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Estelle Chout

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proudly staring at the camera with hands in pockets. black curly hair.
Chout in 2021

Estelle Chout is an Afro-Caribbean queer playwright and actor based in New Zealand.[1][2] Her semi auto-biographical play Po' Boys and Oysters, premiered in 2022.[1] Chout was the first black female to be on the shortlist of the Adam NZ Play Award in 2021.[3]

Chout moved to New Zealand 2017. Her heritage is from Martinique in the Caribbean and she grew up there.[3][2]

Chouts first play Po' Boys and Oysters was to be shown at the Auckland Pride Festival in 2022 but was cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions.[1] It ended up being performed at the Basement Theatre in Auckland.[4][5] Chout was one of the performers alongside Layla Pitt and Sandra Zvenyika. Dione Joseph directed the play.[4] Reviewer Jess Karamjeet described Chout's writing as 'subtle and full of natural points of humour'.[6] It was produced by Black Creatives Aotearoa.[6][7]

This play of Chout's is unique as the first to present the migrant experience of African-Caribbean New Zealanders.[6][8] The play was updated by Chout with dramaturgy by Ahi Karunaharan and presented again in 2025 at the Herald Theatre in Auckland. Reviewer Aroha Awarau described it as 'unapologetically Black, uniquely queer, and distinctly Kiwi'.[8] The play was presented as part of the first Aotearoa Festival of Black Arts.[9]

Chout runs an accountancy practice. She previously worked as a finance professional.[2]

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 3 Wilkes, Mikaela (25 January 2022). "Black lesbian playwright debuts New Zealand's first play about Afro-queer immigrants". Stuff. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 "About". Chout Financial. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
  3. 1 2 Admin, B. C. A. (20 March 2021). "Adam NZ Play Award Nominee Estelle Chout". Blackcreatives. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
  4. 1 2 Raghukumar, Kadambari; Producer (13 October 2022). "Po' Boys and Oysters - a hearty serving of Afro-queer in Aotearoa". RNZ. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
  5. ↑ "Po' Boys and Oysters — A Review – bad apple". 6 October 2022. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 Karamjeet, Jess (28 September 2022). "REVIEW: Po' Boys and Oysters (Black Creatives Aotearoa)". TheatreScenes.
  7. ↑ Mutambu, Tendai. "Metro — Metro Arts — Tuesday 4 October". www.metromag.co.nz. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
  8. 1 2 "Po' Boys and Oysters". Theatreview. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
  9. ↑ "Po Boys and Oysters at Herald Theatre New Zealand (Nov 22 – Nov 28, 2025)". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
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