At the conclusion of Strange Resting Places in the Settlers Museum on Monday night, a Maori elder rose and thanked the actors for their performances in the play about a Maori and Italian soldier at Monte Cassino during World War 2.
He also spoke of the sacrifices made by Maori soldiers in the war.
A group of Maori elders then rose and sang Hoki Mai for the cast, with many of the audience joining in.
It was as moving as it was spontaneous.
Meanwhile, Australian photographer and performance artist William Yang took the chance to explore his own culture with a look through the Dunedin Chinese garden yesterday with Peter Sew Hoy, who is descended from one of Dunedin's oldest Chinese families.
"It's absolutely magnificent. It will be great when all the trees have grown in a few years' time," Yang enthused.
The Sydney-based artist was amazed that much of the funding for the $7.6 million garden came from the Poll Tax Heritage Trust, which was established to compensate for the 100 Chinese poll tax, imposed in New Zealand between 1881 to 1930.
"That's incredible. They've never apologised for the Chinese poll tax in Australia. I'm quite astonished that you did here," he said.
William Yang's China, opens at the Settlers Museum tonight and runs till Saturday.
• There was plenty of mirth at the opening night of Mikelangelo and the Black Sea Gentlemen at the Glenroy Auditorium on Monday night.
Mikelangelo (Michael Simic) interacts with the audience during the performance and inadvertently chose lawyer Richard Farry's knee to sit on while he ran his fingers through Carisbrook Stadium Trust chairman Malcolm Farry's hair.
Ironically, the Farry Group is the sponsor of the performances at the Glenroy Auditorium.
• Poet Sam Hunt also entranced an audience of more than 200 people at St Paul's Cathedral yesterday.
Hunt later revealed that he had been impressed by the festival even before he had arrived in Dunedin.
"As we were about to land in Dunedin, on the plane the steward welcomed us on the intercom to the Otago Festival of the Arts and mentioned that Sam Hunt was on board. I thought that was just lovely," he said.
"There would be no other city in New Zealand where an announcement like that would be made."
If you want to get up close and personal with the performers, pop up to the Ballantine's Festival Club after your show.
Spotted hanging out over the past few nights have been performers from Strange Resting Places, Hover/Locked, William Yang's China and Mikelangelo and the Black Sea Gentlemen.
There are just five days left in the 2008 Otago Festival of the Arts.
