The Naked Samoans is a New Zealand comedy group made up of Polynesian entertainers, most of whom are Samoan. The group performs social humour and satire that attracts a broad audience, especially among white New Zealanders, without sacrificing the group's Pacific Island identity. The group has gained success in both television and film projects as well as in theatre, which remains their primary base in entertainment. The members of this group are David Fane, Mario Gaoa, Shimpal Lelisi, Oscar Kightley, Robbie Magasiva and Iaheto Ah Hi.
The group—consisting of Fane, Gaoa, Lelisi, and Kightley—began in 1998 with a stage production entitled Naked Samoans Talk about Their Knives (a parody of a New Zealand film Topless Women Talk About Their Lives). The show was a sellout success in several cities across New Zealand. It led to a series of successful theatre productions and greater media attention. Their material on such subjects as racism and violence were surprising to some, but nonetheless their base grew. Robbie Magasiva and Iaheto Ah Hi joined the group in January 2001 and have remained members since.
In 2003 they performed Naked Samoans Go Home[1] at Downstage Theatre in Wellington and the Herald in Auckland.[2]
Between 2004 and 2006, the Naked Samoans were involved in two major projects. In television, the original members created the animated show bro'Town, New Zealand's first adult animated show. It received critical praise and numerous awards from the country's domestic entertainment industry. In film, most of the group members starred in the comedy film Sione's Wedding, known as Samoan Wedding in other regions such as North America, co-written by Oscar Kightley and James Griffin.[3][4] The movie became one of the highest-grossing Kiwi films of 2006, making over $NZ3 million. However, it also got media attention as being a victim of unauthorized distribution, resulting in some loss of potential revenue. Sione's Wedding was later released in Australia and distributed in the United States under a new title Samoan Wedding.
After a successful 2006, the Naked Samoans returned to their roots and performed with their new production, Naked Samoans Go Home (Again), in December.
In 2018 for a 20-year anniversary celebration the Naked Samoans teamed up with the Pasifika theatre company The Conch to present a show called Naked Samoans Do Magic, commissioned by the Auckland Arts Festival (co-produced by The Conch).[5][6][7] The production had a season from March 22 - 25, 2018 at the Civic Theatre in the Auckland Arts Festival. One of the reviews states, "While hinting at many of the social problems that affect Aotearoa and the world, the production celebrates the transformative power of magic and of theatre, leading to a sense of optimism and hope."[8]
^"Samoan Wedding (2006)". IMDb.com. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
^"Oscar Kightley: Biography". NZ On Screen. 24 January 2020. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
^"The Naked Samoans Do Magic". The Conch. Retrieved 2019-11-20.
^Christian, Dionne Christian, Dionne (2017-10-27). "No sleight of hand needed to get Naked Samoans back on stage". ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 2019-11-20.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^Kilgallon, Steve (23 March 2018). "Review: The Naked Samoans do Magic". Stuff. Retrieved 2019-11-20.
^"A Genre-Bending Pasifika Collaboration -"The Naked Samoans Do Magic"". The Theatre Times. 2018-04-29. Retrieved 2019-11-20.
Kara, Scott (December 14, 2006). "Filthy fun with Naked Samoans". The New Zealand Herald.
April 10, 2024
naked, samoans, zealand, comedy, group, made, polynesian, entertainers, most, whom, samoan, group, performs, social, humour, satire, that, attracts, broad, audience, especially, among, white, zealanders, without, sacrificing, group, pacific, island, identity, . The Naked Samoans is a New Zealand comedy group made up of Polynesian entertainers most of whom are Samoan The group performs social humour and satire that attracts a broad audience especially among white New Zealanders without sacrificing the group s Pacific Island identity The group has gained success in both television and film projects as well as in theatre which remains their primary base in entertainment The members of this group are David Fane Mario Gaoa Shimpal Lelisi Oscar Kightley Robbie Magasiva and Iaheto Ah Hi The Naked SamoansMediumStage television filmNationalityNew ZealandYears active1998 presentGenresSocial humorMembersDavid FaneMario GaoaShimpal LelisiOscar KightleyRobbie MagasivaIaheto Ah Hi Contents 1 Early beginnings and work 2 Filmography 3 References 4 External linksEarly beginnings and work editThe group consisting of Fane Gaoa Lelisi and Kightley began in 1998 with a stage production entitled Naked Samoans Talk about Their Knives a parody of a New Zealand film Topless Women Talk About Their Lives The show was a sellout success in several cities across New Zealand It led to a series of successful theatre productions and greater media attention Their material on such subjects as racism and violence were surprising to some but nonetheless their base grew Robbie Magasiva and Iaheto Ah Hi joined the group in January 2001 and have remained members since In 2003 they performed Naked Samoans Go Home 1 at Downstage Theatre in Wellington and the Herald in Auckland 2 Between 2004 and 2006 the Naked Samoans were involved in two major projects In television the original members created the animated show bro Town New Zealand s first adult animated show It received critical praise and numerous awards from the country s domestic entertainment industry In film most of the group members starred in the comedy film Sione s Wedding known as Samoan Wedding in other regions such as North America co written by Oscar Kightley and James Griffin 3 4 The movie became one of the highest grossing Kiwi films of 2006 making over NZ3 million However it also got media attention as being a victim of unauthorized distribution resulting in some loss of potential revenue Sione s Wedding was later released in Australia and distributed in the United States under a new title Samoan Wedding After a successful 2006 the Naked Samoans returned to their roots and performed with their new production Naked Samoans Go Home Again in December In 2018 for a 20 year anniversary celebration the Naked Samoans teamed up with the Pasifika theatre company The Conch to present a show called Naked Samoans Do Magic commissioned by the Auckland Arts Festival co produced by The Conch 5 6 7 The production had a season from March 22 25 2018 at the Civic Theatre in the Auckland Arts Festival One of the reviews states While hinting at many of the social problems that affect Aotearoa and the world the production celebrates the transformative power of magic and of theatre leading to a sense of optimism and hope 8 Filmography editSione s Wedding Sione s 2 Unfinished Business bro TownReferences edit Playmarket 40 40 years of playwriting in New Zealand Atkinson Laurie O Donnell David 1956 Wellington New Zealand ISBN 978 0 908607 45 7 OCLC 864712401 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint others link ATL Unpublished Collections tiaki natlib govt nz Retrieved 2019 11 20 Samoan Wedding 2006 IMDb com Retrieved 22 June 2020 Oscar Kightley Biography NZ On Screen 24 January 2020 Retrieved 22 June 2020 The Naked Samoans Do Magic The Conch Retrieved 2019 11 20 Christian Dionne Christian Dionne 2017 10 27 No sleight of hand needed to get Naked Samoans back on stage ISSN 1170 0777 Retrieved 2019 11 20 a href Template Cite news html title Template Cite news cite news a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Kilgallon Steve 23 March 2018 Review The Naked Samoans do Magic Stuff Retrieved 2019 11 20 A Genre Bending Pasifika Collaboration The Naked Samoans Do Magic The Theatre Times 2018 04 29 Retrieved 2019 11 20 External links editNaked Samoans at IMDb Kara Scott December 14 2006 Filthy fun with Naked Samoans The New Zealand Herald Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Naked Samoans amp oldid 1177314905, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
