AIGA by Touch Compass

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Trailer

Synopsis

AIGA held its world premiere at Te Ahurei Toi o Tamaki Auckland International Arts Festival 2024. A groundbreaking Pasifika-led, disability-led, devised work of theatre, movement and music focused on the stories and lived experiences of Lusi Faiva and her ensemble cast. The work explores personal identity, life struggles and desires, and above all, aiga/family, while taking an honest look at what it means to be Disabled, Pasifika or Māori woman/non-binary person in Aotearoa.

The central narrative lies in the extraordinary life of Lusi from youth to adulthood as told through loosely chronological vignettes, and the individual and collective rich experiences of each of the diverse cast are folded seamlessly into this narrative. The overarching themes of AIGA are rooted in Identity, Desire, and finding your Aiga (family).
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“I wanted to create AIGA with a simple idea that would bring a sense of discovery to our identities: to explore the real meaning of accessibility to us all, and to deepen our sense of belonging. Discovering our unique essence of our surroundings and the stories we tell and share them in our own words. Our voices, our thoughts and feelings are the most important and powerful.” - Lusi Faiva
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The shape of AIGA is primarily inspired by Lusi’s journey through life, and her ceaseless quest to find belonging and Aiga. Each of the members of the production, cast and crew alike, have also shared their own experiences, resulting in a tapestry of stories being woven together with Lusi at the centre. As the work was devised, each cast member has taken the time to uncover the stories they hold in their heart, the stories we usually keep ourselves from finding.

The current mode of the work is as a series of stylised vignettes that loosely follow Lusi’s life chronologically. Although the context of these formative moments can be very challenging and at times dark, there is also a great deal of joy, levity, and humour present throughout the work.

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“AIGA takes the time to locate our collective comfortable, safe space, enabling us to discover our true identities. The process allows us to embrace the struggle of being put in a place where we don’t feel confident, and help our relationships grow stronger as time passes. We discover new strengths from this place of isolation. AIGA is a platform to voice our fears, and share compassion. With AIGA we invite the audience into this space to do their own reflection on their identities along with us.” - Lusi Faiva
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It is important to note that AIGA does not solely focus on disability, or disability-focused issues. It simply holds up a disability lens for the audience to view the world through. Many of the themes explored through AIGA - identity, desire, poverty, racism, acceptance, belonging, agency - are issues experienced equally by many in all human spaces and places.

AIGA seeks, in a tight 70 minute work, to break down the barriers of “us vs them”. It unearths the challenges and victories present in all of us as we navigate our place in the world, discovering connection with the people in our lives.

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“I wanted a chance to lead a work myself. I like to explore the person that I am, as an artist and as an independent Samoan individual, and wanted to lead a team that could support each other to do so as well. I rely more on my own perspective of what allows me to work in a space where I can reflect on the things that matter to me and I find that adds a lot of value to my process.” - Lusi Faiva

Creative Team and Crew

Lead Creator / Lead Performer | Lusi Faiva - She/her
Director, Audio Describer | Moana Ete - She/her
Performer / Writing Support, Intimacy coordination | Fiona Collins - She/her
Performer, choreographer and composer | Forest V Kapo - They/them
Performer | Iana Grace - She/her/they/them

Producer, Touring Manager | Jordan Mihi Walker - They/them
Production Designer - Set, Lighting and Projection | Rowan Pierce - He/him
Costume Designer | Lindah Lepou - She/her
Stage Manager | Lucie Camp - She/her

LX, Touring Technical Manager | Isadora Lau - She/her
Touring Technical operator | Michael Goodwin - He/him

Number of People in the Touring Party

9 including access support person

Previous Seasons

World premiere season: Te Ahurei Toi o Tāmaki Auckland Arts Festival March 2024
South Island Premiere: Nelson Arts Festival October 2024

Reviews and Quotes

"AIGA is accessibility and excellence in action" Sam Brooks - Dramatic Pause
"Lusi Faiva's AIGA is full of disability joy at a time we need it the most" Olivia Shivas - The D List
"Art that moves, challenges, and connects us" - Nelson Arts Festival
"Wonderfully uplifting" Jenny Stevenson - DANZ Aotearoa
"Confronting, evocative" Theatre Peter - The 13th Floor

Technical Rider & International Touring Info (if applicable)

• View/download document #1 here
• View/download document #2 here

WHITE NOISE

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Synopsis

White Noise has emerged from creator Alisha Mclennan Marler’s lived experience as a mother with disability. The work is an ongoing dance of communication - hearing and being heard, being seen and unseen, and the agency to craft our own narrative. White Noise turns the tables of perception onto the audience - inviting them to reflect on the preconceptions that Alisha is so often confronted with as she moves through the world. The lens of motherhood brings the reciprocal and constant interplay of parent and child into the feedback loop. Intimate experiences of parenthood intermingle with unapologetic social rebellion. The work is both personal and utterly communal, drawing us to consider our own place in the conversation.

Striking images sit alongside virtuosic movement material in this choreographic collaboration between Alisha and choreographer Jessie McCall. Live sound manipulation playfully weaves through the work, alongside a boundary pushing score by Drew McMillan. Immersive digital design elements from Brad Gledhill animate the performance space, bringing Alisha’s internal world to life. White Noise is poignant, provocative, sensual, and not afraid to make noise.

Creative Team and Crew

Alisha McLennan Marler - Performer / Creator
Jessie McCall - Choreographer
Fiona Saunders - Producer
Drew McMillan - Sound Designer
Brad Gledhill - Tech Designer

Number of People in the Touring Party

3-5 (scalable)

Reviews and Quotes

An engaging, deep and emotional experience, compellingly performed by Lish and enriched by the design and production team. Relatively simple but effective, and affective, use of props - projection, the mirror, hot mic, tissue, and chair created a unique world to inhabit and “live” the story.
- Stefan Greder

Abilitopia

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