The Pianist Baycourt 12 May 2014
ARTbop asked Tim Peck in his first year at Otumoetai College to attend and review The Pianist. Here is Tim’s inaugural review.
The Pianist is a solo mime act, and it is hilarious, it had me laughing from the very beginning. The actor was really funny and he reminded me a lot of Mr. Bean (Rowan Atkinson).The entire show was performed with extremely good miming skills and very funny actions. His clown like character, and magnificent acting skills, were helped by truly amazing props, these included: a modified grand piano, chandelier and some very good costumes. The actor got the audience involved in the performance by smiling at the camera when someone took a photo and improvising to make the performance something to remember. The audience really enjoyed the paper fight he had with the lighting crew, and everyone was hooked in to the performance from the very beginning. I highly recommend this show to anyone.
ARTbop thanks Baycourt x space, for providing the tickets to this event. And, read the review by our Te Puna Correspondent who also attended The Pianist for ARTbop.
Kraken: Trygve Wakenshaw award winning masterclown Baycourt 23 May 2014
How do I start? I’ve never seen anything like this before in my theatre going life! I suspect my colleague had an inkling of what was to come as she avoided the front two rows of seating. That was a good try but not a complete barrier to the amazing participatory performance that is Trygve Wakenshaw.
As we wait for the performance to start the wild-eyes and silent-screen, villanesque moustachioed face of Wakenshaw periodically appears from the side curtains. Then it’s all on for young and old because once again the age range of this audience is across the adult spectrum and during the ensuing performance no one laughs harder than the fluffily white-haired gentleman sitting in front of us.
I was engaged from the moment Wakenshaw’s softly clad pointed toes arched onto the stage. And, drawn in as the frenetic and unusual performance pursued it’s surreal presentations in mime and limited little voices. I would not have believed that the skeletal, black lycra-clad figure could keep up that level of high performance energy for the entire time he was onstage with only himself, his clothing and a wooden stool. And I could never have imagined the imperceptible slide and merge from one expressive topic to another.
Yes, I was apprehensive and startled and amazed by the behaviours of both Wakenshaw and the audience. But all of these responses combined to create an unforgetable adult theatre experience. Later I thought of the psychological dark side of the performance; the ease with which a skilled operator can engage and involve the initially wary and unwilling to particpate in behaviours, at the very least, outside their obvious comfort zone. It was also intriguing to see how quickly we as a group moved into the other reality that Wakenshaw presented.
Baycourt is to be applauded for bringing this decidedly alternative but outstandingly professional performance to the Baycourt x space and Tauranga.
Baycourt x space made available the tickets for ARTbop to attend Karaken.
To see more fantastic events at Baycourt visit their website www.baycourt.co.nz OR check out the Coming Up section in ARTbop.
