The atmosphere was electric as Oliver Smith and I found our seats in ‘The Loft’ at Q Theatre. We were there to watch the world premiere of Mahuika Theatre Company’s debut production – Leilani.
Inspired by Commedia Dell’Arte, a mask-based form of theatre that emerged out of Italy in the 16th century, director Ilgenfritz and his cast (the immensely talented trio of Irasa Siave, Natasha Daniel and Aymee Karaitiana-Jones) have created a poignant and timely comedic melodrama that asks audiences to take a long hard look at society while exploring Auckland’s homelessness crisis.
The action began before the lights even went down at the Q Theatre, as the half-masked Leilani (Irasa Siave) and her oafish boyfriend Junior (Aymee Karaitiana-Jones) arrive late to their own story – nestling among the crowd at the back of the packed theatre. It’s a bold, and wonderfully meta, introduction to a play that oozes originality and a certain relaxed Kiwi charm.
As the prologue gave way to the story proper, Siave, Daniel and Karaitiana-Jones introduce us to an eclectic – and distinctly Kiwi – cast of characters to tell their story.
There’s the shows main protagonist, Leilani (Siave) a bright-eyed and naïve (and pregnant) young woman who is an adult in age rather than maturity. Leilani, like each of the characters, is a deeply flawed individual, and a decidedly passive protagonist to boot – often finding herself subjected to the will of others – especially her ‘cuzzy-bro’ boyfriend, Junior (Karaitiana-Jones), a self-serving oaf that kicks her out on the street after shacking up with the narcissistic glamour girl Aroha (Daniel). From there we are introduced to a wide array of characters as Leilani attempts to navigate the winter chill of Auckland’s streets.
Filling out the remainder of the cast is the scene-stealing Tim (beautifully played by Daniel), a socially awkward but eager-to-please individual whose attempts to help Leilani are thwarted equally by his spinelessness and his domineering girlfriend Sarah (Karatainia-Jones); then there’s Trev (Daniel), the kindly though undeniably mad, homeless philosopher who, along with his friend, Pahia (Karatainia-Jones), a self-serving vagrant with delusions of grandeur, help Leilani chart a course through Auckland’s underbelly; and lastly the ridiculously sleazy Lloyd (Karatainia-Jones) a pig of a man whose disgusting mannerisms are matched only by his detestable behaviour.
These characters are impressively diverse, beautifully rendered, and layered – there is so much going on behind the masks. While each performer energetically imbued their complex characters with humanity and relatability, I was particularly impressed with Daniel’s take on Tim (bumbling and hilarious) and Trev (one of the few characters to offer any degree of empathy). These characters were well-formed, distinct and repeatable – the sorts of people who you might expect to meet on a night out spent wandering the back alleys adjoining Auckland’s K Road or Queen Street.
While this is a testament to the skill of director Pedro Ilgenfritz and his cast, credit must also go to revered Kiwi Playwright Gary Henderson, who joined the team as the Script Developer, as well as Kate Lang, the woman who brought the specially crafted masks to life. There is little doubt in my mind that the masks, which were refined over two years of extensive work-shopping, character development, and sculpting added to our enjoyment of the show and helped to bring the characters to life.
At 70 minutes, Leilani is a snappy, hilarious, and well-acted expose of the Kiwi characters who inhabit the streets of downtown Auckland. The show manages to challenge the audience while leaving them in stitches – no small feat. I highly recommend it to theatre veterans and virgins alike.
Leilani runs from 4-13 August at Q Theatre Loft.
What: Leilani
Where: Q Theatre Loft,
When: Thu 4th – Sat 13th August 2016, 7.30pm. No shows Sunday and Monday
Tickets: $15-$28 (Booking fees may apply). Tickets from www.qtheatre.co.nz
Leilani is presented as part of MATCHBOX, the Q Theatre creative development programme.
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