ENCHANTING TALE OF HEARTENING OPTIMISM

The Arrival
Created by Kate Parker and Julie Nolan (with the original cast)
from the graphic novel by Shaun Tan
Directed by Julie Nolan
Red Leap Theatre | NZ

at The Civic – THE EDGE®, Auckland
From 12 Mar 2009 to 15 Mar 2009
[1hr 15 mins, no interval]

Reviewed by Nik Smythe, 13 Mar 2009

Not reading the programme beforehand I was unaware that The Arrival is in fact a book by Australian author Shaun Tan, which like this play addresses the common issues of migration - communication difficulties, separation from family and so on. 

Perhaps familiarity with the literary original would give greater clarity to this work, but one of the key advantages of this production is its ability to transcend language barriers.  With precious little English spoken, and the remaining scant dialogue being what I believe is a fictional alien tongue, this work has good travel credentials.  Not least due to the grand, expansive, enchanting, hypnotic spectacle that it is.

Directed by Julie Nolan, it is performed by ten actors, including co-creator Kate Parker, who is also behind the extensive puppetry that permeates virtually every scene so that odd creatures wandering about are just part of our given reality.  A plethora of visual concepts are utilised, but never gratuitously or needlessly. 

The thematic elements echo Parker and Nolan's Beyond the Blue project last year, being a tale of travel and discovery, through wondrous lands inhabited by extraordinary creatures. The perspective developed through the ensemble's busy evocation places us somewhere in the headspace of the main character played by Jarod Rawiri, as he sets out into the world, leaving his family behind as he heads away to find his fortune in a new country. 

Along the way he meets many people and encounters all manner of strange and interesting animals courtesy of said puppets.  Often the various attempts at communication seem to make sense, and other times it's rather difficult to work out what is actually happening.  This creates a firsthand sense of the very problems inherent with exploring new lands and cultures.

Numerous subplots enhance the story of our hero's travels.  An old soldier's war story is an exception to an otherwise rather idealistic experience of migration in which the local people are always friendly and helpful to the outsider who speaks another language.  Ultimately this is a heartening tale of optimism, showing what adventures can be had when everyone is committed to a positive outcome.

No casting complaints whatsoever; also no particularly standout turns by any of the actors.  Rather we are privileged to witness a close team working together for the good of the whole piece.  Observing the group in action, it's obvious how much respect and trust Parker, Rawiri, Alison Bruce, Sally Stockwell, Chris Graham, Tahi Mapp-Barren, Jared Turner, Ella Becroft, Jason Haiu and Tama Jarman hold for one another. 

The choreography, devised by the company under the guidance of movement consultant Michael Parmenter, creates a mystical dimension that almost but never quite crosses over from theatre into the realm of dance. 

Indeed, the highlight characteristic of this show is the ingenious theatrical solutions that continually surprise and satisfy.  In particular the issues of scale, zooming scenes in and out, e.g. from inside the hero's sci-fi air-balloon capsule to seeing a miniature party-balloon model as it floats over the rearranging flats that represent the numerous towns and cities passed by on our protagonist's journey, and back.

Brought to life by the typically exemplary lighting of Jeremy Fern, the esteemed John Verryt's set design is a triumphant masterpiece in terms of visual style and functional versatility.  By degrees squared, Andrew McMillan's original music compositions and innovative sound design are of the high standard that a production of this quality demands, i.e. world class.

The enigmatic storytelling and abstract visual style suggest a kind of dream.  While the characters, both human and puppet, engage us and command our sympathies, the meta-reality style of the piece has it falling short of moving me to tears of recognition.  However, though not emotionally moving to any real depth, as we left the theatre I definitely felt affected in some kind of mental way, spiritual perhaps... Enchanted.
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