Troll climbs from stairs to centre stage
Exploring the increasingly double meaning of the term ‘‘troll’’ is at the heart of a lo-fi theatre piece by Wellington theatre company Trick Of The Light.
From the minds of Ralph McCubbin Howell and Hannah Smith comes Troll, the tale of 12-year-old Otto and a 1000-year old Icelandic troll created from cords and LED lights.
The work, which the pair created last year, uses the typical, mythological definition of a troll to represent the more modern version of someone who lurks online.
‘‘The troll is an embodiment of all of the malevolent forces that exist in this boy’s life; so it’s his depression, anxiety and his troubles at school,’’ Smith says.
The pair first devised the show for last year’s New Zealand Fringe Festival, but at the last minute, their chosen venue fell through. Instead of postponing, they came up with a creative and cramped alternative.
‘‘We decided we would perform it to a very select, uncomfortable audience in the hallway of our Aro Valley flat, Smith says.
‘‘There were 14 steps where we seated the audience and Ralph performed in a 1-metre square area in front of them while I was in a Harry Potter-esque slither between the stairs and the wall.’’
The ‘‘secret location’’ performance proved a success and the pair went on to perform it at the Tauranga Arts Festival late last year.
Now it’s Wellington’s turn with a five-night run at Bats Theatre.
‘‘We’ve refined the story quite a bit and given it a design overhaul so it’s changed pretty significantly from the staircase version.’’
A key part of the show, from the start, has been the use of contemporary devices such as smartphones, keyboards and projectors in ways that they aren’t typically used.
‘‘The keyboard turns into a skyscraper, cables into a puppet ... It’s all about those types of transformations,’’ McCubbin Howell says.
One thing that has changed as the show has been developed is the music and soundscape, composed by Tane Upjohn-Beatson.
Audiences will likely notice the nostalgic but ‘‘almost creepy’’ dialup internet sound used in the show, though Smith says so far, its former significance has been entirely lost on any children watching the show.
❚ Troll at Bats Theatre, until April 7; 8pm. Tickets from bats.co.nz.