Having premiered Gary Henderson’s superbly scripted Stealing Games in 2009, it is certainly time to bring it back for a new cohort of 8-12 year olds. And anyone who saw it at a young age would get heaps more out of seeing it again, no matter how old they are now. Because Henderson never talk down to his target audiences everyone will feel a connection with his plays.

My review from six years ago summarises the plot so no need to repeat it in detail here. Jonathon Hendry dynamically directs a whole new cast on the same Brian King set (King’s costume designs too) with Phil Blackburn’s lighting and Murray Hickman’s sound design and composition. Helen Winchester returns as choreographer, with dance coach Luke Hanna. And this time there is a flash new projection and animation design, by Charley Draper.

All four actors capture the nuances of prepubescent childhood behaviour perfectly, compelling our empathy every step of the way. With minimal costume changes they slip into a range of adult characters, sometimes quite highly caricatured but always to the point, and entertaining with it. Their physicality is fantastic throughout. And as an ensemble they paint an unnervingly recognisable picture of the media in full-on ‘beat up’ mode.

Angela Fouhy plays Abby, the girl who gets a bleeding nose and a cracked septum in the High Mountain phase of a game of Four Square. Her transition from being carefree to tormented by guilt is totally convincing and salutary. By contrast her hard-line Barbara, CEO of the financially troubled PlayTime Inc, insists we understand the need to turn the company’s fortunes around. Her stern Policewoman demands we have a good think about the way she thinks. And there is pragmatic compassion in her brief appearance as nurse to Celia (see below).

Joe Dekkers-Reihana has a winning charm as Judd, who becomes isolated from his friends because his family is not as well-off as the others. He can’t afford a pass even to the cheaper PlayPark they are obliged to patronise, let alone the flash one for the more privileged kids. Dekkers-Reihana is equally compelling as PlayTime’s marketing guy Frank, who saves the company and everyone’s jobs by inventing the PlayPark concept which becomes compulsory, in-effect, thanks to Barbara’s political manoeuvring. But Frank is in no way a two-dimensional capitalist.  

Elle Wootton’s lively Nicole is one of the gang until the divisive nature of the PlayPark regime reveals her class-conscious conditioning. Her strict but kindly school teacher seems to be an octogenarian but her attempts to be fair in her dealings come over well. Wooton also plays PlayTime’s HR Manager Penelope, a PlayPark supervisor and investigative journalist Felicity Fiction with flair. As Celia, her appearance in a wheelchair is a sobering game-changer.  

Jack Buchanan’s Brendan comes over as the most intelligent and articulate, as he thinks things through logically and questions those in authority. But when he takes justice into his own hands, things don’t turn out to be as clear-cut as he thought. Buchanan also brings delightful distinction to Abby’s Father and Simon, Finance Manager for PlayTime.

What makes Stealing Games gripping for young and old alike is the readily recognisable storyline, the ever-changing balance of who seems to be right or wrong, and the way this particular story resonates into a wider world. The plethora of follow-up topics for enquiring minds, encouraged by parents, teachers and care-givers, confirm its value as a stimulating play at every level.

Given it contributes enormously to the development of children, good citizens and a better society all round, Stealing Games is also highly recommended for local body and national politicians, police and community workers.

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