18 August 2014 - 0 Comments

An Evening With The Modern Māori Quartet is a fresh take on classic Māori showbands. In a cabaret show with a unique spin and weaving a rich tapestry of Kiwi stories with modern and classic numbers from Aotearoa’s past, the Modern Maori Quartet (MMQ) promise an evening riddled with waiata, humour and charm.

James Tito, Maaka Pohatu, Matariki Whatarau and Francis Kora (from Kora!) are the multi-talented foursome of professional actors and musicians that make up MMQ. All are Toi Whakaari NZ Drama School (Te Kura Toi Whakaari ō Aotearoa) graduates with established theatre careers.

James Tito (Ngati Tuwharetoa, Ngapuhi) founded the MMQ. He has appeared in various film, TV and theatre productions including A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Pohutukawa Tree, Awhi Tapu and Chapman Tripp production of the year The Māori Troilus and Cressida.

Maaka Pohatu (Ngai Tamanuhiri, Ngati Apa, Tuwharetoa) has performed in many theatre productions such as the critically acclaimed Strange Resting Places, The Māori Troilus and Cressida, which featured at the prestigious Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London. He made his film debut in the feature Two Little Boys and is a professional musician.

Matariki Whatarau (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Whanaunga) was born in West Auckland, raised in Tokoroa, and then moved to Beijing, China, and then Lilongwe, Malawi before returning to New Zealand to study drama.  He has appeared in various theatre productions including A Love Tail, Party With The Aunties, End of the Golden Weather, Awhi Tapu, Tu and Paper Sky. His screen credits include Atamira, The Almighty Johnsons, Go Girls, Friday Tigers and The Pā Boys. Matariki has always loved singing and playing music as well as being an actor so being a part of the Modern MāoriQuartet is his dream job.

Francis Kora (Tūhoe) has for the last 10 years honed his career as a musician in the iconic NZ band KORA, touring in Aotearoa and around the globe. Fran had a role in the The Pā Boys plus a presenting role on MāoriTelevision’s sport show Code. He has a major love affair for surfing and audio engineering, plus a passion for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and telling our Aotearoa stories through film and theatre. 

An Evening With The Modern Māori Quartetis presented by the Central North Island Arts Consortium - a collective that includes the TSB Showplace (New Plymouth), Hamilton City Theatres, Baycourt Theatre (Tauranga) and is supported by funding from Creative New Zealand.

“The Modern Maori Quartet radiate good times. (Oh, to find yourself at a party with a couple of guitars and these guys belting out songs!)” – Metro Magazine

Clarence Street Theatre, HAMILTON

Friday 5 September, 8 pm

Tickets - 0800 TICKETEK, http://www.ticketek.co.nz/ 

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