[Punctum’s punk-infused offering packs a punch]
When getting into Basement Theatre’s primary stage, the very first thing I discover is the set design by Minsoh Choi, because the again wall of the stage has been painted a shiny, child pink. Given the present’s punk aesthetic, it’s a daring and pretty bad-ass transfer and I’m silently impressed after estimating the associated fee for a tin of paint. This manufacturing is part-funded by CNZ and Basis North, and developed via Proudly Asian Theatre’s Contemporary Off the Web page initiative and Playmarket’s Asian Ink Award; a whole lot of arms have helped to convey this mahi to life, and my expectations are excessive.
On stage, there’s a stack of amps and different musical paraphernalia, and pink cords grasp from the ceiling – a tangled mess, evocative of a recording session gone very unsuitable.
Directed by Nahyeon Lee, Chick Behavior is Punctum Manufacturing’s sophomore manufacturing and follows Nathan Joe’s Shedding Face which ran as a part of August’s Matchbox collection at Q. Chick Behavior is the most recent providing from playwright Nuanzhi Zheng who additionally co-wrote Yang/Younger/杨, and I’m intrigued to know the play started as a comic book guide zine, questioning how these visible and story components will evolve.
Because the motion begins, we meet our three central characters: college buddies Olivia (Louise Jiang), Yolande (Nomuna Amarbat) and Xanthe (Shervonne Grierson), and their mixed presence is a ball of youthful power as they talk about plans to kind a punk band.
The narrative’s non-linear construction permits us to see variations of the three girls of their a lot youthful states, with their uniform-clad wide-eyed innocence fuelling the story. We study of Olivia’s present-day separation from her buddies, and, via an entertaining telephone name with the crematorium employee (Celine Dam), we hear of Olivia’s difficult relationship along with her mom (Jo Lo) – who’s useless and in addition occurs to be haunting her.
Having learn the present teaser, the play continues as anticipated: Olivia is offended that her buddies are capitalising on her authentic music and seeks to problem them publicly, and does so by interrupting a humorous electro-pop efficiency. Draped in what I can solely deduce is a blue internet curtain, Yolande takes centre stage and sings ethereally whereas accompanied by Xanthe on a synthesiser – fingers rhythmically jabbing on the instrument, complementing her pleasant ‘I’m a critical muso’ facial expressions.
This primary duo efficiency units the bar excessive, because of some comedic touches from the ensemble. Celine Dam sparkles in each scene as she morphs into caricatures: followers, a safety guard, and the beforehand talked about crematorium employee. She excels within the likelihood to point out off her vary, taking part in with voice and timing to generate a roomful of guffaws.
She’s not the one character who enjoys taking part in the idiot – Shervonne’s Xanthe will get among the stellar strains of the present. She exits a scene by asking a simmering Olivia what telephone she’ll get subsequent, ‘Motorola or..?’ and her inflection alone makes the room giggle as one.
The play depends upon high quality sound – from the orchestration and mixing of dwell efficiency to the manufacturing high quality of onstage voices – and the horseshoe presentation makes it difficult to ship a full, balanced sound throughout the viewers. Provided that the whip-smart dialogue is entrance and centre, a special iteration of the present might give attention to voice projection and sound balancing to keep away from key strains being misplaced.
A subplot relating to sexuality is recent and youthful, utilizing playful language to lighten the temper throughout a closing showdown between the threesome, and the strategy to queerness is with a relaxed, ‘it’s no large deal’ high quality generally seen amongst Gen-Z. It’s nice to see a number of queer, Asian girls taking on house on stage and I’d’ve appreciated to have seen this factor develop, studying extra about who the ladies at the moment are, capable of familiarize yourself with sexuality of their mid-20s.
I can’t assist however really feel there isn’t but sufficient complexity throughout the mother-daughter relationship for its decision to pay-off, a sense compounded by an viewers member’s ill-timed cell phone alert, sadly breaking the stress of Olivia’s monologue in one of the poignant scenes of the manufacturing. Louise addresses the viewers in character, breaking the fourth wall, however the harm has been carried out.
Both approach, I’m desirous to see extra between the core buddies, and music to drive the story additional. It’s later within the manufacturing that there’s time to shine, the place we see the hearth between the three central characters and the ability concerned in studying and performing an authentic punk-inspired tune. This second of after-school storage jam-session is by far the manufacturing’s spotlight: the tune is energetic and catchy, and there’s a powerful cohesion amongst the solid.
The tip of the manufacturing focuses on Olivia’s grief and we’re left wanting extra, to see an encore of their musical collaboration. Then, as if by magic, we enter the lobby post-show to real-life Auckland-based punk band Membership Ruby, based and fronted by queer Asian performer Jade Lewis, and the band play via their debut EP which they launched final week.
The ambiance is gentle and, whereas not fairly riotous, it’s sufficient to really feel subversive. Chick Behavior is an uplifting present about queer, Asian girls in a punk band – and that alone in our present local weather is fairly revolutionary. What extra might Tāmaki Makaurau ask for proper now?
Chick Behavior performs Basement Theatre Twenty fourth-Twenty eighth October 2023
