Take Me Out at Silo Theatre

The Silo Theatre well and truly delivers on its marketing promise of providing a play with balls. On a literal level there's full-frontal male nudity in three shower scenes, and on a more metaphorical front the play's plot has the balls to examine how American culture would cope with the fall-out from a baseball star announcing at the height of his career that he is gay.

The combination of nudity and a script not afraid of examining big themes brings to mind our own great sporting play, Foreskin's Lament.

While both plays examine what it means to be a man and how sport and national culture are linked, one great difference is hinted at in the titles of both plays.

Foreskin's Lament is just that, a lament for the thuggery at the heart of old-style New Zealand rugby, while Take Me Out is a joyful celebration of how baseball can transport Americans and take them out of their everyday lives.

In this production, the supercharged script - with dialogue full of quotable one-liners -is gobbled up by a strong ensemble cast of young actors who prove they look good in the shower and have strong acting skills as well.

Fasitua Amosa captures the perfect combination of grace and arrogance as Darren Lemming, the hero sportsman who doesn't think through his decision to out himself.

Craig Hall is likeable as his friend and the audience's narrator who might not be as wise as he thinks. And Edwin Wright is truly touching as a damaged redneck who says the unspeakable and does the unthinkable.

Some lovely moments are created in the smaller roles by Mark Ruka as Darren's bombastic childhood friend, and David Van Horn, Jerome Matthews, Andy Wong, Jarod Rawiri and Nathan Whitaker who play Darren's beleaguered team-mates, and Paul Barrett as the Grizz Wyllie-esque coach.

But the show belongs to Jeff Szusterman, who plays a geeky accountant who becomes Darren's confidante and manager. Szusterman is a scene-stealer in his charming portrayal of a man who falls unconditionally and giddily in love with baseball.

Director Shane Bosher again demonstrates his impeccable taste in selecting award-winning, international writing and solid directorial ability to make it work with local acting and design talent.

The concrete, steel and black rubber of John Verryt's set creates a stylish man's space for the actors to strut their stuff.

The production is a polished team effort that maintains the Silo Theatre's record of bringing the best international theatre to New Zealand. For lovers of intelligent, witty and subversive verbal gymnastics, Take Me Out offers a thrill equivalent to that of a sports' fan watching the All Blacks win the Rugby World Cup.