CONFESSIONS OF A SECRET HOARDER
Studio 77, Victoria University, 77 Fairlie Tce, Kelburn, Wellington
30/01/2018 - 01/02/2018
Production Details
An exciting original puppet musical – Confessions of a Secret Hoarder – will have its debut performance on the 30th of January 2018.
The show follows feisty twelve-year-old Lillian as she falls into the fantastical world of Garbageland. Lillian explores this mysterious realm, as well as her own relationships with the people and things in her life. This hour-long frolic through a Wellington home, an alternate reality, and back again, is packed with catchy musical numbers, plenty of action and a cast of five people and nearly twenty puppets.
The puppets are all new creations in a variety of forms and sizes — small hand puppets, hand and rod puppets, and huge, two-person carnival-inspired puppets. Following in the tradition of trash puppets, they are made from discarded materials, tying into the show’s themes of hoarding and overconsumption. The original score is brought to life beautifully by the cast, with live piano accompaniment.
The show is the brainchild of Victoria University Masters students Darryl Ng and Joel Rudolph. Both are up-and-coming theatre-makers who are excited to present their first joint venture into musical theatre and puppetry. Darryl Ng, the writer, director and designer of the show, has extensive experience as a set designer and director, but this is first foray into playwriting. Joel Rudolph is the composer of the play’s original score, as well as the musical director and stage manager. Joel is a talented pianist, composer and director, and is passionate about incorporating music into theatre in innovative ways.
The show will be performed at Studio 77
30th of January to the 1st of February 2018.
5pm
Waged: $12.00
Unwaged: $5.00
Buy Tickets
Additional fees may apply
Phone Sales: 0800 BUY TIX (289 849) – Ticket Outlets
Contains adult themes. Suitable for children above eight.
Check out the Eventfinda Page for more details: https://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2018/confessions-of-secret-hoarder/wellington
CAST:
Hamish Boyle
Bernadine Gladding
Yasmin Golding
Hannah Pohl
Nino Raphael
PRODUCTION
Writer, Director and Designer: Darryl Ng
Composer, Musical Director and Stage Manager: Joel Rudolph
Production Manager and Marketing Manager: Annie Broughton
Puppet and Set Construction: Talei Peckham and Isadora Lao
Lighting Design and Operator: Haami Hawkins
Sound Design and Operator: Ryan Mead
Front of House: Kerryn Palmer
Fire Warden: Izabelle Brown
Theatre , Puppetry ,
From mess to enlightenment
Review by Margaret Austin 31st Jan 2018
Twelve-year-old Lillian lives in a mess. It is this mess that greets the audience on their first sight of the stage set for Confessions of a Secret Hoarder, written and directed by Darryl Ng and making its debut at Studio 77.
Strung about like so many washing lines of clothing are rag like garments while others lie about in untidy piles. One of the ‘piles’ is actually a puppet – a heap of material that early on comes to life – and joins with other puppets as advisers to Lillian.*
Well, she needs advice. Her parents have grounded her because of the state of her room, and sent her friend Stanley* packing. Although aware that her behaviour is not ideal, Lillian laments her situation in the first of several songs that pepper the production. She longs to experience another realm.
And she gets to. She is introduced to Garbageland, where there are ‘quirky adventures for everyone’. It’s populated by a cast of puppet characters.* Here is where the production comes to life. They’re ‘trash puppets’, all made from discarded materials, and are manipulated by puppeteers who are in full view of the audience, whether they are handling small puppets, hand and rod puppets, or huge carnival-inspired ones.
There’s not much of a plot here, and if there is one, it tends to be obscured by the mess onstage (though that’s the hoarding of the title), the onslaught of gaudy colours, and the presence of several humans plus puppets.
But with Lillian’s return to real life, with the enlightening understanding about how things should be from now on in her hitherto hoarder’s life, the denouement is one which all mothers with messy kids should bring them to see.
*[Without designating roles the programme lists the performers as Hamish Boyle, Bernadine Gladding, Yasmin Golding, Hannah Pohl and Nino Raphael.]
Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer
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