Heart lacks substance
Lynn Freeman
Party with the Aunties, Directed by Erina Daniels, Miramar Rangers AFC Clubrooms, November 23, Reviewed by Lynn Freeman.
LOOKING back over my scribbled notes for this devised play set, the word HEART is underlined many times. This story of a whanau get together at a 50th birthday party is so clearly created with love that you can’t help but fall under its spell. Setting it in actual clubrooms is inspired and clearly this has been created with touring to other similar venues in mind.
It’s Angus’ 50th, he is a man of few words but loved by all. It’s supposed to be his day, but family dramas threaten to derail it.
We are serenaded by the three actors, Jamie McCaskill, Matariki Whatarau and Cian Elyse White, before and throughout the production. In fact it is more of a musical than a play. These three exceptional performers bring us a myriad of characters, from kids to grown ups not acting very maturely, to a very naughty Nanny indeed. So far so good.
While the characters are delightful, they deserved much more fleshing out, and a much more substantial story with an arc to it. Here we get lots of comedy, flashes of genuine drama, but before that drama can dig in, the actors throw in another song or two. There are so many that they disrupt rather than enhance the story as it progresses. The songs increasingly feel like padding. This is a great pity because there is real potential here. Fewer characters would mean fewer laughs but would give us more time to get to know the core whanau members. The Aunties the play is named after in particular deserve a lot more stage time, as do some of the nephews who eventually provide one of the few gripping dramatic moments.
Erina Daniels has a great touch as director and has her actors transition magically between their numerous characters. They instantly strike a rapport with their audience. Now if they beef up the story they will be on to a real winner.
LOOKING back over my scribbled notes for this devised play set, the word HEART is underlined many times. This story of a whanau get together at a 50th birthday party is so clearly created with love that you can’t help but fall under its spell. Setting it in actual clubrooms is inspired and clearly this has been created with touring to other similar venues in mind.
It’s Angus’ 50th, he is a man of few words but loved by all. It’s supposed to be his day, but family dramas threaten to derail it.
We are serenaded by the three actors, Jamie McCaskill, Matariki Whatarau and Cian Elyse White, before and throughout the production. In fact it is more of a musical than a play. These three exceptional performers bring us a myriad of characters, from kids to grown ups not acting very maturely, to a very naughty Nanny indeed. So far so good.
While the characters are delightful, they deserved much more fleshing out, and a much more substantial story with an arc to it. Here we get lots of comedy, flashes of genuine drama, but before that drama can dig in, the actors throw in another song or two. There are so many that they disrupt rather than enhance the story as it progresses. The songs increasingly feel like padding. This is a great pity because there is real potential here. Fewer characters would mean fewer laughs but would give us more time to get to know the core whanau members. The Aunties the play is named after in particular deserve a lot more stage time, as do some of the nephews who eventually provide one of the few gripping dramatic moments.
Erina Daniels has a great touch as director and has her actors transition magically between their numerous characters. They instantly strike a rapport with their audience. Now if they beef up the story they will be on to a real winner.
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