Theatre review: Here and Now

Dylan Thuraisingham, surrounded by his co-stars, in You First.

There is a question we're always asking ourselves: what's next? What's next in our jobs, our relationships, our lives in general? It's a question that extends to all walks of life: what's the next big movie, what's the next show I need to binge, what trend do I need to get on board with?

That question is being asked at Auckland Theatre Company this weekend. Its annual Here and Now festival is back for another year, providing an opportunity for aspiring actors and writers to perform on one of the city's biggest stages. The company raised the bar last year with a phenomenal conversation starter in Boys; this year, it's focused on three works that they undoubtedly hope generates the same level of excitement.

The cast of Tender, an Auckland Theatre Company production and part of the Here and Now festival.

First is Tender, which continues the growing trend of young people re-evaluating what love and sex actually means, the nine attention-demanding performers moving effortlessly through various characters and scenes that throws plenty of shade at their older contemporaries.

You First is a Hunger Games-esque dystopian piece where teenagers are forced to work in hard labour after a storm destroyed much of New Zealand, with a daily chance at completing a dare their only option of escape.

The company saves the best till last with Alice, the quirkiest and most authentic feeling of the three works. Mildly inspired by Alice in Wonderland, this piece is buoyed by dialogue and interactions between the cast that felt the most youthful, perhaps as it was the sole work written entirely by the millennial performers.

Phoebe McKellar (left) and Asha Haines star in Alice, directed by Leo Gene Peters.

For three very different pieces of work, they have the same two things in common. Firstly, the performers are easily the best part of each piece. With no real leading role in any of the works, it is hard for a single person to stand out but it's clear this weekend will not be the last time those performers will grace our stages.

Secondly - and unfortunately - these pieces are flawed for different reasons: Tender's rapidly changing scenes are too disjointed and varied to work as a cohesive piece; You First raises big questions but is too short and cluttered with characters to answer them properly; Alice's lack of a real plot sees it struggle to find a conclusion.

It feels as though many of these pieces are in still in early development, a first draft feel to the night that is perhaps a consequence of the timeframe and nature of such a festival.

That's not to say the night is not a success. The three hours of theatre show much potential and have earmarked dozens of performers to keep an eye on. With a bit more time and experience, the questions asked and ideas debated could go far, and all Auckland theatre companies should take note of these young talents, both those on and off the stage.

Here and Now is on at the Auckland Theatre Company'S ASB Waterfront Theatre until Monday.