Pacific. His name was Māui-Tikitiki-A-Taranga – MĀUI.

A demigod, a warrior and a notorious trickster, Māui is the man who fished up Aotearoa from the depth of Moana-Nui-a-Kiwa, wrestled the power of fire from the goddess Mahuika, and slowed the passage of the sun god Tama-nui-te-rā to bring his people the gift of daylight, before meeting his demise in the clutches of Hine-Nui-Te-Pō in a failed attempt to gain immortality for mankind. His epic achievements are legend across the Pacific and, to this day, children grow up in awe of his great deeds. Forget Thor - Aotearoa has its own superhero, and he doesn’t even need the Taika treatment!

Originally developed in partnership with Auckland Live, tackling a saga of this scale is not an easy task, but Spooner was determined to take on the legend with his own distinct style, commenting that, “This show is a very 'Māui' way of speaking playfully to some fairly tough issues that we as Māori face in the modern world. I reckon, it is not only exciting, but important that we get to share it with the wider communities of Aotearoa."

Rutene Spooner (Ngāti Porou, Te Whānau-a-Iritekura, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngai Te Ruruki, Ngāruahine, Ngāti Haua) is originally from Turanga-nui-a-Kiwa Gisborne and is a graduated with a Bachelor of Performing Arts in Music Theatre in 2009. Since graduating, he’s appeared in numerous mainstage musicals and productions including Auckland Theatre Company’s Billy Elliot the Musical (2017), CHICAGO at the Court Theatre (2018), the Australian tour of Jersey Boys (2018-19), and Taki Rua’s 2021 tour of Sing to Me. In 2017, he premiered SUPER HUGH-MAN - which toured across Aotearoa and won Spooner an Excellence Award at the 2017 Auckland Theatre Awards.

Featuring an original script from Rutene Spooner, direction from Matariki Whatarau, music from Te Aihe Butler, Tim Shacklock & Rutene Spooner and costuming by Tina Thomas, Thoroughly Modern Māui is a full-scale cabaret extravaganza, and an unforgettable night of song and storytelling at the theatre. 

“The content and witty presentation of each original waiata is what makes this performance so memorable and unique among the current musical theatre scene of Aotearoa. Following the simple use of a tīpare and wig to transform into his ancestor, Māui, Rūtene launches into song telling of his adventures and thoughts.”

– Theatrescenes

The 2022 Thoroughly Modern Māui Tour kicks off in Te Whanganui-a-tara Wellington as part of Tāwhiri’s Ahurei Reo Festival, then heads to Māoriland Hub in Ōtaki, before returning to Tāmaki Makaurau to wow audiences in a return to this year’s Auckland Live Cabaret Season, also as part of Te Pou Theatre’s Kōanga Festival. Following the Auckland return, the show heads to Whakatāne and Te Matau-a-Māui as part of Hawke’s Bay Arts Festival before crossing the Raukawa Moana (Cook Strait) to play Dunedin Arts Festival in Ōtepoti, and Nelson Arts Festival in Whakatū.

Presented as part of PANNZ’s touring programme, Tour-Makers, the show is also a part of a new Māori touring network initiative led by PANNZ Kaiārahi Māori Dolina Wehipeihana. Dolina says: “PANNZ is partnering with five Māori-led presenters and kaupapa Māori events to pilot a new touring pathway. Our goal is to build more opportunities for Māori artists to tour their work, by working together, and centring Māori artists, audiences and organisations.”   

Limited tickets are available, get your friends and whānau together and get booking for Thoroughly Modern Māui - coming to a centre near you in 2022!