The Streets are back on stage in Whanganui production Blind Eye

Joan and Mike Street with 'Skip'. Photo / Paul Brooks

Joan and Mike Street have been an integral part of the theatre scene in Whanganui for decades, as actors, performers, directors, in fact, involved in almost every aspect of the craft, together or individually.

Now they're together again in Amdram's production of April Phillips' play, Blind Eye, playing the roles of an elderly couple, Vera and Wally. Vera has been blind since birth and Wally has looked after her for their entire married life.

A brutal attack puts Wally into hospital and introduces two more people into their previously closed household. Patrick, played by Chris McKenzie, is a policeman investigating the attack, and Alice, played by Annie Whitfield, is a district nurse sent to look after Vera.

Joan says their involvement with Blind Eye started more than a year ago with a conversation with April Phillips.

"We've done her comedies, we love her and her work, we both do, and here is this serious play," says Joan. "I still think it's amazing. So we wanted to do it then and Talia (Annear) was going to direct it. Then she wasn't well, then Covid came, so that was it."

Joan was April's French teacher at Girls' College and they've remained in close contact for years.

"We (Mike and I) were both up at Four Seasons, she turned up, because that was her interest, and we acted together," says Joan.

It was Chris McKenzie, who is now directing Blind Eye, who suggested that April might have had Joan in mind when she wrote the part of Vera.
Joan is not sure what to make of that.

"An elderly lady about to start dementia … incontinent and blind …"

Playing a blind woman is challenging, says Joan.

"Not being able to see, or not being allowed to see where people are on the stage, or where chairs are, that's hard."

"You look at people when they talk to you," says Mike. "It has been a challenge, simple as that."

When Mike and Joan operated River City Players, they produced five plays, four of which were written by April Phillips. They were comedies.

"There is humour in Blind Eye but it is unintentional," says Mike.

Joan says the play is so well written, so strong, so forceful (Mike's description), that people have wept just reading the script.

"It's heart-rending in a way," says Mike. "It's a good, strong story-line.

"There are just four characters, so there's no bit part. All four are integral characters."
Blind Eye is on at Amdram Theatre from February 4-13.