Sister act plays on reality

Writer-Actor Josie Ryan describes her solo, double-character satire Sister WonderWoman as Whatever Happened To Baby Jane? with a happier ending.

Psychologists would have a field day analysing the plot: the diffident Sylvie emerges from the shadow of her glamorous superstar sibling, Rhonda. But where Bette Davis and Joan Crawford's mad-hag co-dependants slugged it out to the death in Baby Jane, Rhonda and Sylvie's relationship is more benevolent - inspired, hopefully, by Ryan's bond with her own older sister, Lucy Lawless.

Although the promotional posters show Rhonda, or possibly Sylvie - Ryan's not saying - with the other sister's head on a platter, Sister WonderWoman is "about growing up", says the 30-year-old.

"It's about finding out about your own identity when the boundary between you and your family is not always clear. Realising you have to take responsibility for your own happiness."

Sister has had various forms. It was first born as a master's degree solo project at the Royal Scottish Academy of Drama and Music in Glasgow, where Ryan majored in acting and directing. Under the tutelage of Scottish director John Binnie, Ryan's script initially explored the insidious effects of celebrity from the perspective of American actor Gertrude Lawrence. "But no one knew or cared about her and I made a joke about doing WonderWoman instead. We scrapped Gertrude and moulded the thing around self-esteem and fame and success."

A big hit at last year's Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where it was praised for its wit and energy, Sister WonderWoman has changed shape for its New Zealand debut.

Ironically, given the play's premise, Ryan met her new director - Hercules superstar Michael Hurst - through her sister. "I got back to New Zealand last December and Mum and I went to see Lucy working on Xena. Michael was directing that episode and we ended up chatting about the play. He looked at the script and I kept on ringing him until I caught him in a moment of weakness," jokes Ryan. "He had such a large vision for it and kept saying, 'Sky Tower! Vegas!"'

But from small beginnings at the Silo, where design whiz John Parker has had to ratchet down equally grandiose plans, to suit the theatre's cramped space, Ryan hopes to tour the play later.

Since its Edinburgh debut, she has had time to grow into Rhonda's - or is it Sylvie's? - retro action-woman persona.

"I've become more confident," she explains. "There is more fantasy to it, and the costume makes it a lot of fun, soothes the nerves and all the fretting."

However, she has had to do some rehearsals without her director. Hurst took leave midway and flew off to Liverpool for a Hercules convention - truly a comment in itself on the bizarre nature and needs of celebrity. Linda Herrick

* Sister WonderWoman, Silo Theatre, November 1-10.