KEY POINTS:
This play uses the 21st-century fear of genetic engineering to investigate the millennia-old human question: Who am I?
Written by award-wining British playwright Caryl Churchill, known for her political and feminist writing, A Number is a taut and terrific one-hour workout for its two leading men.
Despite its compact timeframe it packs in more ideas than your average TV documentary and enough drama for a whole mini-series or two.
The premise is horrifically simple: a father who wants another try at parenthood has his son cloned but the unnamed research company welshes on the exclusive arrangement by making numerous copies.
All of the nightmare repercussions are revealed, discussed and dissected in a series of conversations between the father (Salter), his original son (Bernard 1), clone number one (Bernard 2) and one of the many copies (Michael Black).
David Aston must be one of New Zealand's best character actors and it's great to see him take centre stage as the dead-beat dad Salter, an excellent role for him because it showcases his ability to create a nuance-perfect performance that is intellectually rigorous and emotionally grounded.
Unitec graduate Daniel Coppersmith holds his own in his eerie portrayal of the three clones. It is always obvious which son he is at any time and although the emotional fireworks of the two Bernards were fun to watch it was his final portrayal of the "too human to be true" Michael that grabbed me.
Director Cameron Rhodes again demonstrates his ability to inject some humanity into what could have been a chilly intellectual exposition of the evil of men.
Overall, it is a cohesive presentation, although there is a slightly flabby mid-section where the pace could be picked up a little, and the scene transitions in which the actors slo-mo their way into new positions also drags towards the end.
The simple set comprises a hanging lampshade, a vaguely mysterious trunk, a battered leather chair and a large striped carpet. The carpet is the most effective piece, featuring a series of glow-in-the-dark numbers running along the bottom edge that are reminiscent of a bar code or some form of scientific classification.
Designer Rachel Walker brings a tasteful simplicity to her work that is verging on hotel-room bland. It would be nice to see her experiment with a more symbolic approach.
The lighting and costume designs are appropriate additions. Nik Janiurek creates some moody moments with chunky lighting that unsettles, and Brett Garton's costumes keep it simple with "everyman" suit shirts and pants.
The Washington Post review of A Number said this play had a terrible mathematics lesson to impart: that one plus one can add up to nothing. In this Auckland production the equation is slightly different with one plus one equalling three: two great performances and one brilliantly thought-provoking show.
