It’s no secret to those renting (or trying to rent) in Wellington right now that the state of things has become … well, a bit grim. A bit painted over, landlord won’t pick up your calls, covered in black mould kind of grim.

Poking fun at this terrifying reality is ONE BEDROOM AVAILABLE IN SUPER SUNNY CENTRAL WELLINGTON FLAT $260 PER WEEK EXCLUDING EXPENSES, a new comedy theatre show written by Hannah Doogan and Jackson Burling with its premiere season at the 2024 New Zealand Fringe Festival.

Staged at Inverlochy Art School – a historic Wellington building in Aro Valley that used to be actual flats – the location itself is perfect in setting the tone for this tongue-in-cheek comedy.

Hardwood floors, a high ceiling and the combination of many rental staples: a mini bookcase from The Warehouse that is draped in tie-dye fabric, complete with sole Sally Rooney novel and lamp missing a bulb is a great touch. Add in the slight air of dampness that is a Wellington rental trademark and you’re already immersed into the landscape of the play.

Set at a flat viewing, ONE BEDROOM AVAILABLE IN SUPER SUNNY CENTRAL WELLINGTON FLAT $260 PER WEEK EXCLUDING EXPENSES invites the audience into the utterly terrifying experience that is the Wellington rental market.

We meet the main characters: Leo (Rachel McSweeney) and Riley (Money Wiljo Faifai-Collins), both of whom are incredibly warm, relatable, and funny. The audience is there under the guise of viewing the flat, so we first-handedly feel the desperation to fill the rooms of their “slice of average” abode. Both actors have good chemistry with each other, though I believe there’s a real opportunity to lean further into the elements of audience interaction and banter.

We also meet the prospective flatties: Eden (Hannah Doogan), Mac (Adriana Calabrese) and Seamus (Jackson Burling). All are well fleshed-out characters complete with their own backstories, perspectives and points of view. We witness their reflections, realisations, rejections and insights, with each character having their take on the housing crisis.

Add in DJ Stan (Charleigh Griffiths) as the resident house DJ who provides backing for a handful of surprising, funny and charming musical numbers led by the cast. These numbers are all great parodies poking fun at the rental crisis and add a needed softness and silliness to the performance and message.

The characters were all well-defined without being tropey or too hammy. The acting throughout the performance is good and believable. The cast looks like they are having fun and appear very comfortable with each other and I believe this will only grow throughout their season run and any future performances!

A real acting highlight is Hannah Doogan who nails their facial expressions and is incredibly watchable, adding layers and nuance to a character that could have been one-note and unlikable in the wrong hands.

ONE BEDROOM AVAILABLE IN SUPER SUNNY CENTRAL WELLINGTON FLAT $260 PER WEEK EXCLUDING EXPENSES has a huge amount of potential in this political climate to grow and be developed further. Personally, I think that leaning more into audience participation would take it to new levels – especially if there’s room to banter and riff with willing audience members.

The cast has great emotional chemistry with well-defined characters and has great potential to expand and evolve with many more stories to unfold, inspired by the dynamics of living together and dealing with evil landlords.

Be it you’re the person looking for a flatmate, trying to convince them your black mould-infested house is in fact liveable, or you’re the person looking for a flat, trying to convince yourself that this black-mould-infested house is in fact liveable. This show will no doubt hit a note with every person who has ever rented in Wellington, almost painfully so in some instances.

ONE BEDROOM AVAILABLE IN SUPER SUNNY CENTRAL WELLINGTON FLAT $260 PER WEEK EXCLUDING EXPENSES does a good job of tackling the issue of the rental crisis, in a way that specifically shines a light on the perspectives of what 20-somethings are experiencing in this present moment.

The show leans into the political without losing the humour, silliness and feeling of community that grows from living in a share house in your 20s in Wellington during the rental crisis. I enjoy it, leaving with just the right amount of laughter and dread.

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