The Rug musical review: race for material possessions explored with humour and pathos

Helen Drysdale-Dunn (Aja) and Eckard Becker (Rocko) with their latest acquisition. Photo / Mark Hamilton Photography

What: The Rug, written by Chris Williams and directed by Joshi Reinhold

When: until May 25

Where: The Meteor Theatre

Tickets: online via The Meteor Theatre website

Reviewed by Cate Prestidge

Composer and writer Chris Williams takes modern consumerism and winds it back to the Stone Age in his latest musical, The Rug.

While competition for resources to survive has been around since the beginning of civilisation, the race for material possessions is a more recent phenomenon – one that is explored with humour and pathos in this show.

Norman Fili Junior (Sia) as carpet cleaner peddler Del. Photo / Mark Hamilton Photography

Developing a full-scale musical is an ambitious and demanding project and Williams has assembled an experienced creative team to bring it to life. Musical director Mark Dennison (saxophone, flute, clarinet and keyboard) is joined by Trevor Faville on drums, Bryan Bevege on bass and Mark Connolly on guitar.

It is wonderful hearing the warmth of a live band. Their skill and experience are evident from the opening scene.

While there are 15 songs, there are another 10 or so compositions highlighting the on-stage action that range from more humorous (like The Workout) to revealing threat and awe when Tiger (Sekonaia Faletau) is about. The music is also effective as an aural bridge between the 26 scenes and I’d have liked even more of these in some of the blackout silences.

A new project creates exciting opportunities and Williams has brought on talent with director Joshi Reinhold and a youthful cast of six actors.

Local theatre-goers will be familiar with Helen Drysdale-Dunn, Jessica Ruck Nu’u, Eckard Becker, Ethan Dillon-Mayne, Norman Fili Junior (Sia) and Sekonaia Faletau from Wintec’s performing arts programme, as well as a range of local theatre productions.

Composer Chris Williams.

Lana (Ruck Nu’u) is the moral centre of the group – happy, appreciative of what she has and aware that life’s meaning is bound up in our relationships, not our things. She is so likeable and natural in this role and her songs and duets are a highlight.

Her partner Ash (Dillon-Mayne) is less confident about his skills, but deeply in love and anxious to provide her with the best. Dillon-Mayne gets these conflicting emotions across with skill and even throws in an ugg-booted tap dance.

Together they are a sweet opposite to their more aggressive neighbours and their first duet Cup Half Empty is a delight.

The characters of Rocko (Becker) and Aja (Drysdale-Dunn) are the stereotypical “big dogs” of the social group and drive the competitive narrative.

Aja has all the elements of the bored stay-at-home wife of the successful provider, seeking material goods to distract her from a deeper unhappiness. I’ve known people the same.

Drysdale-Dunn embodies Aja with a mix of defensive materialism, compensating for a lack of connection in her relationship with high-achieving, “golden spear” Rocko. Her powerful voice is put to good use and the second half gives her more scope to develop her character.

Rocko is the boastful, successful man of the village; both his spear and career are on an upward trajectory. He’s keen to impress his restless wife with his skills but missing some of the obvious ingredients that would make her happy.

Becker is good at the swagger and dramatic poses of Rocko and I love the humour of songs like Thumbs Up To Me. Rocko is not much of a thinker and Becker adds humour to a less appealing character.

Show-stealing comedy comes courtesy of the physical stylings of Fili Junior as door-to-door peddler Del. Slippery and over-confident, he is a charming, shallow stereotype – or is he?

The sabe-tooth mask, created by local designer Julie Ashby, was impressive.

Worn by Faletau, his physical movements combined with costume (Kathryn Williams and Kersten Hickman) make Tiger an effective, silent character. His first entry surprised me (awesome!) and, without words, Faletau conveys both his menace and lament in a series of sinewy movements around the stage.

Sekonaia Faletau in the incredible sabre-tooth tiger mask made by designer Julie Ashby. Photo / Mark Hamilton Photography

Designer Chris Martin’s painted set is evocative and lovely with cave walls painted to depict natural textures and early drawings and provides a backdrop to some excellent shadow puppetry, a surprise but effective addition.

Guy Coker is credited with the cave design and all the spaces are brought to life through lighting by Aaron Chesham and, of course, through the musicians and actors.

The plot is full of jokey references and wordplay that got chuckles (and knowing groans) from the audience. While occasionally the simplicity of the plot felt a bit obvious in both lines and lyrics, there were some satisfying hooks within it.

If you’re used to heading along to musical theatre with multiple fast-paced song and dance numbers performed by a packed ensemble, this is not that show. It has sustained scenes of acting, a little choreography and is packed full of original music – well worth your support.