Three short plays have been selected – out of 40 submissions, of which nine had public readings – as finalists in the second annual SmackBang PlayRight competition; judged by a panel of leading artisans in the field, and professionally mounted in the geographically challenging Herald Theatre by a dedicated crew of theatricians.

The opening play, Aroha by Michael Downey, seems an odd choice for a playwright award finalist: a modern day coming-of-age story about Aroha (Katie Anderson), an underprivileged Māori girl from Manukau, and her quest to reach TVNZ in Central Auckland and audition for NZ Idol, told in a semi-classical epic Greek style. 

Glen Pickering directs a wholly admirable cast through this rollicking mash-up, complete with a loyal pet sheep, a chorus of toga-clad guardians rocking the party, Dominic Bowdenius and the Idol judges, a female Zeus manipulating the events of the story from a laptop in her office, and some other stuff.  With blatant satirical comment played for laughs all the way, relentless in-jokes and as many if not more contemporary pop-culture references than a Toa Fraser play, Aroha is certainly entertaining, and thought provoking if you include thoughts like ‘What the hades is going on here?!’.  If there’s a deeper message I didn’t catch it.  

Daddy’s Dollar by Kate Morris is a comic tragedy brought very well to life by the actors’ work under the direction of Lauren Jackson.  Well known for her numerous acting credits, Jackson and her cast have tailored a fairly cliché script to remarkable effect.  Hannah Banks in particular shines in the title role of Dollar, a small dead girl addressing her father from purgatory.  It’s no mean feat portraying a convincing child. 

Solid performances from Jonathan Hodge and Tahi Mapp-Borren in cuddly bear suits lend weight to the piece, but ultimately I was left cold and didn’t get what the question or message were supposed to be.  It’s obvious early on where it’s going and with predictable irony and textbook wit it arrives there.  Not to discredit the entirely credible work of the supporting cast, I can see the potential for developing Daddy’s Dollar as a solo piece. 

The final piece, The Bar at the End of the World, is the most clearly distilled on all levels: script, direction and performance.  It’s a classic one-act play, a single scene concerning a has-been – i.e. never-was – actress who never leaves the house, and an aging alcoholic delivery boy. 

Director Edwin Wright directs gothic beauty Morgana O’Reilly and comedy veteran Jonathan Brugh (in a Carreyesque serious-though-amusing role), as oddly endearing characters Michael and Helena; likeable but unnervingly eccentric.  The twist at the end, chosen out of hundreds of possibilities, seemed like a bit of an easy way out for writer Sarah Robertson, but I can see she may have found it the simplest way to deal with the high stakes that are set up within the play’s existing one-act format.  

The extended crew of designers and technicians have done well to accommodate three very different theatrical works, with special mention to the achievements of costume designer Estelle Macdonald, and Clare Barone who’s sets make ingenious use of the same furniture in each story. 

Given the opening night took place next door to the NZ Music Awards at the Aotea Centre, and for no other reason, I am inspired to summarise my critique of PlayRight 07 in awards form:

Best Script:   The Bar at the End of the World 
Best Performance:   Hannah Banks as Dollar in Daddy’s Dollar 
Best Supporting Role:   Sam Berkley as the sheep, plus a special mention for most entertainingly overacted death scene, in Aroha
Best Overall Design:   Daddy’s Dollar  

Altogether an entertaining evening at the cutting edge of theatre, now; for better or worse.  The most annoying part was the programme’s pages were out of sync and difficult to read. 
 

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