KKK Storms Australia with Killa Musical.

David Spicer speaks to Ana Polataivao, the director and co-writer of The Factory, described as New Zealand’s very own ‘Pacific Les Misérables’, currently on tour around Australia.

Tell us about the journey of the Factory?

It was inspired by our parents and their journey to New Zealand. It is basically a migrant story. It started in 2010. Then in 2011 we put on a four week production. It was mental. It was like four weeks.

Then the Auckland Arts Festival came in to see a run and invited us to be part of the 2013 festival.

It then spurred a lot of interest. Here we are at Adelaide Cabaret Festival and after our Australian tour we head to the Edinburgh Fringe for a month.

What was the story of your parents?

They left their island paradise in search of their milk and honey dream in New Zealand. It was a question of did they find it. I was born in Samoa. As time passed they had not moved on in the new country. There were lots of barriers and to this day I do not know if they overcame that.

They came over and worked in factories until they became too ill to work. I went into acting at the New Zealand drama school.  This is unlike something you would do as a Samoan girl. But I went ahead and did it anyway.

I found myself in this industry and found myself responsible to carry people’s stories through this medium.

Is it a traditional musical?

It is all original music that developed organically. We worked on the feeling or emotions that developed in a scene, and the musicians translated that into notes and beats.

In terms of the emotion we understood that. And our composer was able to translate that into sound.

The music starts off with traditional Samoan music then you have lots of 70’s funk.

Your group is called the KKK what does that stand for?

Killa Kokonut Krew - that is what we are called. In 2002 there were lots of zombie-like actors, musicians, engineers but there was nothing like for us in the early days.

You may be wondering why on earth KKK?  Well you know it was totally a marketing tool to stop traffic. People thought we were nuts. Why would anyone want to touch a group called KKK (commonly associated with the Klu Klux Klan).

We decided to band together and form something for us. We were trained in institutions and we had to wait for months and months to get a call for a role anywhere. 

But we were not trained to wait but trained to make things. 

Who is coming in the audience – mainly South Pacific Islanders?

We have a diverse mainstream audience.

People come from all over to see our shows. We are political. We are entertaining. It makes you laugh and cry. But it means something.  It comes from the heart.

People are starting to open up and embrace our point of view.  We laugh at anything someone could slip over a banana peel and we crack up laughing.

How many in the cast?

14.

Is that large show to tour?

It really is. It has been a mammoth beast to get up off the ground. But well worth it and why not. Creative New Zealand have been a massive player to get this tour going. They see something special in this. We are doing 25 shows in Edinburgh. It is a long time to be away from my children.

I note you are coming to Parramatta in western Sydney. They have got a Rugby League team and I think almost the entire first grade team has got some South Pacific Islander back ground.

Well of course. We are number one at sports and music.

Both?

Anyone who wants to debate that, bring it on.

This large-scale musical began its Australian tour at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival (June 12 – 14), touring to Riverside Theatres Parramatta (June 18-21) click on our banner ad for more details , Canberra Theatre (June 24 & 25), Wollongong (July 9 – 12) and the Gold Coast  (July 15 & 16).

Read our Adelaide review