By Eleanor Gee

A one month residency theatre project with Teatr Dormana (Dormana Theatre) in Poland saw Tonga’s On The Spot (OTS) Co-founder and Creative Director, Ebonie Fifita, and Stage Director, Steev Laufilitoga Maka create and direct a Polish play.

Ebonie told Matangi Tonga the aim of the project was to create a show for children, with Polish actors, inspired by Poland's history and culture, and directed by Pacific Islanders. Ebonie is of Tongan and New Zealand descent while Steev is of Uvean and Futunan descent from New Caledonia.

The husband and wife team (and their son) were selected by a host company in Poland who were looking for organisations with strong work in theatre in the Pacific region.

To help them create the play, the team spent the first two weeks traveling across Poland with a cultural consultant to gain an insight into the Polish way of life in March.

“This gifted us with the inspiration to shape the idea and script. The two weeks was incredibly rich and full of surprises, flavours, and more. We travelled roughly 2500 km in that two weeks through major cities, countryside (forest, towns, farms, lakes etc), to the seaside and even to their mountain ranges,” said Ebonie.

The team set to work on their idea and titled the play ‘Cycling Around Poland’ or ‘Rowerem Po Polsce’. 

“My role in the project was assisting with directing the show and leading the design and arts work for the set, props and costumes,” said Ebonie.

She said her husband, Steev, was the Stage Director and their son “also played a valuable role in interacting with the country and its people and then our work to guide us in seeing things through the experiences of a child”. 

The visual and interactive play, which runs for 45 minutes, tells the story of two young girls who meet by accident and discover a magical book. The book invites them (with the help of the audience) to complete a series of creative challenges that progressively reveal missing pieces for fixing a broken bike. The audience is drawn into the adventure involving puppetry, dance, rhymes, song, mime, images, magic spells etc., and many of the ideas and answers are called out by the children as the play unfolds. 

Ebonie said by the end there is a shared curiosity and excitement to explore Poland on their wonderful fixed bicycle.

"It is a colourful and fun piece that not only delights children but which has layers of metaphors and meaning that parents can also enjoy."

'Cycling Around Poland' premiered on 13 April and will be performed around Poland, and then will tour internationally later this year.

“It is even expected to reach New Zealand and the Americas,” said Ebonie.

She added it would be great if Tonga could welcome and host the show as well as similar collaborations. 

“Should it reach Tonga someday then we hope it will delight and inspire audiences to see broader horizons and possibilities in life and to experience connection to a new part of the world.”

On The Spot future

OTS is currently exploring a new approach in their work, especially after Tropical Cyclone Gita caused destruction across Tongatapu early last year.

Ebonie said they are looking at embracing change and focusing on creating new connections and pathways or strengthening existing ones.

“This is an effort to open up our work with communities and creatives in Tonga to specific learning and growth in more sustainable and better supported practices.”

“Our centre at the artSpace is currently closed while the Board and key partners consolidate and design this transition and while creatives branch out together or individually to champion and learn from experiences like ours in Poland,” she said.