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2006: Aranui's Hamlet wins

Aranui has done it again. Aranui students have taken out top prizes at the national Shakespeare festival for the second consecutive year. Their "Hamlet" won the following prizes. Congratulations. (8 June 2006)

Cast photo

Media release: Aranui repeats Shakespeare success

For the second consecutive year, Aranui High School has taken out the top awards at the National Festival of Shakespeare in Schools competition held in Wellington over Queen’s Birthday weekend.

Competing against 44 other productions, involving over 500 of the best actors from around New Zealand, the Year 12 and 13 (6th and 7th Form) students from Aranui High School presented scenes from ’Hamlet’. Their production set Shakespeare’s most famous of tragedies in a Māori context and so impressed the national judges that they took away the best tragedy award and outstanding production, amongst others.

Aranui’s Head of Drama, Robert Gilbert was well pleased with his charges and said: "To have succeeded at the highest level two years running has been a terrific experience for the students and staff alike. The kids are on cloud nine, and didn’t dare hope that they might take top honours once again."

Last year, Aranui High School represented Canterbury at the national festival and similarly came away with a clutch of prizes including Best Comedy for ’A Mid-Summer Night’s Dream’. "I guess this means we’re not just a one-trick-pony," Gilbert quipped. "It was a stunning result from a fine group of young people, particularly after months of fundraising just to get to the national event." Aranui High raised enough money to drive up to Wellington and stay at a backpacker establishment for the 5-day festival.

St Giles Church in Papanui, and North Canterbury Gas contributed nearly $2000 towards the group’s expenses. "To all those who supported us, helped us raise funds, and donated money, we are most grateful and hopefully your faith in these kids has been rewarded," said Gilbert.

Lead actor, Te Awhiroa Kuka-Sweet won the Dymocks Award for Special Individual Performance; Light and Sound Operator, A.J. White took out the Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama School Award for Best Technician - after having won the equivalent award at regional level; and the school won the Stratford Shakespeare Society Award for Outstanding Presentation from a Tragedy; plus The New Zealand Theatre Federation Award for Outstanding Production.

Te Awhiroa Kuka-Sweet heads to London to perform at the Globe theatre next month, shortly after he stars in the Canterbury Young Shakespeare Company production of ’A Mid-Summer Night’s Dream’, which opens 18 June at the Repertory Theatre.

HamletTe Awhiroa Kuka-Sweet as Hamlet in Aranui High School's entry to the Sheilah Winn Festival of Shakespeare in Schools.

For the second consecutive year, Aranui High School will represent Canterbury in at the National Sheilah Winn Festival of Shakespeare in Schools, to be held in Wellington over Queen's Birthday weekend.

Last year, Te Awhiroa Kuka-Sweet won the Sam Wanamaker trophy for most promising actor and was also selected to go to the Globe Theatre in London to perform. This year, he took out the award for Excellence in Acting at the regional Festival and will again attend the National Festival, this time playing Hamlet.

HamletDirector and Head of Drama at Aranui High School, Robert Gilbert chose to set Hamlet in a Māori context as he had a large number of Māori students in his drama class, and wanted to make the play relevant for them. "The hierarchical aspects of Hamlet sit well in a Māori setting, and most tribes can recount some sort of similar treachery in their Iwi history, so there's a ring of truth about our interpretation," Gilbert says.

HamletThe Aranui drama group had weapons and other tāonga especially carved for their production and were honoured to have the loan of precious korowai (cloaks) from Ngāi Tahu. Gilbert says, "having students performing Shakespeare's plays brings the characters to life and allows for deeper understanding of the text. The festival has also given enormous opportunities to the likes of Te Awhiroa, and I have no doubt his trip to London will be one he never forgets."

Robert Gilbert
HOD DRAMA
Aranui High School