What's On

What do you do when you don’t want to be Maori or gay or Asian looking? You turn it into a cabaret of course!
From the sheep farms of rural NZ to Sydney, Melbourne and on to Darwin, singer/actor/comedian Shalom Kaa takes you on a musical, comical and poignant trip through artistic, cultural and sexual identity.

‘Growing up in the ’80s, I was Maori but was often called a ‘chink’, had the most Jewish name ever, I was clearly gay, my family were Jehovah’s Witnesses and my Dad loved telling tall stories. Life felt far from normal – I was a plastic Maori. But my parents were also musicians; music would be my saving grace’.

Shalom’s autobiographical cabaret won People’s Choice Award and Best Producer to a sell-out Darwin Fringe Festival season in 2019. Purple Plastic Maori has since enjoyed two seasons at Adelaide Fringe Festival to critical acclaim: ‘It all adds up to a highly rewarding night-out in the company of a cabaret artist whose skills are as impressive as their modesty is endearing,’ Anthony Vawser, Adelaide Theatre Guide.

Expertly weaving together comedy, song and storytelling, Purple Plastic Maori is a glitzy and gritty version of Shalom’s self-discovery and acceptance.

Prepare to sing along, laugh and cry. There may even be a war dance.