BWW Blog: Dearna Doglione - Through My Father's Eyes

As I take a seat at the back of the theatre, the cast of Through My Father's Eyes start practicing their songs. Peseta conducts with a flavour and style ingrained within him, powerfully finding the light and shade, making every word of the beautiful language understandable to those who can't speak it. When they make it to the peak, there is such strength in their passion for the song that it almost brings me to tears. But the true power is within the quiet moments; the palpable fragility, that makes you listen so closely and feel so deeply.

I cry throughout the performance and not until afterwards am I told this their first full rehearsal.

Through My Father's Eyes is the story of a young boy's travels from his home of Samoa to New Zealand "the land of milk and honey", told from father to son. It is both raw and heartbreaking while truly showing the beauty of Samoan culture. The actors move delicately but with purpose, breaking from the naturalistic world of Father's story into the beautiful but stern sasa style, swapping a factory line for a traditional dance. The juxtaposition of these two qualities perfectly express the harsh prejudices and injustices Father faced in New Zealand life against the magical homeland he left behind.

It is a production written, directed and produced by the Pasifika theatre company No Limits, a company devoted to caring for and nurturing Christchurch Pasifika youth. The team - directors Sela Faletolu-Fasi and Silivelio Fasi, musical director Albany Peseta, and lead actor Kiliga Asovale Luma - speak about the piece with conviction and an honesty that shows through the performance.

They all laugh off my praise, saying there is much work yet to be done before Thursday. To work around the cast's diverse lives, the rehearsals tend to only last a week before opening night. The fact that this is possible is a credit to the strong natural talent of the cast and team.

Since 2012, No Limits has created a place for the Pasifika youth of Christchurch where "no-one can dictate what we do or who we are". Faletolu-Fasi seems to be the mastermind behind it all, determined to teach the youth not to accept other's perceptions of who they can be. "I wanted to do something where we could tell our stories, specifically from young people," she pauses. "It was about creating a platform where young people could come together to do something positive. We're just so stereotyped, it's ridiculous. ... If before I go I can have one small piece of trying to show the talent and beauty of who we really are then I'm happy."

In our conversation, the word that comes up most is "passion". Luma is clear that what makes their shows unique is how they are directed by the wife and husband duo "through one vision of the heart - passion - regardless of whatever technique you have. How good of a singer, actor, dancer you are... that doesn't mean anything to this process unless you have heart."

There is already merit to the work No Limits is doing as Fasi recounts a fresh out of high school Luma having the line: "I want to study performing arts," before a career path was even in the picture. Luma is currently completing his Honors for his Bachelor of Performing Arts (Musical Theatre) at the National Academy of Singing and Dramatic Art, where he studies with Peseta.

Fasi laughs, "Imagine if he said he was going to walk on the moon."

Through My Father's Eyes opens at the NASDA theatre on the 28th of April.