Independent spoken word and live music performance

Winner of Best Local Show at the Nelson Fringe Festival 2026.

The Shape of Belonging is a 90-minute spoken word and live music performance exploring one of the most universal human questions: where do I belong?

Created and performed by Whakatū Nelson-based author and speaker Becky Siame, the show weaves autobiography, original songs, and live soundscape into a single arc. Beginning with an ordinary moment at a party and tracing the story all the way back to its origin, the performance moves through themes of identity, displacement, adoption, and the quiet return to self. Through humour, grief, and the kind of recognition that makes a room go very still, audiences are guided toward something that many describe as quietly transformative.

The accompanying original score was arranged by local artist, Suki Florence and performed live with Laura Pensado and Morgan Freedom. The music doesn't accompany the story. It moves through it.

Audience members may be gently invited into simple grounding moments during the show. Participation is always optional. Listening is enough.

Tickets: NZ$20 General Admission