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Birds, a play by Dianna Fuemana, is more than a Pacific coming-of-age tale. Renee Liang spoke to actor Bianca Seinafo about the show.

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An urban tale told through the eyes of a young Niuean boy growing up in Auckland’s Avondale Hood-Lands, Birds also tells the tale of a mother, a family and a community.  It’s a universal tale, spoken in a sassy and streetwise language which will appeal to both young and old. Birds stars Ali Foa’i (Falemalama, Aukalofa Monologues) and Bianca Seinafo (Number 2, Big Trouble) in a classic two-hander format where the two actors change quickly through a multitude of characters. Birds has had two seasons in Auckland and now premieres in Wellington at the NZ Fringe Festival.

Why do you act?

Because I needed a job – haha. No, on a serious note I act because I love and thrive on the thought of doing it. It’s such a grounding and confronting line of work. It demands you to constantly be true to yourself, your purpose and keep your heart connected with your body. Without that, there’s no way you can bring any type of intensity or honesty to the character if you can't be real with who you’re looking at in the mirror. So I guess I act because I like the thought of being swept up in someone else’s story but also I love the challenge of staying real within that. And because it’s fun, ‘cos it’s definitely not about the money and the pretty things that's for sure!

Devising or script based: which do you prefer and why?

If I had got given $20,000 to make work and the options were either script-based or devising, I would definitely get some new shoes and pick devising – haha LOL!

Devising is a beast and I found the hardest thing while writing my own stuff is constantly looking at what’s on the page and aligning it with the purpose of why your writing this show. Does it fit, if not why? Has my initial purpose changed or have I written 40-pages of horse crap that I myself don't even find interesting. When writing I always have the phrase "kill your babies" drilled in my head, as you often have to cut things you may have thought were funny, interesting or just straight genius and go hmm no my Japanese ninja doesn't really fit with this 90's Hip Hop-themed show and the N.W.A. groupie scene.

I feel like I get more satisfaction out of devising as that's my own sh*t.  That’s me thru and thru and the reason why I wrote this is well, it’s whatever you get out of it.  Having that motivation or that trigger that forces my creativity is no one’s business but my own, and I like that. Another part of devising I like is being able to work with people who support the type of vision I have and are passionate about seeing what you’ve written up on its feet as much as you are. Having the freedom to make your work, fishing out the people who will help you make your work and also helping choose which is the best way to take it to the people.

You've worked a lot with young people and theatre. What does theatre do that other mediums don't?

I think it’s a great way to work on the craft, the discipline and stamina that’s needed to go through a whole season.  Also I think there’s a lot to learn and experience from the relationship you have with the audience.  For me it’s all about the storytelling.  I’m not in it for the laughs or obviously not for the money but for the audience to experience the story.  It’s not about you the actor it’s bigger than your ego.  I think theatre for me is the best way to teach students as I myself learnt most of what I know through making theatre.

What appeals to you about the script for Birds?

That it’s a New Zealand born Niuean story. A lot of stories are shared from those born and bred in the Islands and their experience coming to New Zealand. Which is great. However for New Zealand born Islanders we have a different experience in society.  Also what’s interesting is the relationship we have not only to New Zealand culture but to our heritage and our struggles trying to understand and relate.  I'm a New Zealand born Samoan, born and bred in Christchurch. I was blessed to have an amazing family who taught me what it means to be Samoan and proud, which isn't always easy when you’re not surrounded by your culture in society or when it’s not always welcomed. I loved my upbringing don’t get me wrong, but there are a few storylines within Birds that I can really relate to and laugh at.

Did you do any research for the roles?

Research for me is always a must. I always work through a workbook of images, research on the world of the play and its characters. Once I've dissected every character and get a good sense of the truth of each of them, then I can start learning my lines and mucking around in my room with physicality and voice. I need everything spelt out such as What they want? Who they are?, before I can start working. I need everything to be clear, because if I’m not clear while on stage then the audience won’t be clear about what is going on.  The last thing I want while I’m on stage is to lose the audience’s attention, because they have no idea what the play is about.

Can you identify with any of the characters you play?

I know a lot of these characters. I can relate to a few of them, through what they’re going thru and what I’ve experienced. Others, I recognise from back home.  For example Wiremu, one of the minor characters I play, reminds me of this snotty-nosed kid Cody from primary  school who use to throw hubba bubba at my head, and Jenny makes me think about the annoying outspoken thing from church who used to kick my chair at Sunday school.   Another character I play, Aunty Tuapa, reminds me a little of my grandma so to prepare for that role I recorded her reading my lines to try and get a sense of an accent and the rhythm of her speech as well as the humour.  For this character it was more my aunty’s pride in her culture and seeing her young boys connect with their heritage which reminded me of her. There’s more but you’ll have to come and see the rest.  I'm having a ball mucking around with each of these characters in rehearsals – they really crack me up.

What's been the audience response to Birds so far?

We’ve had a lot of great feedback!  During the show at the Basement last year, the laughs and giggles were always an indicator that they were following the story and that some things in particular sparked their interest. But I remember hearing a lady shout out:  “Good on you, you tell that damn boy”, while I was yelling at my son Tommy as his stage mother. That for me was like, cool, sweet she gets me. Because it’s a story thru Tommy’s eyes. His mother is mapped out to be the mean one, the one that doesn’t understand, the selfish villain. So it was great to get that reaction.

Also after the show, getting people come up to me and share what this show made them think of or who it reminded them of has been cool.   As an actress I love being on the stage but the most satisfying thing for me is when you start to see the show as a trigger for conversations like that. When complete strangers open up to you about their connection with the story, not about how good or bad the acting was or what they thought of the lighting but hearing them connect the truth of the story with their own – then you know that’s some real heart felt, humbling feedback. I love that, when people feel the need to let you know how the show resonated with them.

What have you got planned next?

Nothing yet, I never know what I'm going to do next.  Sometimes I wish work was more stable and I was getting it one after the other. But it’s not and that’s reality of being an actor, so I am always trying to create my own opportunities where I can work or at least work alongside people who are trying to do something similar.