Coming of age in Kerikeri
One woman’s tale of growing up in Kerikeri with mixed GhanaianPa¯keha¯ heritage has been made into a solo stage show.
Grace Bentley, who will be remembered in Kerikeri as a regular performer in the town’s ballet and drama productions, is the writer and performer of Woman of Citrus, a coming-of-age story about a young woman who returns to her Bay of Islands home town and is caught up in a deep existential crisis. In her quest for answers she meets five ‘women of citrus,’ who, through movement and poetry, give her a new perspective on life, identity and self-empowerment.
Bentley described the show as an uplifting tale weaving together rural life, prejudice, womanhood, the complexities of mixed race identity, and the connections that can be formed between people through laughter.
“Woman of Citrus intends to bring forward a conversation about finding your identity, especially for mixed kids,” she said. “I hope this show can stimulate cultural exchange and help people develop shared understandings with each other and what it means to call Aotearoa home.”
The show, directed by Jo Randerson, opens at Auckland’s Basement Theatre tonight, running through to April 20. It was first performed in Wanaka last year. Go to basementtheatre.co.nz for more information.