Never too senior to strut your stuff

IT'S AN OUTRAGE: Cut-throat young reporter Ashley (Shannon Hayes) tries to elicit a dramatic response from mild-mannered Peggy (Catherine Graydon) for the TV news, while cheeky Howie (Danny Clenott) looks on.

If you're thinking of shipping your parents off to the nearest retirement village this Christmas, you might want to think again: if the (mis)adventures of the "old people" in Harlequin's end-of-year piece are anything to go by.

Mark Hinton directs the theatre's latest spectacle The Old People Are Revolting, by Kiwi playwright Devon Williamson, which features a stellar cast of "mature" folk, plenty of wisecracks, a few fart jokes - and one impressive pyrotechnics display.

The play is set at the Sunshine Retirement Village, where a group of elderly residents - sorry, seniors - live a fairly monotonous existence.

When they find out the local council plans to remove their rates subsidy, they are none too thrilled and decide to stage a rebellion.

Up-and-coming "news babe" Ashley Hardwick (Shannon Hayes) catches the whole thing on camera - and the rest is history.

All of the above made for some great laughs - but, for me, most of the humour came from the fact that the "old people" were so hilariously real.

We had Howie (Danny Clenott), with his attempts at flirting, scatological humour and pants hitched up too high, and the uppity Patricia (Barbara Barr) who insists on being addressed by her full name.

We had the obnoxious but strangely lovable ex-hippie Shirley (Rita Penhale-Cashmore), who lives to "Free Tibet".

We had the perpetually cheery Peggy (Catherine Graydon) who calls everyone "cherub", the bored ex-farmer Doug (Jim Barr) with a penchant for home-made bombs, and Elizabeth (Marilyn Bouzaid) who barely remembers what day it is, but can recite all of Queen Elizabeth I's speeches verbatim.

I giggled heartily, as I swear I have met each of those people in my everyday life - but Hinton's cast made them recognisable without being stereotypes and pulled off their roles with wit and warmth.

The chemistry between the cast members was impressive, and their contemptuous banter drew many cackles from the audience: with Howie's inept sleaze towards the women, Shirley's "anti-establishment" digs at Patricia and the inter-generational clash between the old folks and Ashley as particular favourites.

The stand-outs for me were Penhale-Cashmore, whose comic timing as wannabe activist Shirley was impeccable, and Clenott, who had plenty of verve as the lecherous Howie.

Shannon Hayes also did a good job as Ashley - the cut-throat reporter with a tiny camera.

Her disgust towards her subjects and attempts to manipulate the story were brilliantly carried out - though I'd have liked to see a bit more bitchiness in her delivery.

The Old People Are Revolting has plenty of charm, some hearty laughs and, actually, great social commentary to think about - such as the position of senior citizens in our society and the media, conflict between the older and the younger generations, and conservative versus radical sensibilities.

It is a long play, and there were some unnecessary lags between each scene, which made it drag a little. So, I'd take a pillow to sit on.

Apart from that, well done to Mark Hinton and his "old people" - you're never too senior to strut your stuff on stage. Or stage a revolt.

The Old People Are Revolting runs until December 14. Tickets are available from www.dashtickets.co.nz. For information visit www.harlequin.org.nz or contact Mark Hinton on 027 438 9337.