STORIES OF THE DARKEST NIGHT
BATS Theatre, The Random Stage, 1 Kent Tce, Wellington
25/10/2018 - 25/10/2018
Production Details
Enter a world created with only sound. A group shared ‘points of view’ tale, starting with a soundscape, and using foley created with voice and bodies. The cast work together, building piece by piece the story of a time and a place and a cast of characters, using only their voices. Performed by an ensemble cast of NZIF 2018 improvisors.
Since Co-Director Ali Little (NZ) discovered improv a decade or so ago she has performed in and produced shows, made short movies, built puppets, masks, a gorilla and a small tardis. She has travelled to learn from Loose Moose in Canada and the Maydays in the UK. Ali is convener for the Meetup group Wimprov and a creative co-director for the Wellington Improvisation Troupe (WIT).
Co-Director Susan Williams (NZ) has been acting and performing for 2/3 of her life; she even has a certificate and diploma in performing arts to prove it. Susan lives in Wellington, is a member of WIT, acts in plays, and makes pottery. The best way to make her happy is to say the words “Doctor Who”, and the best way to make her do something is to tell her she can’t do it because of her functional blindness. Although she has been improvising for several years, this will be her first NZIF, and she is very excited about it.
The Random Stage at BATS Theatre
Thursday, October 25, 2018
9:30pm
TIX $14-20 – BOOK NOW!
Theatre , Improv ,
1 hr
Multiple perspectives rewarding
Review by George Fenn 26th Oct 2018
This is the most experimental show so far of the NZ Improv Festival. It is breath-taking to walk into the theatre and see 7 blindfold performers sitting in a semicircle.
The players are given the offer of June 15th, 1912, New Orleans and the story is that of characters who frequent a cafe. We are invited to lose our eyes and listen to this story which spans multiple years, riots, the war and storms.
These large events utilize the large cast to create moments of sonic chorus. Foot stamping. Rainfall. This gives the narrative a sense of time passing and shows a strength of the format by providing multiple characters’ perspectives of one event.
Each performer plays one character in the city. Stating their name before their monologue gives this a sense of clarity where one would expect clutter with such a large ensemble. While it is hard to give seventeen characters rewarding story arcs, the American Graffiti-style follow up of what happens to the characters at the end creates some sense of closure.
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