Acclaimed New Zealand play Black Faggot will show in Auckland later this month to help raise the cash needed to take it to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The theatre gem about being young, gay and Samoan will be performed for nearly a month as part of the New Zealand season at the world’s largest arts festival, beginning 31 July in the Scottish city. Black Faggot is writer Victor Rodger’s response to the debate over civil unions and same-sex marriage. He saw young Polynesian people and their families marching in a Destiny Church rally against gay marriage and thought, “some of those kids will be gay and feeling quite wretched about themselves”. The result is a series of both funny and emotive monologues about growing up gay in South Auckland - from the “undercover brother” desperate to prove he’s straight, to a pious teen trying to “pray the gay away”, an island mama whose beloved son turns out to be queer, and a staunch Samoan gay man who’s out, proud and in your face. First showing at Auckland Pride Festival and Auckland Fringe Festival in 2013, the play has won numerous awards and been performed in Wellington, Melbourne and Brisbane. Original cast member Beulah Koale is joined by actor and comedian Fasitua Amosa for five Black Faggot shows at The Basement in Auckland from June 24-28. Tickets are $22-$25 and can be bought here, however opening night is already sold out
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Monday, 9th June 2014 - 2:02pm