Helen Clark in Six Outfits
She didn't just break the glass ceiling; she ice-axed it.
“As kids, we laugh at our pains. We laugh at our hunger. We laugh ourselves to sleep.”
Vao is a warrior. A charming, handsome man, he carries rage in his fists and danger in his eyes. But, to his three sons, he is a god. “We follow his words and everything he does becomes the law in our young lives. Our lives belong to Vao.”
Spanning four decades, from village life in Niue in the 1970s to the suburbs of Ponsonby, this powerful story follows the brothers’ struggle to break free from their father’s destructive hold.
This play is directed by stage and screen legend Anapela Polata’ivao ONZM (Samoa: Vailoa Faleata, Vaiusu, Fagae’e Safune), who recently starred in the hit movie Tinā and directed acclaimed Auckland Theatre Company works Things That Matter and Red, White and Brass. Audiences can expect a powerfully told story.
A world premiere, Vela Manusaute’s (Niue: Mutalau, Hakupu) autobiographical Adam NZ Play Award-winning script is deeply personal. In parts, it is confronting and, in others, it uses laughter to mask the pain as the brothers emerge into adulthood, carrying childhood scars that affect each of them in very different ways.
“Moving and powerful.”
| Touch Tour | Sun 28 Jun 2:30pm
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| Audio-Described Performance | Sun 28 Jun 4:00pm
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| Relaxed Performance | Tue 30 Jun 7:00pm This relaxed performance is a comfortable and inclusive experience which may be especially welcomed by autistic and neurodivergent audience members.
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| NZSL-Interpreted Performance | Fri 3 Jul 8:00pm
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Event and Ticketing Details
Duration
1 hour and 10 minutes, no interval.
Advisory
Contains strong language and themes of family violence.
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Parking
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Take the hassle out of finding a car park. Pre-book a space at our theatre car park for only $20 - just a short walk to the theatre.
Creative Learning
Experience Sons of Vao with your students at an 11:00am school matinee. Every booking includes a free recording of the production, curriculum-linked education packs for ākonga, and access to in-school workshops.
Explore curriculum links, suitability and available performance dates.
Pay What You Wish
If you’ve never been to the theatre before, we have one night to give it a go risk-free. It’s first in, best seats, with the performance ticketed as General Admission. Tickets on sale at least 3 weeks before the performance.
$30 Under 30
Supported by Europcar
Discounted tickets are available in A and B reserve for any patron under the age of 30 for only $30.
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