Grass Roots - ONE NIGHT ONLY!

“Would you risk it all for the ruck and maul?”

For one night, and one night only, Grass Roots returns to Te Whanganui-a-Tara this TAHI Festival at the iconic Hannah (September 18th)!

Written and performed by Raureti Ormomnd, Grass Roots is a semi-autobiographical musical comedy based on his life as the (very) queer son of a pro rugby player. 

From the club fields to Eden Park, a young man embarks on an odyssey through the New Zealand Rugby Ages. Join him in this historical exploration of queerness, masculinity and the mighty Land of the Long White Cloud. Featuring iconic kiwi hits, you’re in for a ruck-us night! Lace up those cleats… GRASS ROOTS is about to kick off!

This solo theatre show examines the good and the bad of rugby; the machismo and dysfunction, the camaraderie and pride. It unearths the forgotten stories of the game, from the legends of 18th Century Warwickshire to the tales of the 1981 Springbok Tour - and you can’t forget a very important stop in the clubhouse changing room! 

Above all, it speaks to the nature of growing up as takatāpui in a world that doesn’t quite feel like your own. The ultimate catharsis is found within the bond shared by a father and son, who seemingly come from two different worlds, but teach each other the true measure of what it means to be a man.