Idiots 3D
Basement Theatre Studio, Lower Greys Ave, Auckland
17/08/2011 - 20/08/2011
Production Details
The third instalment in the very popular IDIOTS plays is here! Nic Sampson has done it again – having written a side-splittingly hilarious script and having brought on board an array of comedic acting and directorial talent!
Anthony Brooks, the star of “Bicycle” (one of the seminal indie films of the last decade) is in town to watch his starring performance in “You Gotta Love Her” at the local cinema. This is Brook’s mainstream debut as a romantic lead playing opposite Kathryn Heigl. To Charles, the heartbroken and disgruntled indie ticket-taker, this is an outrage! Charles’ disgust grows thick when he notices that Brooks’ date for the evening is his own ex-girlfriend Kifka.
Meanwhile, Poppy – the weary popcorn attendant – has an encounter with the worst customer ever. Then she has it again. And again. And again…
Furthermore, the desperate cinema manager Leonard has the arduous job of entertaining the cinema owner’s spoilt daughter Allison who leisurely distributes ‘frowny face’ and ‘smiley face’ stickers at Leonard’s every incompetent move…
Meet these and many more equally delightful and disturbing characters thrown together in some hilarious, conflicting and downright bizarre situations!
“The standard of writing, direction and acting in each scene is consistently high – if it were a contest, it would be impossible to pick a winner.” Caoilinn Hughes – Theatreview “IDIOTS” (2010)
“New writer Nic Sampson has recruited a smorgasbord of talent in terms
of actors and directors, and there are many brilliant comic moments in his 90-minute script for them to sink their teeth into.” Sian Robertson – Theatreview “IDIOTS: Back 2 School” (2010)
With a large cast of popular actors and limited seating this play is likely to sell out.
4 nights only
@ The Basment Studio (Lower Greys Avenue, Auckland)
17th – 20th August,
7.30pm
Best to book! www.iticketexpress.co.nz
Starring: Michelle Blundell, Todd Emerson, Nic Sampson, Ryan Richards, Emmet Skilton, Andi Crown, Josephine Stewart-Tewhiu, Calum Gittins, Shoshana McCallum, Omar Al-Sobky and Andrew Ford.
Mad caper of pithy, twisted humour
Review by Sian Robertson 20th Aug 2011
The third and finest to date in the idiot-themed series of gratifyingly wicked plays by Nic Sampson, IDIOTS 3D is set in a cinema complex, run by the anxious, snivelling Leonard (Andrew Ford) and staffed by a mixed bag of idiots.
Eleven actors play various staff members and movie-goers. The five directors have done an excellent job of building a cohesive body out of the various strands they are responsible for. Each directs a recurring subplot within the story, whose well-honed scenes are each played out by two or three actors.
The opening scene, directed by Peter Salmon, is a silent but hilarious conflict between two cleaners (played by Omar Al-Sobky and Calum Gittins) competing for the cinema-goers’ left-overs, their battle set to a cleverly-timed soundtrack of movie trailers.
Abigail Greenwood adeptly directs the action between the popcorn girl (Josephine Stewart-TeWhiu) and her supremely annoying customer Gareth (Nic Sampson). After Poppy is electrocuted by the popcorn machine she starts to question her sanity, experiencing a Groundhog Day-esque sequence of escalating horror.
Ushers Charles (Ryan Richards) and Donna (Andi Crown) are like chalk and cheese. Charles is a bitter doomsayer commenting on, among other things, the fall from grace of indie legend Anthony Brooks, whose mediocre rom-com is now playing at their cinema. By contrast, Donna, his cheerful, ditsy co-worker, tries to see the best in everyone. Dena Kennedy directs these two in their respective quests for revenge and assertiveness.
Meanwhile the self-absorbed filmstar Anthony Brooks (Todd Emerson) is chatting up drug-addled Kifka, Charles’ recently-ex girlfriend (Michelle Blundell), who hangs on Anthony’s every word. Aidee Walker directs these two in their fawning discussions about honesty and the noble sacrifice of acting. They show up at Charles’ cinema to see Brooks’ film…
The irrepressible Francis (Emmett Skilton) is hiding in the back of the theatre with a camcorder to deliver to his fans a free preview of the movie, complete with running commentary. Outraged that some little scab is talking through his film, Brooks tries to shut him up and winds up providing some regrettable footage that goes straight onto the internet.
Things really start to fall apart when Allison (Shoshana McCallum) the owner’s daughter appears with a clipboard and smiley/frowny stickers to assess Leonard’s management. Thomas Sainsbury directs Andrew Ford, whose portrayal of Leonard, the desperate and smarmy manager, is to die for. Leonard has his work cut out as he tries to balance buttering up his boss’ daughter, keeping his employees where he wants them, being extorted by his aunt, squeezing in some furtive porn time and toying with suicide.
Idiots 3D is a desperately mad caper of pithy, twisted humour. The calibre of acting is excellent and although it’s an absurdist black comedy, the characters are gratifyingly substantial, not least thanks to Nic Sampson’s sharp writing style.
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