Ten plays. It’s a lot to see in one evening, even if they are each only ten minutes long. That’s the set rule for Short+Sweet, not a second more is allowed from start to stage clear. 

This year’s Gala Night performances are the pick from twenty-two staged in two different programmes over the past two weeks. It proves to be quite a treat with some very good scripts, many memorable scenarios, and excellent acting.

A light tone is set by the opening play Clown2Much (writers Marlon Ortiz and Natascha Diaz who also co-direct) with delightful mime performances by clowns Christiva Lafaele and Vaiari Vaeau-Ivirangi.

In Two Couples at Dinner, the mood changes as not only characters but audience are challenged to examine who is being programed. Writer Ben Moore also directs and acts along with Chris Rex Martin, Forrest Denize, and Abigail Coleman.

Manpreet’s Spicy Emporium, Life Coach & Business Mentor Pvt Ltd. (PhD) certainly provokes laughter as we learn of a dairy-owner’s innovative response to the dangers imposed by cigarette thefts. Aman Bajaj as a very worthy Manpreet does justice to co-writers and directors Tim Booth and Aman Bajaj.

Perhaps the cleverest and slickest script is Pete Maliki’s How to Write a 10 Minute Play, by a master of Short + Sweet who should certainly know the subject. Jesse Hilford directs Hana Botha, Mel Odedra, and Alex Walker.

Though there are many laughs throughout the evening underlying most of the plays are serious subjects.

In One Day in ISIS(writer & director Lisette de Jong, cast Mark Scott, Raj Singh, Imran Khan, Sahil Arora) four jihadists prepare for a suicide mission. Audience members find humour in the portrayals and excellent characterisations but the scenario is chilling all the same.

Initial titters from the audience as infomercial presenter Annie Rexsha profits from promoting a no-food regime to fourteen-year old girls, tend to decrease as her mark comes further under her control. Cherie Moore directs the writer and sole actor Dominique Bela to produce an effective piece.

The Apple, (writers Babel Theatre in collaboration with Mallika Krishnamurthy, with cast Dianne Davenport, Dhruv Mody, Donna Dacuno, Adriana Yianacou, Daniel Fernandez) has immigrants of different ethnicities run into difficulties with Customs and Immigration. Director Daniel Fernandez deserves special mention for his various uses of chairs!

The play that to me is most serious, and most moving, Vietnam Zippos, is in the style of verbatim theatre. It packs a very powerful message into ten minutes. Director Sandy Chatterjee makes clever use of the auditorium as well as the stage, and cast Anisha Bhattacharya, Catherine Maunsell, Graham Vincent, and Kelaan Schlöffel-Armstrong keep up a good pace and rhythm – one has to concentrate to take in all the information.

Equally serious is the dialogue between Charles and Emma Darwin in another well-written script, The Origin of the Species, written by Robyn Paterson, directed by Kat Glass, and well acted by Carl Drake and Bronwyn Ensor who are both very believable in their roles.

The final offering, Don’t Dream It. Be It, which starts with a version of ‘The Time Warp’, restores the light tone and makes a great ending thanks to an unforgettable performance by Will Moffatt as Dr Frankenfurter who offers services as Motivational Speaker and Sensual Masseuse. Will, who is also the writer, is directed by Daniel Pengelly. 

What’s wonderfully welcome with this year’s finalists is the fact that eight of the ten plays are written by Auckland writers and many contain local references or situations. The quality of the acting starts as strong and doesn’t ease – in fact strengthening as the evening progresses.

To my mind, particularly effective performances are given by Kelaan Schloffel-Armstrong and Graham Vincent as Vietnam veterans, Raj Singh and Mark Scott as ISIS members, and for sheer razzle-dazzle-’em exuberance not to mention his ability in high heels, Will Moffatt as Dr Frankenfurter. But other actors can be assured that there’s not one who doesn’t do a great job.

When all is done the judges’ views largely agree with mine, and they make the following awards:

Best script:
One Day In ISIS, written by Lisette de Jong who also directed it.

Best Independent Theatre company:
Little L Productions. (One Day In ISIS)

Best Ensemble:
Cast of How To Write a 10 Minute Play – Hana Botha, Mel Odedra, Alex Walker.

Best Emerging Artist:
Will Moffatt for his performance in Don’t Dream It. Be It.

Best Director:
Lisette de Jong (One Day In ISIS)

Best Actress:
Christeva Lafaele for her performance in Clown2Much.

Best Actor:
Mark Scott for his performance in One Day In ISIS.

People’s Award:
One Day In ISIS.

Judges’ Award:
The Apple. 

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