• theatre
  • features
  • glimpses
  • faqs
  • contact
  • theatre
  • features
  • glimpses
  • faqs
  • contact
  Art Murmurs - Wellington Reviews

Reviews

NZIF presents: In Bed

6/10/2016

0 Comments

 

Zoe Joblin

Picture
True to it's title, In Bed starts in a very ordinary double bed, with a blue checkered duvet and an excess of pillows. Seasoned Improviser, MC and Director Brendon Bennetts welcomes the audience to the makeshift bedroom on BATS theatre’s second floor, with warmth and confidence. In his intro, Bennetts tells us why he wanted to stage a show in a bed, explaining that we spend most of our time in bed yet rarely see it accounted for on-stage. In Bed aims to shine a little light on the intimate, moving, sexy and funny moments that can occur between the sheets.

The cast of improvisers - unique to this performance - are welcomed warmly onstage and invited into the bed for a round of short tableaux. Each one offers a strong dynamic and sets up the audience for a fun show with lots of juicy potential. The audience clearly enjoys the sweetness of the show overall and some of the stronger moments involving bold characterisation and connection from the performers. Responding with generous laughter and applause, the team of improvisers, led by Bennetts’ good-natured charm, are successful in seducing us into the simple format.

Each set-up begins to take a longer form as the show progresses, all with similarly minimal direction from Bennetts. He lets the performers drive the scenes, sensing when they have a strong offer and contributing side-line support when they are unsure of how to progress. Bennetts' warmth towards his team and instinct for when a scene has run its course, help the show to have a strong sense of cohesion and a gentle pace.

There are some hit and miss moments where players struggle to achieve the connection necessary for the intimate context (most scenes focus on romantic pairings) and I do find myself longing for a little more boldness. A standout performance comes from Jen O'Sullivan - Festival director - who is consistently grounded and open in her offers, which makes all her scenes really hit home for me. However, there is really no possibility of hiding behind words or gimmicks in this show and the whole cast is brave in each decision they make to get In Bed.

If I we’re to see this show again, I would love to see a slightly smaller cast who knew each other well as chemistry between performers really increased the watch-ability of a scene. I would also love to see a broader range of dynamics, perhaps facilitated by the MC e.g. we never saw only one person in bed, or children in bed, or sick people in bed... there are so many possibilities for this concept I would challenge it to go there! The strength of the show lies in using physical confidence and connection to show simple and honest interactions. Through this, the players have the chance to create endlessly beautiful stories about the way we exist In Bed; and I hope the show continues to do so.


In Bed appeared for one night only at BATS theatre, as part of the New Zealand Improv Festival. Director Brendon Bennetts has been teaching and directing improv for the Court Jesters since 2002. He hosts comedy quiz podcast THE NERD DEGREE, teaches high school English, and in his spare time writes plays. Brendon is proud to have performed at NZIF every year since it started.

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Local Honest Reviews

    At Art Murmurs, our aim is to provide honest and constructive art reviews to the Wellington community.

    Archives

    March 2021
    February 2021
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015

    Categories

    All
    All Age Appropriate
    Art
    BATS
    Beauty Standards
    Black Comedy
    Body Positive
    Circa
    Circus
    Comedy
    Comedy Festival 2018
    Comedy Festival 2019
    Dance
    Devised
    Documentary
    Drag
    Drama
    Exhibition
    Experimental
    Female Artists
    Feminism
    Festival
    For Kids
    Fringe
    Fun
    Gallery
    Gryphon Theatre
    Heart + Music
    History
    Improv
    International
    Interview
    Ivy
    Lighting
    Local
    Mental Health
    Music
    Musical
    New Writing
    New Zealand
    NZ Comedy
    NZ Fringe
    NZIF
    On Tour
    Photography
    Photospace Gallery
    Physical Theatre
    Political
    Politics
    Premiere
    Pyramid Club
    Queer
    Race
    Science
    Scruffy Bunny Improv Theatre
    Sexual Violence
    Shakespeare
    Site Specific
    Site-specific
    Sketch
    Solo Show
    Song
    Spoken Word
    Storytelling
    Te Auaha
    Theatre
    Thought Provoking
    Thought-provoking
    Toi Poneke Gallery
    Verbatim
    Victoria University
    Weekly
    Wellington
    Wellington Footlights