Patty with a WhY is a nearly hour-length solo show written and performed by Patty Klinpibul with dramaturgy and direction by Emily Duncan. 

Opening night at the New Athenaeum Theatre sees a near capacity audience who respond warmly to the moments of humour and are palpably drawn in to the moments of pathos and the personal reflections Klinpibul shares of her experience as a Third Culture Kid (TKC). 

A simple set design of three boxes with cutouts of various fruits provides some colour to the black stage and creates boundaries within said stage so the eyes are drawn to the centre where Klinpibul spends the majority of the monologue. The fruit is referred to cleverly throughout the piece with wry humour, and also to evoke a sense of place as we are transported to a variety of locations.

The lighting is very simple – which is good as it doesn’t distract from the audience’s focus on the actor and the content.

The online programme notes tell us Patty with a WhY is a semi-autobiographical piece that was originally developed for the 2023  Ōtepoti  Theatre Lab Playwrights programme. As a side note, it is a delight to see work that has come through this process and a loss to our city that it will not be running in the foreseeable future. Klinpibul was born in Thailand, raised in Malaysia and Egypt, and is now based in Dunedin.  The concept of a Third Culture Kid was not one this reviewer had spent much time considering, and the opportunity to learn about it in a performance piece is appreciated. 

Klinpibul’s performance is assured. She is always audible and she uses direct eye contact with the audience to create a real sense of connection. There are times when the delivery feels more like a well-rehearsed and delivered speech competition entry than a play and perhaps as the season progresses Klinpibul will relax into it a bit more. The most effective moments are when Klinpibul takes on a role of someone else and we see more of her range. To hear Thai spoken on stage in  Ōtepoti is refreshing and it is when Klinpibul does so that she is the most compelling.

At times funny, at times poignant, and at times educational, Patty with a WhY provides an easy viewing experience without being pithy or frothy. It is on again on. Sunday September 1^st at 2pm and would be a pleasant Sunday afternoon activity. It will also be performed in Tāmaki Makaurau on Saturday 6^th and Sunday 7^th September. Give it a whirl.

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