The inaugural TAHI Ōtepoti festival is just around the corner, offering local arts fans an intriguing showcase of solo performance.

Jointly presented by TAHI New Zealand Festival of Solo Performance and Dunedin Arts Festival, the TAHI Ōtepoti festival will include seven shows over four days, October 14-18. 

Most of the 16 performances will be held at central city theatres Te Whare O Rukutia and the New Athenaeum Theatre with a special series visiting the three marae local to Ōtepoti. 

The programme features an array of theatre works, including Richard Huber’s new play Not Yet Named: Nicola #5 ⅔/83; new Late Bloomers play Letdown, by Marea Colombo and Bronwyn Wallace; and new play In He Māori? by Īhaka Martyn. 

Also featured will be Abel Reveret’s dance work A Mesmerising Voyage; Nicola Brown’s comedy show Invisible to the Naked AI; and poetry-music-dance work A Raptor in Dunedin, by Kim Cope Tait, Maddy Parkins-Craig and Sofia Kalogeropoulou. 

The shows covers topics from identity to connection, the postpartum experience to the getting older, love, loss and much in between.

TAHI Ōtepoti festival director Sally Richards said bringing the festival to Dunedin was a chance to celebrate local solo theatre-makers and generate new audiences.

“We are grateful for the generous partnership with Dunedin Arts Festival,” she said.

“Working together is our super power in the arts, pooling our resources and making things happen.”

Dunedin Arts Festival director Charlie Unwin was delighted to be co-hosting the festival and was excited about the calibre of performers.

The box office income would be shared between the presenters and the artists as a direct way to support Dunedin’s performing arts community, he said.

A full programme and tickets for TAHI Ōtepoti shows are available via www.dunedinartsfestival.co.nz/shows