The Misadventures of the Urchin Theatre

The Misadventures of the Urchin Theatre

Northland Youth Theatre, Old Library, Whangarei

Roll up! Roll up! Northland Youth Theatre presents another colourful, home-grown production, bursting with ideas and youthful energy.

Once again the theatre has transformed the Old Library; last time it was a desert island (Aurora); this time, with some drapes, tassels and strings of lights, it becomes a circus marquee for The Misadventures of the Urchin Theatre.

This is the second of three shows NYT will stage this year, and another original production, following Quarry, which was devised by the senior company last summer. "Devising" gives actors the opportunity to do more than just deliver lines; the company creates the characters, story and style of the production. It's harder than working from a script, but very rewarding for the cast.

As the lights go down and the carnies take the stage, we are transported into a world of vaudeville, cabaret, sideshows, confidence tricksters, scammers, freaks and teenage runaways- the romance, and sordid reality of life on the road with the Urchin Theatre.

The set and costumes suggest past times but this is the future, a dystopian era where technology has failed, the family has broken down and only hustlers survive.

A group of teenagers comes together to build something out of the ruins - the sense of loss and disorientation in "this dark age" is offset by the youthful idealism and determination of the "urchins", living and working together "like one big family".

Of course, it's not easy and someone has to be in charge. Luke Botica is the Fagin-like ringmaster who is as corrupt and self-serving as any adult: "It's just business," he says, as he stabs an injured dancer who is unable to perform.

In spite of his cruelty, the other performers share love, laughter and pain in a series of scenes and sketches loosely stitched together into a plot.

What devised shows often lack in narrative they make up for with spectacle and The Misadventure of the Urchin Theatre is entertaining. It is a very theatrical collage of comedy, song, dance and drama, using an impressive variety of simple, clever, effective devices such as shadow theatre, stagefighting, movement, mime and tableau.

Director Katy Maudlin has packed lots of ideas, characters and action into the 50 minutes on stage and given the cast of 13 plenty to do, showcasing the talents of the performers brilliantly.

Some highlights were Su-Young Seo's dance-with-bandages, Tim Atkins' whip-cracking lion tamer, Bree Gibbs' cabaret singing, Kaylee Powell's scenes as a teenage mother, Miranda Hallett's moment of silence, and Finn Shepard as the fed-up tidier-upper-after-teenagers.