Different ways to explain life’s journey
Attention Seeker, Written and performed by Gerard Harris, Bats Theatre, Wellington. Rapanui – the song of stone, Written and performed by Lisa AllenBats Theatre, Wellington, until tonight
The title of Gerard Harris’ show Attention Seeker is very evident from both his interacting with the audience in the foyer of Bats Theatre and his programme notes.
In the opening moments of the show, Harris explains that he was seeking attention from an early age and then goes onto explain that he has a rather unique way of storytelling about how this affected his life. And although the style and format was no different to most other storytelling shows, and theatre is after all about telling stories, his actual story is somewhat unusual, especially in the way he tells it.
Essentially it is about someone secretly always wanting attention, but not prepared to put himself out there, so that when fame eventually does arrive, he shies away from it.
The rise and fall and rise again of a stand-up comedian could be the subtitle of Harris’ very personal journey and the highs and lows he has gone through to get where he is today.
Marriage, divorce, meditation, therapy and drinking in the accolades of a cheering audience, are all told in a very animated and physical way.
Fast-paced, with endless gesticulations and arm-waving, his performance is nothing short of engaging as he races through his life-story, often going off on unrelated tangents.
The poignancy of the personalised moments of his life are heartfelt, but there are also many hilarious segments cleverly interspersed with lines from his comedy routines.
Another one of life’s journeys is also being portrayed in the Bats Studio this week by Lisa Allen in her show Rapanui – the song of stone.
Anyone familiar with controversial New Zealand writer Barry Brailsford will recognise similarities with this show’s byline and his book Song of The Stone. And the similarities don’t stop there, as like Brailsford, Allen traversers various spheres in her quest to find her roots – where she’s come from and where she is today.
Cleverly using a bunch of stones to aid her storytelling, Allen takes her audience into the stratosphere with Gia, the Greek Earth Goddess, mother of all life, then through the Japanese form of meditation Reiki then onto Stewart Island with a group of hunters, to a tribe of North American Indians, to Christchurch’s Shag Rock, Rapanui, then eventually to Rapa Nui itself, Easter Island.
The telling of this journey is done in a very physical and animated way, Allan’s energy boundless as she scampers around the stage with her stones. And it is the stones, in their many facets and forms, that gives the piece it’s energy and life.
So while the piece overall is rather disjointed and disconnected, there are nevertheless many telling segments within the whole. – Ewen Coleman