Latest Waipukurau Little Theatre play successfully beats the odds

Rosie White plays Kylie in the Waipukurau Little Theatre's current production One Day I'll Fly Away. HBG 11Nov21 -

Reviewer: Rachel Wise

This production has really succeeded against the odds.

Starting out as the play Spirit Level by Pam Valentine, it didn't even get as far as rehearsal, there were not enough male actors for the roles.

The director and cast regrouped, deciding on One Day I'll Fly Away, with just one more female actor needed. In the words of director Rob Blamires, "we found the extra actor, then lost one of the others. We replaced that actor and lost another one. Finally the play went into rehearsal ... and into lockdown two days later."

The first rehearsals were done over Zoom, an extra hurdle for the two complete newcomers to the stage.

It's a credit to Blamires that the play is — despite the drama (sorry) — good. Really good.

We expect really good from Waipukurau Little Theatre, we have become used to it. But the Covid cancellations have reminded us not to take local, live theatre for granted.

The play is set in the lounge of an old-folks respite care home. It looks realistic down to the cluttered noticeboard. I was immediately "there".

The experienced Maggie Groom has returned to Little Theatre after a long absence and it was a treat to see her. It has to be hard to build a character who, for the large part, doesn't get to speak. Yet Maggie projects Gladys out into the audience.

Her protagonist — everyone's protagonist — the starchy retired teacher Norah, is a force to be reckoned with. A real find for Little Theatre, the skilled Kylie Vanston travels from Bridge Pa for the role. Kylie plays Norah to perfection — stiff, grouchy, supercilious. She was suitably hard to like but in Kylie's hands glimpses of the real Norah came through.

Hard to like also...the terrible teen on work experience: Kylie played by Rosie White, a CHB College student studying drama. Rude, abrasive, obnoxious. I wasn't expecting to soften to this character but in front of the mute Gladys, Kylie starts to leak humanity as well...nice work Rosie, the slow reveal of the softer side was artfully done.

Kate D'Ath's nosey domestic, Connie, is a comedy turn and Kate makes a meal of it, eavesdropping and one-liner-dropping, her joy onstage is palpable and contagious and her character so, so real. Kate's returning to the stage after a break but there's no rust on Connie.

Straight into the spotlight with no previous experience, Andrew Laird as nurse Adam and Ash McCormick as nurse Fern nailed it. Both were very relaxed in their roles and I suspected Ash was actually a nurse in real life till I discovered otherwise. Please Ash, Andrew, keep performing. If this is what we see after your first show — we want more.

Rob has pulled this crew — experienced and green — together in a coherent, tight team who obviously enjoy each other and what they're doing. The play is funny, relatable and has moments of pathos. You'll get no spoilers from me but take a tissue.

It's another gem in the crown of Waipukurau Little Theatre and runs until November 20.

One Day I'll Fly Away

Written by Janet Shaw

Directed by Rob Blamires
9 November - 20 November
Tickets: Eventfinda
www.littletheatre.net.nz