Ambassador Show Reviews

Young and Hungry Ambassadors attend about 20 free performing arts events each season.  They are encouraged to research the shows, learn about the different genres and performance styles, and develop their appreciation and critical thinking as audience members.  Throughout the season the Ambassadors are required to write a minimum of three reviews for three shows of their choice.  Below are examples of some of this year’s show reviews; here’s what our Ambassadors had to say…

Review of STRIKE: ELEMENTAL

Downstage Theatre

5 August – 20 August 2011

Strike: Elemental is a sonic  powerhouse of percussion skill and intense technicality and is laden with  passion, humor and enthusiasm.

Comprised of fourteen different  segments showcasing varying elements such as fire, wind and water, the show is  incredibly diverse, with each section distinct from its predecessor. Each instrumental sounds amazing, offering a great range of styles from thick, animalistic tribal rhythms to softer, more considered pieces.

Each set is well  composed and interestingly structured to create a truly entertaining  performance. Strike are able to effectively convey emotion through their work, each set sounding vibrant and alive, although they are not content just to  stop there as Strike couple this wonderful percussion work with a fantastic  visual performance to create an experience that is truly unparalled on  Wellington stages. Elemental is brilliant right from the onset, with an  opening consisting of furious tom work played with flaming drumsticks to an  interesting puppeteer concept and under lit tubs filled with water,  bathing the stage in soothing lights.

Inspired ingenuity and originality is  shown with a wide span of different instruments including a piece played  entirely on metal tubing of which the performers controlled the reverberation  to generate varying sounds. The stage is intelligently arranged, not only  for the ease of the percussionists, but also serves an effective purpose for  the stage, drawing attention to the performers. The sound engineering is  superbly done providing a sharp, crisp sound for a live show.

Elemental is a genuinely entertaining  show, offering a well rounded, thoroughly enjoyable experience.

Reviewed by James Ruscoe

Hutt Valley High School

two, four, six, EIGHT!

Eight, Directed by Simon Vincent, Playwright: Ella Hickson

Tuesday 9th August at Circa Theatre

Four actors, eight characters, but only six can be chosen each night, who will you choose?!  Eight is about eight different characters telling people about their individual lives with a very interesting, brilliant, and slightly comedic monologue.  The catch is, only six characters can speak each night, and its up to the audience to decide.

The first thing you notice when you walk into the room is strange planks of wood, and other furniture that peaked my curiosity.  The set was just completely random making it not match with any of the characters monologues but also really well when they needed to use the set.  Like a plain glasses table as a bed etc, but overall the set and stage looked pretty darn good, with the names on the wall and the way it was written to show what the character is like by the way they write.  Another nice touch were three televisions set stacked upon each other sideways.  The televisions showed the faces of six characters, to show the results of the voting and see who will be showing on that particular night.

The lighting throughout the performance was quite impressive.  The thing I found most impressive was the lighting shinning upon the names of the characters on the wall, to show what characters are going to be on that night, to show who’s been, and who’s next.  The lighting was pretty basic but helped a lot in terms of the characterization.  Each act worked in its own way.  When Andre came on, it was bright, ecstatic, and it lit up where ever he stepped, or when Astrid came on, it was dark and used great work of spot light to show darkness around her physically and emotionally to set her current situation

The style of the show was very interesting and not at all boring.  The differences in the characters grew each and every time.  None of them had anything to do with each other which made it even more unique.  For example, Andre, as he likes to be called, comes into his art gallery to find his boyfriend.  Dead.  He then tells us about what happened and why by putting it together.  Then you get Astrid who comes late after a party and creeps in to bed with her long term boyfriend Ben, and tells her secret confessions about being a cheat, or being cheated.

Overall the show was very entertaining and very deep.  I left not knowing what to think, but also thinking a lot, if that makes sense.  In the end I do think that individuality is important and everyone has their own problems.  So do consider watching this awesome show, I really recommend it!

Reviewed by David Lindsay

Taita College

Bloody Brilliant Show

DISORDER at BATS Theatre directed by Robin Kerr
BATS – Tickets $14-$16
Duration: 1 hour

The word ‘Disorder’ pretty much sums up what this play is all about; illness, chaos, confusion and disturbance. This truly captivating and strong performance will take you on one hell of a ride full of unexpected twists, tension, mutilations and blood, blood, blood!

‘Disorder’ is a contemporary piece of theatre, set in Wellington where a new cosmetic treatment unexpectedly goes wrong. Unaffected humans fight for survival while being under attack from the blood thirsty zombies. However it’s not only the zombies who are on a violent rampage.

Director, Robin Kerr has created a mesmerizing show that left me not wanting it to end. The clever use of the makeup and fake wounds are to be commended and added hugely to the impact of the show. The bloodshed of this show was gut-wrenching for me, but for those who are into those types of movies, will not be let down.

These talented young actors were brilliantly cast and delivered a powerful and convincing performance.  Each individual portrayed their character with great skill and individuality, however not all characters were particularly likeable.

‘Disorder’ is definitely a worthwhile show to watch! The play as a whole was constructed very well and I could find no faults in any aspect of it. I recommend this to anyone with enough guts to experience this bloody roller-coaster ride of a performance!

Reviewed by Brianna Cox
Chilton Saint James School

Splatter Theatre: Disorder

Directed by Robin Kerr
BATS – Tickets $14-$16
Duration: 1 hour

White tissue screens, white sterile benches, hanging black windows. ‘Disorder’ is a black and white play. Well, black and white and blood red.

The third and final play in Young and Hungry’s festival, ‘Disorder’ is this year’s main event. Set in modern day Wellington under the quaint pretence of a zombie plague (Yes I said ‘zombie plague’) this play does its best to bring Hollywood gore films to the stage. When a youthfulness treatment goes wrong an infection spreads through the lives of some genuinely likeable characters and some genuinely detestable ones too.

If you have ever seen a zombie movie then you know what to expect from this play. The constituent characters are very well performed by these young actors, and it is their performances that make this play worthwhile. Credit must go to writer Thomas Sainsbury who created such personas; the uncomfortably lesbian Pip, the direct no-shit doctor, and the sweet yet noble young teacher Mr Oliver are standouts. All the basest forms of humour in ‘Disorder’ make it a real laugh, but sometimes it is hard to accept the implied rape and cold-blooded murder in these surroundings.

With so many zombies fighting for human flesh it is good to see some attention paid to the blood and gore onstage. Zombie movie lovers will not be let down by the corn syrup blood and the fake wounds organised by the director Robin Kerr. With the amount of blood splashed across the stage you have to wonder if the only reason the cast was so big was so the cleanup after would be easier.
‘Disorder’ from the Young and Hungry arts trust delivers a legitimate adaptation of zombie film style to the stage.

While anyone who expects thematic depth or philosophical insight would be rather starved, there is significant entertainment value in the chaos of the absurd circumstance of a zombie apocalypse.

Reviewed by George Niven

Wellington College

Meet the Churchills – REVIEW

“By any definition of greatness, Sir Winston Churchill fits the bill. Yet so often behind a grand façade lies turbulence or tragedy – a family pays a price for greatness,” says playwright, Paul Baker.”

Meet the Churchills”, put on by Circa, captures this exactly as we see the famous Churchill family prepare for a ‘mending day’ as they hold a family luncheon to celebrate Sir Winston Churchill’s 88th birthday. Full of scandals, resentments and humor the five actors play out this sharp and witty script detailing the absurdity and dysfunctionality of the Churchill family much to the enjoyment of the audience.

The play is set in Randolph Churchill’s (Jeff Kingsford-Brown) Suffolk home in 1962 as he invites his father, Sir Winston, his mother, Clementine (Helen Moulder), and his sister, Sarah (Carmel McGlone) over for the aristocratic meal of ‘luncheon’. Winston Churchill, captured so explicitly by Ray Henwood’s witty acting, sits in his wheel chair merely a shadow of his former self with his main concerns now being that he wants a nap and a beef sandwich. However his dry wit soon surfaces from his grouchy shell and the brain we thought was in decline proves sharp and sound. Immaculately white coiffed and blue frocked, Clementine tries to carry the event with decorum though ultimately failing. She works to rebuild her disgruntled relationship with daughter, Sarah, but learns of Sarah’s new lover, Lobo Nocho, a black man much to the horror of her outmoded values.

The outsider to the family is the fictional character of egalitarian Dr Stephen Jenkins (Byron Coll) who becomes involved with the luncheon party by accident. He has written an unpublished thesis on Churchill’s wartime strategies which he studied at “Univarsity”, and has arrived at Randolph’s house in response to Randolph’s advertisement for a researcher. He however becomes entwined in the proceedings because of his wish to speak to Sir Winston and ask him questions like “why did he stop the War Cabinet engaging in peace talks with Hitler?” In exchange Randolph places him in the position of a servant for the rest of the day and refers to him as Jenkins. He acts as a spectator to the proceedings and works to represent the thoughts and views of the audience.

The costumes capture the era and characters well and wittily in the case of Sarah’s garish leopard print jacket and colourful micro-mini dress. Dr Stephen Jenkins wears an original tight-fitting sixties suit with the iconic Beatles long hair. The set is also engaging with a backdrop of two walls creating Radolph’s sitting room, one with a double wooden door and the other with a patio looking out over a view of the garden and surrounding countryside. In the middle is positioned a cream couch with large patterned cushions, reputed to have supported the likes of Kipling, Einstein, and Chaplin.

Ray Henwood’s acting was a definite highlight with his perfect representation of such a famous and well-known figure. He captures both physically and vocally the essence of Churchill’s character as he sits slouched over in his wheelchair a sour and disinterested grimace on his face. His carefully metered one-liners were spoken and pronounced in what could have been Churchill’s voice himself!

All the characters invoke the audience’s compassion at times throughout the play as we see the humanity that lies beneath each absurd character. The play acknowledges human fallibility, forgives it, and in a strange way celebrates it, all while providing an absorbing insight into one of Britain’s famous families.

Alice Coppard

Wellington East Girls’ College

Meet The Churchills

Paul Baker’s “Meet the Churchills” effectively combines both humour and a serious tone to create an informative piece documenting the commotion surrounding the family when they gathered for Sir Winston’s eighty-eighth birthday.

Revolving around Winston (Ray Henwood), his wife Clementine (Helen Moulder) and their two children Randolph (Jeff Kingsford-Brown) and Sarah (Carmel McGlone) as they confront “unfinished business” as Winston’s death looms. The cast is strong, each bringing depth and understanding to the characters giving an accurate image of a family in turmoil. Henwood’s sarcastic, deadpan delivery is a joy to watch and a clear comedic highlight of the show.

The invented character of Doctor Jenkins (Bryon Coll) represents the new, meritocratic Britain and contrasts it against Winston’s old country, and shows how the world is changing and the his ways are becoming obsolete.

The production design is more simplified in “Churchills”. The set is modeled after Randolph’s living room with images from the time decorating the walls. The costuming is well designed, showing off the prestigious nature of the family. This more simplified approach works for the piece, centering focus on the plot and characters.

With almost every detail meticulously researched, the play shows an astonishing amount of depth and even the most unlikely sounding details are true, although the play does take some dramatic licensing to keeps the audience engaged.

James Ruscoe
Hutt Valley High School

“We Sometimes Lack Candour”

Meet The Churchills
Directed by Ross Jolly
Circa One – Tickets $25-$46
Duration: 2hours 25min

A tastefully decorated English drawing room is the dish on which we are served ‘Meet the Churchills’. Two full walls, one with French doors looking into a Suffolk garden, and one with a door that opens into a hallway, are papered with images contemporary to Winston Churchill.

‘Meet the Churchills’ at Circa is the world debut of Paul Baker’s new play. Set at the end of November 1962, it deals with a boiling-pot luncheon between Winston Churchill, his wife Clementine, and their children Randolph and Sarah. Situations are exacerbated by the imagined character Dr Stephen Jenkins (Byron Coll) who represents a challenge to the aristocratic Churchill way of life. Ross Jolly directs Ray Henwood as Winston Churchill and Helen Moulder as Lady Clementine, while Jeff Kingsford-Brown and Carmel McGlone play their children. The play is the expected tense family drama, peppered with highly sensitive political issues and the lies only a family of politicians could keep for 50 years. What is not expected, however, is the perfect dry wit.

It is hard not to draw parallels between this play and King Lear. There is conflict between Churchill’s imperial ideals and the liberal Beatles generation they live in. This is similar to the tension between Edmund and Gloucester in Shakespeare’s play. Is right of birth or personal merit more important? Kingsford-Brown’s performance as Randolph, the eldest male child, can only be appreciated after watching at least the first half. He tries his best to be his father, but shows us all the feelings of inadequacy and frustration of a sapling in an oak’s shadow. We may hate him for his elitism but we love him for his vulnerability. The performances by Henwood and Moulder are not just superb presentations of witty, tomb-talking elderly, but also illustrations of two people who love their country and each other strongly; “not like foreigners but in a decent proper way”. This play is not much about Winston Churchill, however much a history fan may read it as that, it is of course about society; all plays are so let me be more specific. This play is about Britain’s social tension in the early sixties. Randolph represents the British who believe they can hold onto Victorian morals and standards in this new age. Randolph dislikes the meritorious Jenkins because he speaks out of place, doesn’t respect birthright, and because he looks for truth and not honour. Jenkins is the new age of social standing based on intelligence and skills rather than birth and family. This play is thick with this sort of symbolism, things you will really think over in your head. But of course this play has more going for it than making you think, this play is funny. Its humour is drier than a supermarket muffin but also clever; you won’t know the jokes are coming until they hit you, and they will. Winston Churchill at one point indignantly defends his infrequent use of his marbles “they’re my marbles; I shall do with them as I please”.

One of the stand-out points in this production was the set design. The walls of the drawing room are plastered with images of public figures and significant events of Churchill’s career. These greyscale images seem to grow from the wall, St Stephen’s tower from Whitehall stretches diagonally across one wall, on the other is a photograph of WWII aircraft in formation, and together all the images make a compelling design. Set design was by John Hodgkins. Costumes were by Gillie Coxill who dressed Sarah Churchill in the gaudiest and most audacious summer dress that perfectly complimented the performance by McGlone. Dr Stephen Jenkins was decked out in a tight-fitting authentic 60s suit and straight tie that was both Beatles-esque and scholarly.

‘Meet the Churchills’ has emotionally robust performances and an intriguing plot. Its dialogue left me with more quotes in my notebook than I can fit into this review and its conceptual complexities will get any brain thinking. This is in some ways a typical family play about dysfunction. “You poet, your brother insults, your father orates” is a pithy, telling line. ‘Meet the Churchills’ does not quite have the gravity or elegance of ‘August: Osage County’ nevertheless it is well-crafted and deserves to be seen.

George Niven
Wellington College

GLEE meets BOYZ IN THE HOOD

USO
Michelle Johansson
Downstage Theatre
Running time: 80 minutes

Having read the description of USO as “GLEE meets BOYZ IN THE HOOD,” I found it hard to imagine how they would pull off such a clash of cultures cohesively in an eighty minute play. It was with interest that I took my seat right at the top of Downstage’s balcony virtually a member of the sound desk eagerly awaiting the performance.

USO, directed by Michelle Johansson, follows the story of Lincoln, a young Polynesian boy growing up in South Auckland. Abandoned by their father his older brother, Miles, struggles to provide for the family and after losing his job, tries to convince Lincoln to drop out of school and start working. Lincoln is subjected to a huge range of contrasting solutions from his older brother, his best friend, Makisi, his drug-dealing friend, Siua, and his pregnant girlfriend, Lani. Meanwhile the group is getting ready for a choir competition offering Lincoln a way out if they win the sizable amount of prize money. Throughout the play their performance captures the Polynesian humor and slight sense of mischief so exactly while providing deep insights into some very real issues facing young Polynesians today.

Black Friars is a South Auckland theatre company whose mission is taking talented youth off the streets and onto the stage while breaking stereotypes and destroying prejudices. They perform with a delightful mix of humor and maturity to create a story that many New Zealanders can relate to.

USO certainly was a “GLEE meets BOYZ IN THE HOOD” experience. Portrayed with heartwarming honesty, outbreaks of ‘shivers down your spine’ gospel singing, and eighty magical minutes sharing in the work made by an enthusiastic, talented group with a passion for performing.

Reviewed by Alice Coppart
Wellington East Girls’ College

Teenage Tensions

USO
Michelle Johansson
Downstage Theatre
Running time: 80 minutes

USO, an intriguing title! Not a title to give me enough information to conjure up a vision of expectation, but it did generate a certain amount of curiosity. Ambling into the theatre, with no idea of what to expect, the sparsely set lounge scene still gave me no clues what so ever. It was not long until I realised the set was not an important aspect in the portrayal of this play.

USO is a contemporary piece of theatre with lively gospel singing intertwined throughout the storyline. The story follows a young Pacific Island boy as he deals with the pressures of growing up in South Auckland. Being set in a modern context, it truly emanated a believable story. Exploring the issues around love, betrayal, family, friends and tough decision making, the audience is filled with a sense of anticipation. Although not a particularly gripping storyline, I found myself being pulled through a range of emotions- from laughter to sorrow, from surprise to disappointment.

Black Friars, a group of young Polynesian actors from Auckland, delivered a powerful and convincing performance. These talented actors gelled well as a group, portraying their diversely individual characters. Not only did they show great skill in their acting ability, but also their strength as singers.

The innovative lighting was a success of the performance. I thought the use of the four individual shadow cloths lit with a wash of red to portray the outlines of people dancing, added an interesting element and enhanced the overall mood.

Although initially disappointed with the starkness of the set, I discovered that it was not needed for the integral plot. The performance was strong enough to effectively carry the audience without elaborate props.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the evening and came away with an urge to encourage others to go and see it. This is one theatre group I will definitely be on the lookout for future performances.

Reviewed by Brianna Cox
Chilton Saint James School

THE BROTHERHOOD OF USO

USO
The Black Friars, Auckland
Downstage
Running time 80 minutes

“WOW CLEVER. Very clever set, cool back drop. Loving the couch and TV. It looks like it might be a comedy but I’m not sure.” These were my first thoughts as I walked into the theatre.

‘USO’ is the story that looks into a teenage boys’ life in a Pacific Island family. The story went through the pressures that a teenage boy, Lincoln, goes through, like trying to balance playing sports, church, singing, friends, family hardships, girlfriends and education. Everything was said out loud, there wasn’t anything that was left to the imagination. I felt that this play was a well written drama with a sense of humor. I loved the singing. This story is aimed at and would appeal to everyone from college students to adults, especially parents.

The parts written for USO calls for all of the stereo types in society. The actor’s portrayed their characters very believably. It gave a good insight into Lincoln’s life and the people that surround him. I especially liked the older brother/ conductor of the choir, the drug dealer and the nerd. It showed that there are these same stereotypes in every culture. The natural banter and ribbing between the different characters helped to distinguish what kind of person they were and where they stood within the group of boys.

The technical side of USO was simple and clever but very effective. The flashing lights used to symbolize the police were a good idea all though the siren was piercing and went on for way to long. I thought the club scenes were very cool in how the lighting was used with the shadows of the people dancing. These are both great techniques for setting the mood and making individual scenes stand out. Some of the focusing of the white washes wasn’t very good as at times as we couldn’t see the actors’ faces very well.

Overall I think this play was a well written, clever and an insightful story into a young mans’ life who had important choices to make. This is something everyone can relate to. I left the theatre feeling happy and it made me think about the similarities and differences between the Pacific Island cultures and my own.

Reviewed by Kirsty Chandler
Paraparaumu College