Māori Theatre Tackles Incarceration with ‘Out the Gate’

A new theatrical production titled Out the Gate is sparking vital conversations about incarceration in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Written by Helen Pearse-Otene, who has extensive experience as a psychologist and theatre practitioner, the play is currently touring and will be performed at Massey University in Wellington from November 12 to 15, 2023.

This innovative work is part of a broader initiative known as TIAKI, a public health research project focusing on the negative impacts of incarceration on the health and well-being of Māori and their communities. Pearse-Otene has collaborated with the Eru Pomare Centre at Otago University and the Tū Kotahi Māori Asthma Trust for the past three years, conducting extensive research that includes statistical data and interviews with individuals who have experienced the justice system firsthand.

Exploring Justice Through Theatre

“Theatre marae is applied as a decolonising strategy in ensemble work,”

Pearse-Otene explains, highlighting the conceptual partnership between traditional and contemporary Māori performing arts. This approach serves to craft evocative theatre that honors Māori expressions of colonization, trauma, and social justice.

The ensemble for Out the Gate includes individuals with lived experiences of incarceration, providing them a platform to share their stories. “They’re the ones who get to tell me if the script is rubbish,” Pearse-Otene says, underscoring the importance of authentic voices in the narrative.

Bridging Research and Performance

The play’s narrative is woven from the insights gathered during the TIAKI project, which not only examines the factors leading to intergenerational incarceration but also presents community-derived alternatives aimed at reducing recidivism. Pearse-Otene strives to balance the weighty themes of the play with an underlying message of hope, drawing primarily from the community interviews to guide its direction.

“I hope that, in being guided primarily by the community interviews, the play mirrors this,” she adds. Following each performance, audiences are invited to engage in discussions, further extending the conversation initiated on stage.

Pearse-Otene expresses her desire for attendees to leave the performance feeling that the experience was worthwhile. “If people leave the show thinking that the price of admission was worth it, then I’m happy,” she states.

As a personal note, Pearse-Otene shares a lesser-known aspect of her life: her involvement with the Sanditon Sisterhood, a global fan group that campaigned for the renewal of the television series after it was cancelled. “It got me through lockdown,” she reflects, revealing her passion for storytelling that extends beyond the theatre.

The production of Out the Gate not only aims to entertain but also seeks to provoke thought and discussion about pressing social issues, reinforcing the power of theatre as a medium for change and healing.