Counterpoint’s 2015 season opener, The Boy on the Swing – by English playwright Joe Harbot – is a simple story on the surface. But as the audience follows main character, Earl Hunt, on his quest for contentment and happiness, the story takes some surprising turns. Ranging from absurd and amusing to eerily sinister, Earl’s interactions with the other characters create the opportunity for him to ask what many would consider life’s important questions. 

The set design is brilliant, it transforms from a stark white space into various other settings with simple, fluid movements. Everything in this production has a place and purpose, the actors effortlessly incorporate each scene change into the onstage action. The lighting design is equally effective. Clean and seemingly effortless (though of course it was not), the lighting works wonderfully to make use of the Fortune Studio’s small space. Like the set, there is nothing superfluous to distract from the storyline or the actors.

Central character, Earl Hunt (Nick Tipa, who in this role is endearing and relatable) stumbles across a business card outside his house. After picking it up he calls the number on it as it promises a direct connection with God. What follows is a series of increasingly strange events as Earl deals with the infuriating bureaucracy and alarmingly fast-paced service of the corporation who provide this direct link to the Almighty.

The two founders of the company, Miss Trust (Marea Columbo) and Miss Hope (Sophie Acklin) both act to help and hinder Earl as he progresses through the steps they set in place for him before he can officially meet God. Fantastic acting on the part of both Columbo and Acklin pulls the audience into their strange and compelling ways.

The company’s phone operator, Jim (a delightfully acerbic Hamish Annan), provides another interesting perspective within the play and a special appearance by New Zealand national treasure Dougal Stevenson helps carry the end of the play to a brilliant, if unsettling finish.

Audrey Morgan’s direction is almost flawless: she has brought together all the aspects of this production in surprising and interesting ways. The Boy on the Swing is an unusual play, layering universal human emotion and experience with absurdism and quirkiness. Morgan, along with her cast and crew, have created an engaging production that has been deftly handled and brought to life with abundant enthusiasm.

This production is an excellent choice for the Counterpoint 2015 season launch. Stimulating and bizarre, with a sense of enjoyment and self-reflection that lingers long after the applause, The Boy on the Swing is the culmination of all things good about Dunedin theatre. 

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The Hope and Trust Foundation is a business that arranges meetings with someone who, tests reveal, is God. When Earl impulsively rings its number, he’s subjected first to aggressive marketing, then to pointless questioning, silly games, depressing little homilies and something that starts to look like an inquisition. And when he gets to see the Man Himself – well, what on earth do you say? 

The Boy on the Swing, by Joe Harbot, has been produced by local company Counterpoint and is skilfully directed by Audrey Morgan. 

Performances are polished. Nick Tipa plays Earl, a young and very English version of Everyman – an average and passive consumer, but endearing in his acquiescence to Hope and Trust’s absurdity. Sophie Acklin, Marea Columbo and Hamish Annan play its management and staff, priding themselves on their efficiency but all too often tripping over their own lack of real purpose.

And someone called God, reduced to a commodity whom Earl has paid to see, is portrayed by Dougal Stevenson. In a guest appearance for this production, he shows us something of the responsibilities and the sheer dreariness of being omniscient and in charge of the universe. 

I have no idea what theologians would make of all this, but it adds up to a brilliant night at the theatre. The play has its own quirky, understated humour, with flashes of Kafka and Monty Python. It’s a little unsettling, but smartly funny in a way that will have you beaming with delight rather than rolling in the aisles. 

This is the first Counterpoint production I’ve seen and I look forward to seeing more of their work. Catch the show while you can – the short season will end on Friday.

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