Help Tutaka get to the Globe

Hi everyone, I just wanted to send you a note from Tutaka about his experience in London. At the end of his time at the Globe, he performed the role of King Lear on stage - in Mum’s words - “It was a thrill to watch Tutaka perform a key role on the huge Globe stage and carry it off with such assurance and power. He was impressive also in his engagement with other characters, and in the depth of emotion and understanding he brought to the role. Tutaka did us all proud!”

Update and thank you from Tutaka:

From the 8th of July to the 27th of July, 2022, I left the familiar comforts of home to embark on a trip of a lifetime.

I must admit, I felt a whirlwind of emotions, a little apprehension at the fact that I’d be spending a considerable amount of time with a new group of people, nervous about fitting in, but ultimately excited – excited at the opportunity to get to know this group of people, choosing to put my best foot forward and soaking in every experience.

My first impression of the Globe stage was grand. It had a special feel about it, like I could feel the energy of generations of performers still present. We were welcomed on to it by a descendant of the builder, which just added to the richness of the history. It took me a while to get comfortable with it, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying my time on stage. It was really exciting stuff on that stage. Being on a new stage reminded me of kapa haka, thrilling, exhilarating and so much fun.

Watching the professionals perform was a treat. I could tell how good they were by their ability to work with the crowd. There was so much I wanted to learn from them.

My favourites were stage combat and singing. I loved how intense the work was. Johnny was our director, and although some may say he was tough, I liked the way he did things and I thrived on it. He constantly pushed us, expanding and growing our baselines. Johnny was also flexible, he even let us add a couple of haka pieces into our storm scene. Not many can say they have done the haka on The Globe stage, but I can.

The most concerning thing for me was belting down on my lines and cues. I’m still learning the wide and wonderful language of Shakespeare, so I was challenged from time to time.

Our tour leaders were the best and made us feel so comfortable. They contributed largely to the positive impact of this trip.What a great experience that was for me to stand on The Globe and tell a story alongside talented young Shakespearian actors.

Thank you so much to the people who made this experience possible for me. Thank you…it was a BLAST!