Satisfying tale with beguiling simplicity
Kiss the Fish, by Justin Lewis and Jacob Rajan, directed by Justin Lewis Opera House, until July 5 Reviewed by Laurie Atkinson
THE Opera House stage hasn’t been dressed in such wonderful colours in a long time. Multi-hued sari material has been made into a backdrop of curtains, a patchwork of Indian vibrancy.
It is the backdrop for Blue Monkey Island. ‘‘So National Geographic,’’ says the one non-Indian character, an American, who doesn’t have to put up with the poverty and the grind of getting enough food to eat. She has other ideas, however, about the pesky monkeys.
Indian Ink, Justin Lewis and Jacob Rajan’s theatre company, has made its reputation for excellence with its productions that are performed using puppetry (remember the duck?), masks, dance, slapstick, mime, and song to tell simple stories, in this case a modern folk tale, with wide appeal. They have many elements of an English pantomime.
The basic story of Kiss the Fish takes the familiar themes of progress versus tradition, the complications of love, and the ties of family life. It is a story told with a beguiling simplicity; at times comic, at times touching, always surprising.
A poor rice farmer is offered a large amount of money for some land and water rights by Kingsley, a rich Dutch entrepreneur, who wants to build a luxury holiday resort. The rice farmer refuses the offer because he hates the Dutch and, in fact, all foreigners.
Four actors play 11 characters with great verve, as two of them do as monkeys. The masks make it hard to tell who plays the monkeys, but they are really quite scary when they simply stand and stare menacingly at the audience.
The fifth member of the cast is the musician (David Ward) who sits at the side of the stage throughout surrounded by instruments which he plays with consummate skill. He also reacts with sly comic talent to the events of the story, particularly when he is photographed as ‘‘local colour’’.
So hats off to Julia Croft, Nisha Madhan, James Roque and Jacob Rajan (whose Catholic priest, Fr John, is a marvellous characterisation) for providing yet another piece of technology-free theatrical magic.
IN NEW play Putorino Hill, opening in Wellington tomorrow, we are introduced to an old man called Whiti played by actor Rob Mokaraka. But the play, set against the backdrop of the rural and almost deserted Reinga township, also features Whiti as a 10-year-old boy and as man in his late 20s who returns home after years away. Those two Whitis are played by actor Jade Daniels.
‘‘When I first picked up the script I was like ‘OK, I’m playing Whiti.’ Then there was like three Whitis. ‘Which Whiti am I playing?’ ’’
But Daniels, whose most recent work in Wellington included the Pulitzer-awardwinning Clybourne Park at Circa Theatre, says the three time periods in Whiti’s life are crucial for the story – the first production from Wellington’s Taki Rua theatre company this year.
And yes, playing a 10-year-old was demanding for the actor, who graduated from Toi Whaakari New Zealand Drama School in Wellington 10 years ago. ‘‘It’s a real challenge because I think we tend to play children in a cutesy sort of way. We put on a voice and that sort of thing. But our director TK Tuhaka really encouraged us to play the energy that a young kid has, rather than trying to put on something that’s artificial.
‘‘One of the other actors is playing a 10-year-old too and it’s really working for the connection between those two characters and what really drives them, what their intentions are and what they really care about rather than try to ‘be kids’. But we are fully grown adults. If we can get the quality of the energy right and get people just to buy into it, then I think we’re on the right track.’’
Playwright Chris Molloy, who has previously written works for Taki Rua, has said some of the ideas for Putorino Hill came from his own upbringing. ‘‘Essentially Putorino Hill is about healing and what one person needs to do to achieve healing. I was inspired by philosophies from my Christian upbringing and Maori spirituality, but at the heart of it is an old man finally being able to tell his story.’’
The story weaves reality with the supernatural and includes Maori lore, myth, legends and history. It includes patupaiarehe (fairies), prophetic visions and miracle healings.
When the young Whiti leaves, ‘‘the town is not in a good state’’, says Daniels. ‘‘His grandfather has been accused of child abuse and he’s the leader of the community. He is young Whiti’s idol and his father figure and he is confused about that, so he heads away. But he doesn’t believe all the things that have been said about his grandfather.
‘‘Although he really thrives in his new life and gets educated and goes overseas, he comes back because he feels that he has to come back and make things right.’’
Daniels cut his teeth in acting while a student at Naenae College – where he played Joseph in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. He studied drama at Victoria University before Toi Whaakari. For the past five years he’s been based in Auckland, including projects with Red Leap Theatre, which specialises in physical theatre, dance and puppetry.
Putorino Hill is his first play