Stories Told To Me By Girls at The Luxembourg Gardens

Jo Smith copes well with her three characters. Picture / Sylvie Whinray

Girls talk and talk and talk. At the drop of a hat they will tell you about the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to them, about their heartbreaking romance, and the funny thing that happened to them at work.

This propensity to share intimate details with complete strangers is the basis of the New Zealand play Stories Told To Me By Girls at Auckland's newest theatre space, The Luxembourg Gardens.

This one-woman show written by Julie Hill and performed by Jo Smith, features tales from three main characters - a lovelorn Liv Tyler lookalike, a plucky but unlucky actress, and a desperately poor woman who flirts with the sex industry.

Their stories are interspersed with short anecdotes, a silly stand-up routine and an amusing take on the extravagant old Busby Berkley dance number - all engagingly performed by Smith in front of a wall of video projections.

This is more a show of comedy skits than a traditional play. Hill is a clever writer who can spot an interesting story but she has crammed so many stories into the space of one hour that some of the voices get drowned out by others. The upside of this pick-and-mix approach is that you can focus on the stories that you enjoy most and pass over the others.

Smith is an engaging performer who easily connects with the crowd and her performance is well-honed following shows in Wellington and Christchurch. A lot rests on her shoulders as there is only the most basic design elements to help tell the stories. Instead of a set there is a series of "found objects" as props, including a saw-horse, a pile of sand, some frilly knickers and a handbag.

Peter Daube's video projections either help to create the scene or provide a backdrop to the action.

He also created the musical sound track that helps to tie everything together.

For the most part, the elements work in harmony and the show whips along at an entertaining pace.

But there are times when it feels as if Jo's role is reduced to a young girl playing dress-ups while trying to get our attention in front of a giant TV.

This slightly improvised, rough and ready feel is part of the charm of the show and is the perfect complement to the venue itself, which has the appearance of a work in progress.

Part building site, part artist studio and part theatre, The Luxembourg Gardens are in an old building in the Britomart precinct on Custom St East. The bar is not quite ready but there are tea and sweets for sale and the toilets work.

Best of all there is a creative buzz to the place.

* Until April 22