Honouring Theatre:  Frangipani Perfume
- dynamic and fragrant theatre for the mind
Firehall Arts Centre
October 13 to October 21st

Frangipani is known as the traditional Hawaiian lei flower.  Frangipani Perfume is a dynamic three woman play that tells the story of three sisters who left their native island of Samoa to find a better life in New Zealand.  The play opens with three woman dancing to a beautiful musical piece of opera, only to reveal that they are actually scrubbing washrooms in New Zealand to make ends meet.

This is a play that I found astounding.  It works on many levels.   It is not the didactic memory play style of  Windmill Baby, nor the linear time line of the historically interpretative Annie Mae's Movement - each part of the tri-national tour of 3 plays from Canada, Australia and New Zealand - titled Honouring Theatre.  Frangipani Perfume is an exceptionally creative work that incorporates dance, drama, martial arts, comedy, memory, and so much more.  There were many times that I have to admit I said to myself "Wow!" or "What did they just do?"

Actors Dianna Fuemanna, Fiona Collins and Joy Vaele, together give an incredibly dynamic performance.  The sisters dance together, they fight against each other, they support each other, they argue with each other, and they reveal truths for and about each other.  The transitions and topic flow smoothly.  Just as easily as the actors themselves move across the floor, climb to stand on their chairs, threateningly fight each other or hold each other lovingly. 

Anything seems to be able to happen in this play.  One moment they are discussing boyfriends and marriage to escape the drudgery of scrubbing toilets and cleanning skid marks off the tile floors, the next they are literally flying across the stage floor, or dreamily recalling the fragrance of frangipani perfume which their mother used to make back on the island of Samoa.

And yet... social commentary fills the content of this play.  Thousands of Pacific islanders left their island homes to work in New Zealand as unskilled labourers.  They deal with the conflict of traditional island life and values pitted against contemporary morals and behaviors.  Post-modern sexuality threatens church morality and values.  Margaret Mead's anthropological views are rebuffed by native attitudes of knowingness.   Somehow the greatness of Einstein and the terror of nuclear war find their way into the balance.  And it all works brilliantly.  Kudos to playwright Makerita Urale for her imagination and daring. 

I was able to speak with the actors after the performance, and they were wonderfully friendly.  They shared that they were enjoying the visit to Vancouver after travelling across Canada, but were really looking forward to going home soon, as this is the last stop of the Canadian tour, before remounting for Australia and New Zealand in 2007.  They each spoke enthusiastically about being on this tri-national, three play tour, and watching the other performances.  We talked about the issue of including Pacific Islanders into Asian Heritage Month (as is done in the United States) and the fact that Pacific Islanders have their own identity and culture.  I shared my experience of learning Pacific Island culture in my visits to Hawaii, where my Aunt lived, and how I remember her teaching me one day to make a Hawaiian style frangipani / plumaria flower lei.

My companion had said that she smelled something fragrant at the start of the play when the actors took the stage.  Yes... the actors revealed.  They are wearing frangipani fragrance in their hair.  We talked about the frangipani / plumeria flower, and how it is also known as the "lei flower" in Hawaii.  Definitely a play that hits on all the senses including the mind and the nose...  very rare and fragrant indeed.