Eminent New Zealand actress, director and playwright Geraldine Brophy has "rewritten'' the popular G & S light opera, matching both performers and staging to J. C. Williamson's 1879 Auckland performance.
Produced by Ben McDonald, the show was a real step back into New Zealand's theatre history, with each member of the cast modelled on and named for those of that first performance.
A suitably ornate set, toitoi and fauna, native birdsong beforehand and during the interval, plus pianoforte accompaniment from the stage (musical director Tim Bridgewater) certainly said "early colonial''.
The original storyline, songs and choruses remained, with Captain Corcoran's daughter Josephine (Tizane McEvoy) falling in love with low-ranked crew member Ralph (Tainui Kuru).
Their ultimate "happily ever after'' situation was eventually achieved, through a pathway of identity confusion and much ridiculing of Victorian British class distinction.
Helen Medlyn played a strong role as Buttercup. Corcoran (Paul Barrett) and First Lord of the Admiralty (George Henare) were a well-matched pair delivering the silliness of their situations with excellent timing and outlandish pomposity.
The humour and catchy tunes carried well, with appropriate eloquence, clarity of diction and excellent choreography (Hannah Spedding).
Nine others completed the company, all excelling in their individual characterisations, and achieving good vocal harmony and balance.
Dick Deadeye (Damien Avery) was particularly menacing, and Cally Castell's jittery oversensitivity and vocal strength highlighted much of the overall well-drilled boisterous choreography.
I did miss the traditional orchestrated overtures, as each act began and ended informally with J. C. Williamson announcements, actors arriving on-stage, busy dressing-room cameos, make-up and the pianist warming up with some Chopin, but later at home with time to read the most informative programme and historical notes, the ingenuity and brilliance of the entire production became very apparent.
- Reviewed by Elizabeth Bouman
