Theatre review: Ranterstantrum

Ali Foa'i stars in Ranterstantrum.

Against a backdrop of hip-hop music, a Samoan man walks on stage in a towel, dancing to the music. It is played for laughs but those slowly fall away when his all black outfit, topped off with a balaclava, is revealed. The scene then jumps into a brutal home invasion that ends with a spine-chilling scream.

That haunting opening is the perfect introduction to Ranterstantrum, the latest work from Pasifika theatre company F.C.C. A revised version of Victor Rodger's original 2002 script, the dramatic tonal changes in the first scene carry on throughout; the dramatic and comedic regularly clashing in this darkly funny examination of race. At times, it is hard to know whether to laugh or gasp.

Ranterstantrum mostly follows Joe, a Samoan actor who arrives at a dinner party only to be mistaken for a robber by a white couple, who quickly threaten him with a knife. When the mistaken identity is solved, the tensions remain, leading to a debate on race that is playful and provoking.

That conversation is phenomenally driven by performers Ali Foa'I, who commands attention as Joe, and Robyn Paterson, her angry Lee the perfect sparring partner. The focus is largely on them, but rising stars Jack Buchanan and Bronwyn Ensor get standout moments as Max and Bridge respectively, while Edwin Beats earns controversial laughs with blokey racist Scott.

The performances are heightened by director Vela Manusaute's genius staging, putting the audience on either side of a runway-like stage so you are submerged in it and right among the arguing.

Unfortunately, the argument is where the play struggles. While Rodger makes many witty and thoughtful points, the debate is largely one-sided. With Max and Lee painted as such horrible racists, you can't help but side with Joe. The third-act reveal is stunning if heavily foreshadowed, but the consequences go unspoken, dulling its impact.

Ranterstantrum is still enjoyable, the captivating performances alone worth the price of admission. The final scenes show what a complex and challenging examination of race this could have been and it's a shame that potential did not come across so clearly earlier.

What: Ranterstantrum
Where and when: Basement Theatre, until Saturday August 12
Reviewer: Ethan Sills