Using theatre as a tool for change - Ōtaki Mail October 2025 (Out the Gate interview)

BY NIKKI PAPATSOUMAS

Caption: Te Rākau Hua o Te Wao Tapu artistic director and Out the Gate director, Jim Moriarty Image: Tabitha Arthur Photography | Te Rākau

An upcoming performance at Māoriland is a collaboration between community and the arts devised to resonate with participants and audience.

Out the Gate incorporates movement, music and words.

It's described as “theatre marae” conversation about incarceration in Aotearoa, and is created with an ensemble of more than 16 performers.

The show’s Director Jim Moriarty has a celebrated history in the arts across television, film, radio and theatre.

He is also the artistic director of Te Rākau Hua o Te Wao, a performing arts organisation that works with at-risk communities to create and perform theatre in schools, marae and prisons, as well as professional theatres.

Jim says many of the people he works alongside from a background of addiction, violence and poverty. He helps them use performing arts and creative process as a tool for change.

“It's my true passion, I can use the skills in tools I have been privileged with to bring light into people's lives.”

Out the Gate draws from the Māori kaupapa research project TIAKI which provides community well-being for whānau with lived experience of incarceration.

“We have been preparing for this performance for a couple of years and it involved intense research of around 40 people. It looks at the whole question of imprisonment and incarceration.

“For many of these people they are locked in. If their family goes to jail it’s highly likely they’ll fall into that space too. 

“It's about the choices they can make about what's happening to them and what can happen in the future.

He says Out the Gate asks the big questions, but also provides hope.

“We hope people will come away with solutions and feel empowered to seek help.”

Jim says using the performing arts is a holistic way of engaging with people and helping them to make sense of the world they live in. 

“Traditionally the theatre isn't a well used space by Māori but it's moving in that direction. 

“The opportunity to go out into the community. Ōtaki has a strong creative community. Great artists travel through and put on performances, so it will be lovely to go up and connect.”

The performance is followed by a facilitated kōrerō with the audience, making it a real community focused event

“I was brought up on the marae and those are the things I have tried to integrate into how I practice theatre.

“The marae is very theatrical, so we try to weave that stuff into our work and give the audience the chance to respond if they want to.”

 Out the Gate comes to Māoriland on Friday 31 October, at 7pm