Dynamotion’s fifth comedy-dance show, Mia Blonde Ice Dagger is a winner, a saucy and escapist sequence of interactions between ridiculous characters, interlaced with high octane tongue-in-cheek ensemble dancing.

The audience is captivated from the very first blast of music and keeps laughing, cheering, and responding to the beat of eminently danceable tunes till the show is all over.

The narrative arc is straightforward: British agent 0064 aka Mia Blonde (Olivia Tennet) is on a mission to save the world from nuclear annihilation.

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There have been a few times I’ve watched an old James Bond movie (generally one starring Roger Moore) when I’ve wondered what a James Bond musical would look like. Mia Blonde in Ice Dagger is probably as close as we are going to get.

Mia Blonde (Olivia Tennet) is James Bond without the penis or the racism. And more dancing. And camel-racing.

The plot is pretty standard nonsense — Blonde is assigned to find the titular plot device before an insane super-villain triggers Armageddon. Cue fighting, shooting, skiing, the world’s grooviest torture scene and dancing — lots of dancing. [More] 

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It’s a rainy and cold night in Auckland, but a packed audience is buzzing even before the show begins. Not having experienced a Dynamation show before, I take this as a positive omen, and am not disappointed. 

In an interview about the show, the cast describes it as a ‘comedy/ dance/ espionage drama-parody’, which does a very good job in summing up the narrative of the show. What the description fails to do is convey the breadth and detail of the parody and the sheer infectious energy and enthusiasm that the cast brings to the performance of it. 

We are in familiar, yet noticeably different, territory from the beginning, with a wittily choreographed and moodily-lit version of every Bond title sequence ever. The homage includes a theme song that manages to remind me of the last three or four Bond theme songs, but which is specific to this show, illustrated by the cast resplendent in matching mini-dresses or white shirts and very serious expressions.

The vibe is totally sixties, and immediately after the title sequence we are plunged straight into the storyline, as a suitably plummy voice-over tells us of Agent 0064’s current situation. 

From here on in we are taken on a wonderfully warm journey through as many of the spy/espionage genre’s tropes as possible. The narrative includes all of the things we expect of a 60s-inspired Bond caper, including exotic locations (generally created with some very basic props and costumes), a very British spy-mistress, an eccentric inventor and her crazy gadgets (the feminine accessory is a particular favourite), chases making use of many modes of transport (including some that had the audience howling with laughter), villains, henchmen and love interests as well as an artefact (the eponymous Ice Dagger) that is magnificent in its ridiculousness.

Although at first glance some of the narrative elements could appear ludicrous, they are often less far-fetched than some elements of the actual Bond films (especially the Roger Moore episodes). 

What makes this version so enjoyable is the gleeful subversion of the stereotypes and larger than life characters. Each section is introduced by a sequence that firmly locates us in a new situation through an appropriate song and choreography that emphasises and exaggerates the expected stereotypes.

Agent 0064, otherwise known as Mia Blonde, isn’t (blonde) but she is just as ruthless as her male counterparts in ‘serious’ spy thrillers. She has a great line in quips and uses and abuses her love interests just as thoroughly as James Bond does. 

I particularly enjoy the first chase scene, where Mia (Liv Tennet) chases rival agent Phil McCracken (Thomas Sainsbury) on an unusual mode of transport provided by the wonderfully funny Chris Parker and Kate Simmonds. Our heroine romps through a number of glamorous European locations, via some hilarious dance sequences (the airplane sequence has me in stitches!) before coming face to face with her nemesis Ima (Lara Liew), who is, of course, intent on destroying the world in response to an event from her past.

Ima’s introductory song with her evil henchmen (Harry McNaughton and Chris Parker) is laugh-out-loud funny as well as charismatically performed.

It’s heartening to see that female super-villains are just as bonkers as their male counterparts, and that female secret agents are just as capable of making life difficult for themselves, as we speed towards the final denouement, which is a genuine surprise.

I am thoroughly impressed by the commitment of the cast to their characters, their infectious pleasure in what they are doing and the wide range of dance styles that they entertain us with. The pace of the show keeps us engaged throughout, using clever twists on the spy genre to great effect.

The show’s self-proclaimed ‘shitty aesthetic’ is part of its charm, and I defy anyone not to leave this show with a warm glow of pleasure at an hour and a bit spent in witty and enthusiastic company. 

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