DAYS OF THE BOLD AND THE RESTLESS
Underworld – 152 Vivian St, Wellington
18/02/2013 - 08/03/2013
Production Details
A new musical soap opera
We’re ordinary people living ordinary lives
We’re lying to our husbands and we’re cheating on wives
Since we’ve only got one life to live, in joy or tragedy
Won’t you spend these bold and restless days with me!
ALIEN BABIES ARE TOTALLY NORMAL
From the Writer of SEDUCTOBOT and Co-Creator of SONG SALE, WINNER of Best Music at the DUNEDIN FRINGE FESTIVAL 2012, comes a brand new musical soap opera, DAYS OF THE BOLD AND THE RESTLESS!
Coma patients! Dastardly experiments! Extraterrestrials! Illicit affairs! Murder and betrayal!
Death and roller skates! Every weeknight of the Fringe, join us for a brand new episode of the most surreal musical soap opera to hit the stage. For 15 nights, you can tune in to your favourite soap with a twist.
ALL IS NOT SUNNY IN SUNNY VALLEY…
Spanning fifteen individual episodes, DAYS OF THE BOLD AND THE RESTLESS will run the duration of the 2013 FRINGE FESTIVAL. A cast of over 25 performers bring to life an array of colourful characters, including a seductive surgeon with a penchant for playing with brains, a charming investigative journalist who uncovers a shocking secret about his closest friend, a bartender with a crippling jaywalking addiction and a wedding caterer hopelessly in love with an indecisive bride-to-be.
Our talented pianist Sam (play it again!) accompanies the drama with over 30 ORIGINAL SONGS, an impressive feat that no human should ever attempt.
SO MANY STORIES ARE IN STORE…
The cast and crew of DAYS OF THE BOLD AND THE RESTLESS bring a wealth of experience and talent in live performance, film production/performance, production management and prop/costume construction. Members of our team have worked and performed with SPEAKEASY THEATRE, INDUSTRIAL BURLESQUE COLLECTIVE, PORIRUA LITTLE THEATRE, ADVENTURE WELLINGTON, WHITIREA PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE and QUITE SENSIBLE THEATRE. Also on board are members of ZEMI COSTUMING AND DESIGN, KANONBROSTV PRODUCTIONS, WELLINGTON MAKER SPACE and HYDRA ENTERTAINMENT.
Starting Monday February 18, a brand new episode premieres every weeknight at 6.30pm at Underworld (152 Vivian St), culminating in a thrilling finale Friday March 8.
UPP and the 2013 WELLINGTON FRINGE FESTIVAL presents
DAYS OF THE BOLD AND THE RESTLESS
UNDERWORLD – 152 VIVIAN ST
FEBRUARY 18TH ~ MARCH 8TH – SHOW BEGINS 6:30PM
SINGLE EPISODE: $3 FRINGE ADDICT / $5 CONCESSION / $8 ADULT
WEEK PASS (5 EPISODES): $10 / $18 / $25
SEASON PASS (15 EPISODES): $25 / $35 / $50
DOORS SALES ARE CASH ONLY, WEEK/SEASON PASSES CAN BE BOOKED BY EMAILING DBRFRINGE@GMAIL.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION
FACEBOOK.COM/DBRFRINGE – DBRFRINGE.TUMBLR.COM
TWITTER.COM/DBRFRINGE – DBRFRINGE.CO.NZ
Every weeknight - 30 mins
Unexpected revelations vomited out in scandalous increments
Review by Lucy O'Connor 20th Feb 2013
“We’re ordinary people living ordinary lives/
We’re lying to our husbands and cheating on our wives …”
All right, I’m in. Who can resist a bit of scandal to spice up your own life and – let’s face it – make us feel a tad less troubled. After all, if that’s what they’re calling ordinary, imagine what else is going on.
The concept is a musical soap opera series performed live across three weeks (week days). The Days of the Bold and the Restless comes from playwright Rose Duxfield who came to the Fringe with Seductobot last festival.
We are launched straight away into scandal number one when Gladys (Lyndsey Garner), engaged to Gary (James Barber) kisses Edna (Anna Miranda) – and so sets the scene of what will be an array of acting out and catching out.
Praise to the set designers who keep it very simple with such a small space. The stage direction at times feels over-crowded in the venue, especially when Florence (Caroline Wanden) has a fit over a kindergarten issue. I assume it is meant as a more awkward scene but the effect is missed as the actors struggled to feign disinterested interest. How ironic that this is in turn a bit awkward to digest for the audience.
There are some very out-of-place moments such as the audience’s involvement with the raffle prize, which come from nowhere and add no depth to the episode.
The characters are cleverly intermingled. Florence is a nice break from the sweet characters we’ve met. Acted by Caroline Wanden, the enthusiasm given to the role is fantastic but I would suggest she remain focused on her ‘hard assed’ demeanor when the audience is reacting.
I must mention Lady Cashmere’s performance with Ethel. Her commitment and timing with a character that could easily be overlooked is remarkable and should be noted. The pianist, Bruno Shirley, is a fantastic talent and makes the performance with his fitting show tunes – a trend likely to continue across the series.
Having seen only episode 1 of 15, [on Monday] I must give it praise for what is bound to be a series of unexpected revelations. My only major complaint is how extremely short the piece is. The storyline feels – excuse my informality – vomited out in scandalous increments and overall very rushed like the actors have somewhere better to be.
With so many things going on and so many episodes ahead, you would think that the director would take her time to capture and lull the audience straight to episode 2. It feels as soon as I got my head around everything, the show ends and for that reason, I am not compelled to get to the bottom of it all. I feel I’ve had enough scandal in 20 minutes to last me the three weeks.
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