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Say the word feminism and comedy is the last thing on anyone's mind. But Joanna Murray-Smith's The Female of the Species, Auckland Theatre Company's newest show at the Maidment Theatre, makes the "f" word funny thanks to its mix of high thinking and low comedy.
Inspired by a real-life incident which saw author Germaine Greer held hostage by a deranged female student, the play literally takes potshots at feminist icons of old. In real life Greer made her own escape but in this play provocateur Margot Mason needs her friends and family to set her free.
This production showcases Colin McColl's skill in casting, his deft touch at light comedy and his ability to make actors deliver the goods with a script that requires some impressive verbal gymnastics.
He says a deciding factor in programming the play was Elizabeth Hawthorne's wiliness and availability to take the role. Wise man. Hawthorne is simply magnificent as the monster egotist Margot Mason, demolishing every scene like Godzilla through a paper town. It is hard to imagine any other actor who could play this role so well and you just have to agree with past reviewers who describe her as an actor at the height of her powers.
With such a powerful central performance the supporting cast needs to be equally strong so as not to be overshadowed, and in this production they all have their moments in the sun.
Brooke Williams proves again that she is one to watch with her strong showing as the angry young feminist Molly Rivers. While Hera Dunleavy perfectly captures the exhausted bewilderment of a stay-at-home mum held hostage by three under-fives.
While feminist concerns are at the heart of the play this is also a piece for men and the male actors are equally adept at wringing every last ounce of comedy from each scene.
In his Auckland Theatre Company debut, Brian Manthenga shows his acting skill matches his good looks as misunderstood taxi driver Frank, while Michael Keir-Morrissey is just delightful as Margot's fruity publisher Theo. But of the trio, Adam Gardiner is a real standout, giving a very funny and perfectly nuanced performance as the ridiculous and appalling Bryan, a skin-crawlingly sensitive new-age guy.
Tracy Grant Lord's pretty pastel green set works within the world of a farce, allowing maximum impact for entrances and exits, but it seems too bland an environment for a whisky-swilling iconoclast like Margot Mason.
Similarly, Brad Glendhill's lighting paints a bucolic glow over the set but falls a little short of his desire to create an environment that happens in real time. Some more drama in the design may have helped heighten the farcical elements of the play so cleverly brought to life by the cast.
While not completely sold on the set, Lord's costumes are perfect, giving witty insights into the different characters' personalities. She doesn't put a foot wrong, selecting the right outfit for each person right down to the lime-green socks worn by dandy Theo Hanover.
The Female of the Species is a fun night out with great gags and some stellar acting. It showcases Murray-Smith's gift for machine-gun dialogue and her healthy disrespect for sacred cows of any sort. Its only failure is to convince me that the radical feminism of old is outmoded.
For the most part women are still overworked and undervalued, motherhood remains unappreciated and, even worse, bimbos such as Posh Spice and Paris Hilton are being touted as post-feminist icons of emancipation. Margot Mason I love you - bring back the monster feminist!
What: The Female of the Species
Where: Maidment Theatre
When: May 1 until May 24
