2025 programme
The Battalion
Rehearsals Term 3 weekends
Performances Term 4 Week 1
6 - 11 October
ki ngā kura o Porirua 2025
Theatre Marae in Porirua 2025
Te Rākau is presenting the play The Battalion by Helen Pearse-Otene 6 - 11 October as part of our Theatre-in-Education programme with schools from Porirua. In April there were information sessions for interested rangatahi to learn more, and people can also get hold of us terakau@terakau.org or talk to their teachers, there will be another info session in Term 2.
The Battalion is a moving story about friendship, loyalty, madness and redemption – seen through the eyes of war veteran Paora Matene, and relayed to his wayward charges Rimini and George. We present this play just a few months before the 80th anniversary of the 28th Māori Battalion D Company returning to Aotearoa is marked in January 2026.
The Theatre Marae environment challenges students to develop skills in a variety of areas, including lateral thinking, self awareness, resilience, time management, inter-personal communication, fitness and text analysis.
The outcome is a high quality school production and enriching experience for audience members, performers, and their families. Students achieve NCEA credits and experiences that feed into all aspects of their lives and future careers.
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Cast
Te Rākau are looking for rangatahi age about 15 and up interested in committing to this experience. Rehearsals take place at Aotea College in the weekends over Term 3 and the school holidays between Term 3 and Term 4. The group will include between 30 - 60 students of different ages and experiences. Te Rākau can support you to learn everything you need and there are both speaking roles and chorus ensemble roles. Teachers from the kura in Porirua will support with possible NCEA assessment. We invite expressions of interest for technical and design roles on the production also.
Te rākau kaimahi
The playwright Helen Pearse-Otene and the director Jim Moriarty work with a team of professional theatre, kapa haka and dance kaimahi to support rangatahi learning across all aspects of this mahi.
Performances
Performances to other students, whānau and the general public 7 - 11 October 2025.
Bookings open in Term 3
NEXT Information SESSIONS
TERM TWO
All rangatahi and whānau welcome
Register your interest:
terakau.terakau.org
About The Battalion
"Above all, there is joy and, with joy comes laughter. There is a pure joy of being alive that permeates the entire play, that is, in truth, its essential wairua. In that lies the remarkable achievement of the writing in The Battalion, for in its capturing of the world of Māori at certain places and times, it transcends the often bleak realities of its settings and uplifts the heart of anyone who sees it performed. The leaving of Wellington, for example, when the troops begin the embarkation for Europe, is as magical a scene as you will find with its marching boys, stirring waiata and twirling poi conjuring up a scene of wonder and bliss. It is so acutely real you can almost reach out and
touch history with your fingertips."
Alan Scott
Media
If you want to do a story for this production, get in touch.
Last performed in Ōtaki 2022 check out images and media from then.