AIN’T THAT A BITCH
Garnet Station Café, 85 Garnet Rd, Westmere, Auckland
22/06/2016 - 02/07/2016
Production Details
LOVE MAKES STRANGE TANGLES
On a rainy night outside an Auckland concert hall, Claire and Tom are fatefully and irreversibly drawn together. Set against the fading light of the city, underscored by a haunting and original cello composition, Ain’t That A Bitch explores the labyrinth of a fierce and passionate love. As they unveil what they want from life and each other, Claire and Tom are forced to take a frank look at what it means to be close to someone.
Ain’t That A Bitch is Anthea Hill’s debut as a playwright. Originally a 2010 writing exercise in Witi Ihimaera’s creative writing course at Auckland University, with the help of Jonathan Hodge it was developed into a piece for Short+Sweet 2015, and has now been crafted into an hour-long, two-handed play.
AIN’T THAT A BITCH
TINY THEATRE at Garnet Station
June 22 – July 2 (Wed-Sat).
Tickets $25 full, $20 concession.
bookings: 09 360 3397 or email garnetstation@gmail.com
Jonathan Hodge (Director) has worked as an actor, director and producer in Auckland for the last decade and returns from travels in South America to explore this poignant piece. Jonathan is the Festival Artistic Director-At-Large for Short and Sweet New Zealand and has worked for the NZ Opera as Company Manager for a number of years.
Anthea Hill (Claire) is an emerging actor and playwright. Since graduating from The Actors’ Program in 2013 Anthea has played ‘Elsie Livesey’ in Sister Anzac, ‘Helena’ in Summer Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (dir. Michael Hurst), ‘Alice’ in Loving Kurt Vonnegut and ‘Mimi’ in ATC’s Guys and Dolls (dir. Raymond Hawthorne).
Daniel Watterson (Tom) is a 2014 Actors’ Program Graduate. Fresh from sold-out seasons at The Pop-Up Globe Theatre as Twelfth Night’s ‘Olivia’ and ‘Benvolio’ in Romeo and Juliet, Daniel is soon to appear in Dirty Laundry as series regular ‘Nathan’.
Tom Dennison (Composer) is one of New Zealand’s most prolific young jazz musicians, having performed with Molly Ringwald, Alan Broadbent Trio, and Mike Nock Quartet. In addition to sound design and production on Randa’s Turtles, Tom has designed a synthesiser made entirely of potatoes for Pressure Point Collective’s The Potato Stamp Megalomaniac at The Basement in June. His debut album Zoo is on Rattle Records.
Christine Urquhart (Set/Costume Design) trained and worked in the UK, Bulgaria and Australia. Now NZ-based, Christine has designed shows at Basement, Auckland Theatre Company, Prayas Theatre and Massive Company and was awarded ‘Best Newcomer’ at the 2015 Auckland Theatre Awards.
Theatre ,
Special and intimate performance of beautifully crafted writing
Review by Elle Wootton 25th Jun 2016
The world premiere of playwright Anthea Hill’s first play Ain’t That a Bitch from Fox Rabbit Bear is a delightfully intimate exploration of the growth and development of a romantic relationship.
In this charming two-hander Anthea Hill portrays Claire Cooper, an enthusiastic and engagingly talkative academic. Daniel Watterson plays the somewhat enigmatic cellist Tom Clearwater who is, to Claire (and the audience), at times adorable and effortlessly charismatic (sometimes infuriatingly so) and at others morally questionable, naïve and somewhat cruel.
The play touches on mental illness, ambition (both failed and potential), connectedness in a modern technological age, polygamy, and the simple joys, complications and conflicts of a relationship. Although the text does not shy away from conflicts it certainly is wary of resolving them. Hill’s writing is fast paced, witty and authentic.
Under the direction of Jonathon Hodge the action drives quickly and seamlessly from scene to scene, jumping from bouts of drunken laughter through scenes of tension and remorse to moments of vulnerability and tenderness. This is aided by clear and distinct physicality. The performers move between scenes with slick and stylized movements. It is amazing how something as seemingly simple as transitions makes a world of difference to a performance.
The production elements are simple, catering to the small space and allowing the focus to remain with Claire and Tom. The set – by Christine Urquhart, who also covers costume design – is bare but for a record player and two chairs that serve as various props and set throughout.
Tom Dennison’s sound design, made up of his own composition as well as that of Tim Shacklock’s cello improvisations, adds a strong layer to the performance.
Although a small space, Garnet Station’s Tiny Theatre fosters an intimate environment that supports the focus of the play aptly. There is no doubt in my mind that this production will see another season on a different (and probably bigger) stage but there is something special about being so close to the performers.
Hill and Watterson as Cooper and Clearwater are a joy to watch, and in this cozy theatre it feels almost as if you yourself are in their relationship. The season is short so be sure to get along to the Tiny Theatre at Garnet Station before you miss out on this special and intimate performance of a beautifully crafted piece of writing.
Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer
Comments