HATCH Showcase
Created and performed by: Leia Edmonds, Waikamania Seve, Gabriel Murphy, Aroha Morrison, Charlie Roigard, and George Long.
Fresh voices, bold stories. HATCH puts emerging talent in the spotlight.
TAHI Festival’s student showcase, HATCH, champions our next generation of solo performers. In partnership with Te Auaha, Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama School, and Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington, HATCH supports students through workshops, mentorship, and creative development, culminating in a high-energy showcase at BATS Theatre.
Thank you to Wellington City Council for continued support of HATCH.
DETAILS
Date:
Wednesday 17 September - Saturday 20 September 2025
Time: 7pm
Where:
BATS Theatre (The Dome), 1 Kent Terrace, Mt Victoria
Runtime: 90 minutes
Important: Please arrive at the theatre early to collect your tickets and take your seats as latecomers will only be admitted at certain times during the show.
Creative team
Performers / Writers: Leia Edmonds, Waikamania Seve, Gabriel Murphy, Aroha Morrison, Charlie Roigard, and George Long.
Creative Producer and Facilitator: Sally Richards
Production Manager and Mentor: Marshall Rankin
SFX Design and Operator: Nathan Arnott
Workshop Mentors: Mel Dodge, Sameena Zehra and Ahi Karunaharan
See any two TAHI Festival shows at BATS Theatre
for just $30!
Get more art for your buck this TAHI Festival with a TAHI Taster Season Pass!
See any two TAHI Festival shows at BATS Theatre for just $30* – a saving of $10!
*T&Cs apply. See bats.co.nz for details.
Cursed Child: The return of Mr Haki
Written and performed by Leia Edmonds
Mr Haki is Leia’s childhood imaginary friend. He returns from the grave to confront her about his death. Cursed Child: The return of Mr Haki is a funny, slightly creepy, and nostalgic tale about the mind of a strange little girl.
Leia is a theatre student at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.
Contains mental health themes, and depictions of injury or medical distress.
Artist thank yous: I would like to acknowledge Sally Richards and Marshall Rankin for their ongoing support and mentorship. The BATS team and Tahi festival team. Our mentors: Mel Dodge, Sameena Zehra, and Ahi Karunaharan. My fellow hatchlings: Aroha, Charlie, Gabriel, George, and Waikamania. Our talented photographer Dianna Thomson. Also a special thank you to my partner Kipling DC for creating the prop ambulance, and for his support along the way. Solo work takes a village. CURSED CHILD: The Return of Mr Haki would not be possible without the collaboration and assistance from all those mentioned.
HĀNGĪ PANTS
Written and performed by Waikamania Seve
It's 9:04pm, a Saturday like any other. Scandaleyes smeared on, soju burning sweet, cherry pomegranate nicotine clouding the air. K Road’s about to come alive, but Hāngī Pants is already unpacking the mess. Her lovers, her losses, her lust.
Waikamania is an up-and-coming Indigenous actor, singer, orator and dancer, currently studying at Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School.
Contains strong language, explicit sexual content, references to pornography, drug use, sexual trauma, slut-shaming, and themes of loneliness and self-destructive behaviour. Also contains strobe lighting/flashing lights and haze.
Artist thank yous: NGĀ MIHI AROHA KI A SALLY RICHARDS, MARSHALL RANKIN, NATHAN ARNOTT, MEL DODGE, AHI KARUNAHARAN, MOLLY MACALISTER, ZODY TAKURUA, ANYA TATE-MANNING, ERINA DANIELS & VICTOR RODGER MŌ Ō KOUTOU AWHI ME TE TAUTOKO I TĒNEI MAHI WHAKAARI.
Warm Night At Normal School
Written and performed by Gabriel Murphy
Gabriel missions across the sticky floors and strobe lights of the school disco to ask the girl he likes to dance with him. But it’s not as easy as it sounds.
Gabriel Murphy is a third year university student at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington, where he is studying philosophy and theatre.
Recommended for audiences aged 13+. Contains flashing lights and some coarse language.
Artist thank yous: Ben Somers, Sofia Newman, Kyle Somerville.
Enter: Child
Written and performed by Aroha Morrison
Wide-eyed, happy to be there, and - well - utterly clueless. Child leads with curiosity - will you follow?
Aroha Morrison (she/they) is an emerging creative practitioner in her final year of study for a Bachelor of Creativity in Performing Arts.
Artist thank yous: Heather Wright, Sophie Jackson, Creatif Kate, TAHI Festival, Kerryn Palmer and PAYPA workshop team, Simon Ulm, Rory Grant, and Mum and Dad.
The Ring
Written and performed by Charlie Roigard.
Step into the world of hype, heart, and headlocks in The Ring — a raw and entertaining solo performance by Charlie Roigard. Blending parody wrestling theatrics with deeply personal truth. Whether you're ringside or back row, this is more than a fight, it's a movement: "They will never understand what it means to live your passion until they’ve stepped into your ring. Where you've become the champion."
Charlie is studying Theatre at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.
Artist thank yous: Thank you to all that helped make the show: Mum and Dad, TAHI and BATS team, Nicola Hyland, Adriana Vasinca, Violet King, and Nina Somerville.
Lost Memory
Written and performed by George Long
A man is trying to tell the story of meeting someone really important. But unfortunately life changes over time.
George is second year student at Toi Whakaari. George has been after since age 9, doing lessons at the Court Theatre in Christchurch, and community theatre.
Artist thank yous: Wanna give a big thank you to Anya Tate Manning, Sally Richards, Nathan King, Marshall Rankin, Nathan Araot and the group of Hatch.