Kids being able to play after school in the school grounds or on the street even – hop-scotch, patter-ball, or just tossing a ball about – has been an integral part of their growing up in New Zealand.  It’s where their social interactions begin, mixing with others from different races and class (yes we do have a class system in NZ!), albeit not always for the best and where they learn to fend for themselves as well as helping and supporting each other. 

So what happens when, in this overly health and safety conscious society, this sort of activity is considered very un-PC and the kids are forced into supervised play parks? Social disharmony and discord erupts amongst the kids creating situations worse than before.  All of which is the basis of Gary Henderson’s intriguing and cleverly written play Stealing Games, given an excellent production for Capital E National Theatre for Children by director Murray Lynch and his four actors. 

When one of the four breaks her nose there is a huge outcry. A multinational company plays on the hysteria caused to get support for a change of law creating designated "Playparks" which kids have to pay to attend. 

The rich kids, whose parents can pay, go to the good parks while the others go to the basic ones or don’t go to any.  The resulting bust-up of the four friends has dire consequents till everyone sees sense and normality is restored. 

James Conway-Law, Suzanne Tye, Rawiri Jobe and Laurel Devine all give outstanding performances playing multiple roles with energy and commitment, one minute a kid, the next an adult, moving from character to character and scene to scene with confidence and dexterity. The production never misses a beat. aided by Brian King’s creatively versatile set and Phil Blackburn’s evocative lighting.

This is a show for both young and old and one not to be missed.
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In this climate of fear for the nation’s children, at risk from perverts, accidents, or other misadventures, Gary Henderson has crafted a play that warns of our society being too protective.

Stealing Games concerns a sports equipment corporation which, as sales drop, finds another way to boost profits – and save jobs.  They privatise children’s playgrounds, corralling kids into parks where they have to pay to get in.  Parents who can afford it are only too keen to pay up, but inevitably some children either end up in the less flash play areas, or in none at all.  Here, four close friends end up divided.

In a strong cast, Laurel Devinie stands out, showing great flair in her many roles and never once playing down to her young audience.  Rawiri Jobe was convincing as the young man being judged by the criminal actions of his big brother, while James Conway-Law is the most naturally comedic of the excellent cast.  Suzanne Tye’s child character was the least appealing, being the rich kid on the block, but she made us like her and was also memorable as the trendy lefty teacher.

Murray Lynch’s direction has a great physicality about it, leaving the cast sweating at the end, and never letting the action flag.

My 10 (almost 11) year old co-critic Rose left Stealing Games uncharacteristically without saying much about it. She was rushing off to see Hannah Montana the Movie, so her mind may have already switched focus.  

She caught my eye and giggled often enough during the play for me to know she enjoyed much of it.  I suspect though it’s the parents who leave this thinking more about the message than the kids, especially given our generation played anyplace, anytime without fear.

Brian King’s set works brilliantly with a great use of primary colours (it works for the Wiggles) and very effective sound from Strike impresario, Murray Hickman, all contributed to a production with stand out production values.
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The four actors chat with their young audience (target age group 8 – 12) before the show starts and deal to the cellphone / photography stuff too, so the game of ‘play’ is clearly acknowledged. The game four school friends play in the opening sequence – 4-Square – is boxed in, has strict rules and is very competitive. Failure, success, delight and (yes) danger at individual and group levels interweave with random twists that keep all players – and their audience – on their toes.

Right from the start, then, playwright Gary Henderson declares these dynamics are a natural part of human behaviour, integral not only to the growing-up and learning processes but also to the business of surviving in the bigger wider world. The question is, who has responsibility for what?

While there is nothing simplistic in the way Stealing Games explores its themes, the unfolding drama is clearly played out and instantly accessible as directly relevant to all our lives, which makes it very engaging and highly entertaining.

Directed by Murray Lynch, in Brian King’s evocative tubular steel, wire netting and ‘concrete’ walled set, lit by Phil Blackburn with percussive sound composed by Murray Hickman, actors James Conway-Law, Laurel Devenie, Rawiri Jobe and Suzanne Tye play multiple characters – kids, business executives, parents, teachers and cops – with fluent ease and great distinction (in both senses of the word).   

In a ‘high mountains’ round of 4-square, a hard ball bounce gives Abby a bleeding nose and it turns out her septum is cracked. Meanwhile the New Zealand branch of multinational sporting goods company PlayTime is threatened with closure if they can’t ‘lift their game’ in the highly competitive market place – illustrated to great effect with an animated cartoon (AV, Nic Marshall; animation, Andrew Shaw).

Frank, who can’t afford to lose his job because his disabled daughter needs round-the-clock care, comes up with the winning strategy: use the media to foment fear about the dangers of public playgrounds then solve the problem with privately owned, "safe, friendly, supervised Play Parks" for which users must pay, while the speedily passed Child Safety Act makes it illegal to play unsupervised in a public place. 

The shock-horror media reports (in which the cracked septum becomes a broken skull!) are unnervingly familiar and instantly recognised by the very media-savvy audience.

The new Play Parks range from flash, well-resourced and expensive to cheap and basic (under the motorway), so Nicole, whose parents are rich, gets to go to the flash one. This means Abby can’t play with her any more. Brendan prefers to hang out with Judd but he’s got a brother in trouble with the law so the police are watching him too …  

When Nicole’s purse is stolen, the whole question of ‘haves’ versus ‘have nots’ comes into stark focus, exposing the true ‘trickle down’ effect of a market forced society. Some excellent twists, which I won’t reveal here, bring the play to its reassuring close, which also completes the contributions of choreographer Helen Winchester.

Especially worth noting is how naturally the theatrical conventions of multiple roles aqnd locations are employed, allowing the focus to stay on the unfolding story’s key moments of emotional crisis and thought-provoking dilemmas.

Stealing Games has evolved as a script and production over more than two years. The result is excellence on every level.
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