KEY POINTS:
Auckland Theatre Company's production of Who Needs Sleep Anyway? -now playing at SkyCity - may confuse theatre-goers because it is not a play.
Written by Roger and Pip Hall, this "entertainment" is a celebration of 100 years of Plunket that combines skit-type humour with song, dance and social history. The story switches between the fascinating history of Dr Sir Truby King and Plunket and the story of average Kiwi parents Paddy and Polly struggling with the everyday dilemmas of raising a child.
There is an added twist with the part of Baby P being played by the very adult-sized Mark Hadlow. He and Plunket Nurse Daisy (Kate-Louise Elliott) switch between playing characters and acting as guides on the journey through Plunket's history.
Having an adult playing a baby or toddler can put many people off, but Hadlow makes it work, especially early on when there are some lovely moments of physical humour. And his baby character is much more appealing than his rather smarmy "host" personae. Elliott, his partner in crime, brings warmth and efficiency to a role that acts as glue for the show's uncohesive structure.
As Baby P's sleep-deprived parents, Sophie Henderson and Johnny Bright make their Auckland Theatre Company debuts and give energetic performances. Sophie is the stronger of the two but both struggle with cliched characters - she just wants sleep and a shower and he is unsupportive and just wants sex.
The supporting cast of Hera Dunleavy, Nicola Flynn, Adam Gardiner and Stephen Butterworth work extremely hard and you have to admire their professionalism as they throw themselves into the hodgepodge of comedy and social history. But throughout there is a feeling that they're struggling to rise above the material.
The combination of stereotyped broad humour and social history didn't work. Because of the switching back and forth it felt that neither the history of Plunket nor the everyday miracle of being a parent was explored with any satisfying depth.
Basically, the comedy is an unnecessary spoonful of sugar to make the history lesson go down. Roger Hall notes that in researching the piece he fell in love with the history and had difficulty working out what to leave out.
Little wonder, given the material. Plunket is an incredible organisation that has saved thousands of lives. And Sir Truby King is the only "commoner" other than Sir Ed to be given a state funeral, thanks to his commitment to the welfare of babies and mothers. He also sounds like a true eccentric with diverse passions for everything from animal husbandry and gardening to the treatment of the mentally ill and alcoholics.
While ultimately unsatisfying, there is some theatrical magic to enjoy. Rachael Walker's set design is a triumph of larger-than-life Kiwiana kitsch. Against a backdrop of blue skies and fluffy clouds, giant kiwi fruit, buzzy bees, sheep, gumboots and other icons of NZ life fly on to the stage for the actors to be used as furniture and even a car before whizzing off again.
Nic Smillie's costumes are perfect for the "cartoon history" style of the piece and there is a surprising amount of detail in each outfit given the more than 70 quick-fire costume changes.
Other highlights were the seamless lighting and video projection effects created by Andrew Malmo and Brad Gledhill and the witty arrangements and soundscape created by John Gibson that use milk bottles, kazoo and other low-tech instruments to create a madcap energy.
Despite the cliches and the tendency to focus on the more negative aspects of parenting, Who Needs Sleep Anyway? is a lively trot through NZ's social history. Just don't go expecting the intellectual and emotional depth of a play.
* Who Needs Sleep Anyway?
SkyCity Theatre until June 28.
