What an absolute deal with it was to see Tea For Two Valentine’s Special. I arrived early on the Loft at Q Theatre and located a seat entrance and centre, solely then realising that I used to be at a Valentine’s present on my own. Theatre goers file in and determine to go away quite a few conspicuously empty seats round me. The one girl present begins (properly, one girl plus one assistant who hangs again with the viewers), as does the viewers interplay. The masked character, Anahera, skilfully performed by Tamara Gussy (Basket Case), is fast to note my predicament, and with wide-eyed and endearing enthusiasm she guarantees to seek out me a date by the tip of the present.
The premise is that Anahera is Aotearoa’s main relationship skilled, and that the viewers is in for an evening of interactive theatre, comedy, and clowning. It’s not usually we get to see theatre within the model of commedia dell’arte. Although theatre firm Indian Ink options masked characters of their productions, Pickle King can be their most immediately dell’arte impressed present. There is a connection between Indian Ink and this present within the inclusion of the character, Joy (Catherine Yates), from Dirty Work. Joy is the assistant who lets us know she’s there to “help with the lights and stuff,” thus breaking the fourth wall and easing us into the interactive theatre expertise. Her function is considerably minor, however each interplay with Joy brings hilarity. In holding with a clown character, she is a caricature, sans a masks, however dons a pair of false buck enamel, an orange boiler go well with, and a thick kiwi accent to rival Rhys Darby’s.
When Anahera enters the stage, one thing magical occurs. She instantly captures the viewers’s consideration by means of the extraordinary expressiveness {that a} masked character brings. Her consummate abilities in dell’arte are evident in her vocal work, physicality, and repertoire in improvisation. I get a way of the centuries previous custom of the artwork on stage, which speaks to director/creator Pedro Ilgenfritz’s (Leilani, One by One) proficiency in dell’arte. The use of a easy set permits the masked character to be the medium to the various aspects of storytelling. As the dell’arte theatre troupes have carried out for a few years, the social commentary and jokes match the present social local weather and site. Matchmaking is the topic (and recreation), and our on a regular basis foibles in relationship are scrutinised. Our frequent embarrassing situations are performed out, however Anahera is all the time on our facet.
This is the second iteration of Tea for Two, which first performed on the Basement Theatre in August final yr. Tamara then acquired a scholarship to check masks in Pordenone, Italy beneath Ferruccio Merisa as a part of the L’Arlecchino Errante pageant. Anahera is a Columbina-esque character – Columbina being the inventory character archetype of the comedian servant. The supporting and guiding nature of Anahera, which is magnified tenfold as a result of she’s a clown and caricature, had the impact of getting the viewers to let down their guard. When we have been requested to wink and flirt with full strangers the ambiance of ease and the playfulness on stage transposed to the viewers, making even the shyest crowd member dare to enticingly lock eyes with a whole stranger. The climax of the present was when two volunteers from the viewers, who have been associates for 4 years, simulated a date situation and ended it with an actual kiss. I used to be actually anticipating a handshake for the laughs, however they went for it and it actually was one of the best factor that might have occurred for the present that night time. The viewers was rapt.
The character, Anahera, was developed beneath Pedro’s tutelage when Tamara studied at Unitec/Te Pūkenga and this historical past makes for a brilliantly crafted present. Our time with Anahera flew by and we left feeling we had a shared and memorable expertise. I feel anybody fascinated about comedy ought to see commedia dell’arte for this way shines a beacon on the essence of what makes comedy. Of course, dell’arte is and all the time has been for everybody.
Tea for Two Valentine’s Special performed Q Theatre Loft Seventh-Tenth of Feburary 2024
