Compromise never came easily to me; only age, and marriage to a patient human, changed that. To see compromise explored from four very different points of view makes for a fascinating and entertaining hour of theatre.

As we file into the black box of the Gryphon stage, three people are intensely playing rock, paper, scissors in time to upbeat music. They are dressed alike in pale trousers, white shirts and waistcoats. The first play, Here/There, kicks off when a fourth person in red appears. We, like her, are thrust into a situation we don’t initially understand – until we do. Our four actors evoke the chaotic and frightening world of trying to be accepted into a new space. I hope that Immigration NZ staff see this play.

The scenery changes quickly to reveal a balcony, with two stools. Two people – Abby Lyons & Dom Flanagan – arrive and settle down with their respective wine choices. As they begin to speak, it’s clear they’re on a blind date, and it does not go smoothly. But the sparring between people who have nothing and everything in common is full of tension, and the outcome is unexpected but satisfying. Called Evening Sour, the play reminds us that a little lemon can be just what makes a recipe work.

Our third play, The Final Nail, requires only a few changes to the props on stage, and like Here/There, the situation is revealed in the dialogue. What if the New Regime is deeply incompetent, cowardly and has lost the plot? It balances fear and humour well, with a manic energy reminiscent of The Accidental Anarchist.

Finally we come to Best Laid Plans. Another full ensemble piece, this has us all in hysterics. Two teams of tradies in hi viz vests turn up to do the same job and it is all downhill from there. Anna Barker’s pointing finger and Stickman voice are a star turn, and the physical comedy in this silly piece is on point.

In the programme, the producers’ note tells us that being a playwright can be a solo pursuit, but in developing this work, the pairing up and group workshopping transformed the experience and led to a “work that reflects its own creation.” With such a tight ensemble, the highest praise I can give each of the talented creatives involved in its making is, they all contribute to its overall success.

Anna Barker’s wide-eyed innocence, Dom Flanagan’s comedic timing, Abby Lyons’ ability to embody any part and own it, and Romina Meneses’ seriousness even when being hysterical, all support one another’s performances and elevate the whole. I include in this the high standard of play writing: fresh, fun and unexpected with dialogue that hits just as it should.

This is collaboration not compromise and I enjoy every minute of it.

Here/There by Jill Kwan & Ella Yiannoutsos

Evening Sour by Jack McGee & Emilie Hope

The Final Nail by Mitchell Botting and Īhaka Martyn

Best Laid Plans by Evangelina Telfar & Nuanzhi Zheng

Actors: Anna Barker, Dom Flanagan, Abby Lyons, Romina Meneses

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