Summer 2012 Enews from The Michael King Writers' Centre

The Signalman's House has beenfull of the delicious smell of baking bread over the past few weeks as ourlatest writer in residence Whiti Hereaka carries out research for her new play.Whiti is here for the Summer Residency to write a one-woman play about makingrewena, traditional Maori bread. The play will be set in a kitchen and theactor will make a loaf of rewena during the show. The length of the performancewill be determined by how long it takes to cook the rewena. Whiti is using theidea of making bread and breaking bread to explore ideas of colonisation,hospitality and the relationship between Maori and Pakeha. While she has beenstaying at the centre during her eight-week residency, she has been refiningher recipe for rewena, so the kitchen has been put to good use.

Whiti will speak about the craft of writing scripts and plays ata free event at the Devonport Library on Thursday evening (February 23) from7.30 pm. Organised by the Devonport Library Associates, it will be a greatopportunity to hear from this talented young Wellington dramatist, scriptwriterand novelist, whose first book TheGraphologist's Apprentice was shortlisted for First Book in theCommonwealth Writers Prize (Asia/Pacific region) in 2011. We hope to see youthere.

Warmregards
Karren Beanland, Manager
February 2012