Tempest Theatre Co consists of a cast of 22 that rotate with every show, each member having 3 roles each. I see 8 of these actors perform in an improvised detective story set in 1920s Wellington.

It’s a sunny day in Cuba Mall, the stillness in the air enhancing our anticipation as we’re introduced to a range of characters, mostly male.: classic characters that remind me of an old fashioned detective film. There are 2 females playing male parts.

Detective Fairleigh Goode (Hamish Boyle) and his assistant Detective Angus MacKenzie played by (Lyndon Hood) are sharply attired in classic tailoring of the day. Lord Angus Van Oeffelsteen (Michael Hebenton) has the elegant casualness of the aristocracy while his maid, Anna (Stella Stevens), is wearing a waitstaff’s white cap and apron clearly denoting her status. 

Anna’s boyfriend Buster the Bastard (Amy Booth) has a cockney street-smart cap, waistcoat, turned up trousers and boots for comic exaggeration. A famous actor, Burt Curtain (Ben Jardine) wears sober greys, his ex-girlfriend Starla (Liz Butler) looks wonderful in charismatic 1920’s raunchy glamour. A rival actor, Garyeth played by Emma Maguire, makes me feel he’s dressed somewhere between wishful Safari and a sensible lady’s man.

We’re introduced to each of these people through a window of storytelling, discovering their relationship to each other. This play to our emotions ends with us, the audience, choosing who the murder victim will be through the strength of our applause to each character. Audience participation ends here. 

Murder occurs followed by a gradual unveiling of interviews and with secrets revealed. We are swept along to discover who has committed this terrible crime.

Half an hour later the murderer is revealed and sent to jail. This is followed by us being given a glimpse into the futures of the other characters.

It is hard to perform word heavy performance in street theatre and the actors’ characterizations are strong. The theme is well prepared. The pace lags occasionally but this will of course, improve with experience. As a cast of first-time improvisers mixed with professional actors, everyone stays in character and this is one of the strongest elements of the show.

I take a moment to gaze around me at the heartfelt enjoyment on the faces of the passers-by who have stopped to participate in the spontaneity of solving a good old Cuba Street murder. And, as all good citizens do in these cases, they walk away with a satisfied smile.  

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