Early in the first act of Roger Hall’s new play – as an irritable foursome of mismatched travellers are dragging their suitcases through Venice in search of the eternally elusive pensione – Stuart Devenie turns to the audience and announces: "Well you know what’s going to happen don’t you?"

And while there can be few in the audience who were unable to predict the trajectory of this story of redemption under a Tuscan sun, the journey uncovers plenty of discreet pleasures and amusing diversions. [More]
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This is my first Roger Hall play. A friend tells me it’s the kind of thing enjoyed by Remuera housewives, so I’m not expecting it to be to my taste. That proves you shouldn’t always listen to your friends.

Two couples, one sparrowy, intellectual, sparse in joy and money, the other wealthy, peacock-bold and brash with ignorance, decide to travel to Italy together.  

Politics, education, clothing, money, and sex all serve to illustrate the divide between the couples.

The Peacock style male, played by George Henare, is typical of a blustering National voter over the age of 50. He embodies the ‘old style’ male, and his wife, played by the lovely Annie Whittle, appears to tolerate and even indulge him. We presume this is because he isn’t selfish in bed and is happy to let her wield the credit cards as she wishes.

The male half of the miserable Sparrow-like couple is played by Stuart Devenie. Devenie also narrates the play, speaking to us directly about what is happening and how he feels.

This narration is often very funny and insightful, I feel close to him from the start, and even when he does something ‘really stupid’, I can’t help but understand.

Sight-seeing is a task rigorously, seriously and irritatingly over-seen by the Sparrow-wife played by Darien Takle. Her desire to consume the sights, to swallow great lumps of Italy without pause, serves to alienate her from the rest of the group.

Beneath the highly strung surface, this is a woman struggling with grief and the need to forgive. That struggle and need is reflected in Whittle’s own performance: the uniting parallel. The underpinnings of tragedy are what make great comedy. Ordinary people have extraordinary lives.

Toni Potter and Peter Daube play various roles seamlessly and most often, stylishly. I feel like getting a long black wig and pretending to be Italian.

Therefore, to enjoy this play, you don’t have to be retirement aged or living in Remuera. I think you’ll find a good story with believable characters to transcend those distinctions.
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