REVIEWS
HEART-WARMING COMEDY WITH EMOTION AND BUTTS
Peter McKenzie, Theatreview
The theatre was packed and the atmosphere expectant. The lights dimmed, the
jaunty guitar strumming started and the three actors trooped on stage. Right from
the get-go the use of technology was playful yet smart.
Positioned in front of a camera hidden in a cardboard box, Byron Coll undid his
shirt to reveal the title of the play, which was projected onto the screen. He showed
more words on the top of his undies then turned round, bent over and dropped his
pants to reveal … [spoiler averted]. This was the first of a number of butt jokes that
always got a good laugh. Wellington writer Dave Armstrong and Tasmanian director
Frank Newman obviously like to mix serious dramatic emotion with “cheeky”
humour.
The story is deceptively simple, but increasingly moving (and I don’t just mean the
set going round!). There are two main characters, the young boy Jake (Robin Kerr)
and the old lady, Beryl (Erin Banks). Versatile Byron Coll plays the support
characters. They are all terrific, with Coll claiming a lot of laughs with his full-frontal
costume changes and smart-arse slapstick.
We meet Jake skateboarding along Magnolia Street. He leaps over cats and dogs
but trips over a letterbox and crashes into Beryl. This accidental meeting is the
beginning of a heart-warming relationship. Beryl reveals herself to be lighthearted
and playful, while Jake has some pretty weighty issues of his own to deal with —
specifically his no-show dad.
There are many highlights in this story, not least the cutting-edge use of low-rent
technology. For example, the scene background is established by videoing and
playing round with a beautiful cardboard model of houses, trees and even a tram. In
this play, everything is out in the open. I think that’s the theme of the play — openness and communication. Another highlight is the comedy, encompassing
zimmer-frames, dinosaur rampages, dementia, bad language, Genghis Khan and —
did I mention? — butt jokes.
My only criticism is that at times the abrupt story jumps and non-sequiturs set up
an interference pattern with Beryl’s dementia. This runs the risk of confusing rather
than illuminating her state of mind. However, I did appreciate the light touch the
play has in dealing with dementia, suggesting it could even be a kind of a freedom in
some cases and encouraging a different approach towards those who experience it.
Well done Capital E National Theatre and the team of talented people who put
Magnolia Street together. It is a thought-provoking and moving play. If you’re a kid or
an adult you’re going to have a good time. Butt don’t forget your sense of humour.
Ewan Coleman, The Dominion Post
Streets are always full of fascinating characters and Magnolia Street, Capital
E National Theatre For Children’s latest production, is no exception.
Writer Dave Armstrong says the inspiration for it came from the old Wellington street where he lives and “where old and young, rich and poor, long-time
residents and new immigrants live cheek by jowl”.
And from this he has developed a fascinating and engaging piece of theatre
that director Frank Newman and his cast have magically brought to the stage.
The old, poor, long-time resident is 85-year-old Beryl (Erin Banks), on her way
home on her Zimmer frame with her shopping. The young and rich is Jake
(Robin Kerr), cruising down the street on his skateboard from another
neighbourhood.
When Beryl and Jake first run into each other, there is the usual animosity
that arises when the old try to interact with the young. But slowly a
friendship develops and Jake becomes fascinated by the memories that Beryl
relays about her life in Magnolia St. But her memory is not all that accurate
at times, such as calling it Mongolia St, which often has hilarious
consequences.
But it is not the slowly unfolding story of Beryl’s life - interesting as it is - that
makes this show unique but the way in which it is told, and the use of modern
technology to complement the storytelling.
A model of the houses on the street is projected on to a large screen, over
which are projected many other images, including shadow puppets.
Trams, cars and the insides of offices all effortlessly merge from one image to
another, the audience never quite sure what is going to be used to highlight
the story. Adding to this are many other characters who come in and out of
the story, all energetically played by Byron Coll.
And when eventually Beryl arrives home and invites Jake in, her house is
revealed as a treasure trove of memorabilia. Although this final section of the
production drags a little and doesn’t appear to have the same impact as the
rest of the show, the gentleness and heartwarming sentiments conveyed
nevertheless hold the audience’s attention.
Samuel Phillips, The Lumière Reader
A quick fire history lesson of a fictional street, an epic tragic-romance story,
a rebel youth’s relationship with an elderly neighbor, and a delusional
woman’s decline into dementia fuses with quick character changes,
cartoonish music, physical comedy, and groundbreaking live projections in
Capital E’s Magnolia Street. It could be a plethora of both form and content
that overwhelms and bewilders, but these elements fuse together to create
a really lovely, cohesive, humorous piece of theatre.
I am constantly impressed at the maturity and sophistication with which
Capital E treat their young audiences. Yes, there are fart and bum jokes and
people fall over (still funny for me…), but they never cut corners in crafting
complex, often flawed characters, and honest, affecting stories.
In Magnolia Street, writer Dave Armstrong gives us two such dramatic
personas. Our rebellious Jake (Robin Kerr) seems like a bit of a bully,
tagging projected spray paint on the fence of number 18 Magnolia Street.
He is skating down Magnolia Street when he bowls over eccentric
octogenarian, Beryl Booth (Erin Banks), the all-swearing, all-batty old lady.
Of course, it takes her no-nonsense attitude towards neighbours to bring
the cool kid down to earth.
The eponymous street is home to more than just magnolia trees. Beryl
becomes a tour guide, leading Jack through the streets history. She is ably
supported by Byron Coll, who fills in the street’s eccentric characters with
flare and enthusiasm. Beryl is not just narrating, however; with the help of
projections, the stage becomes an interactive mind map, allowing her to
take the audience from location to location and time period to time period.
And best of all, it’s done with a sense of fun and a wink to the audience.
The projections are really something special. Billed as an investigation into
‘tracking’ on stage, the filmic devices create some wonderful stage magic.
Projections are often filmed live onstage and projected straight up onto the
screen; a revolving street scene, for instance, is spun by an actor while Jake
skates centre stage. These imaginative, often hilarious, projections help
unlock the real heart of the show, the shared playfulness between young
and old.
Lynn Freeman, Capital Times
Magnolia Street is in the great tradition of anarchic and crazy
children’s story telling aka Spike Milligan, with liberal references to
bottoms and other naughty references that are guaranteed to get
laughs. There is also a message here about memories and loss, and
listening to older people’s stories that I hope, as a genealogist,
resonates with the audience.
The staging is gorgeously inventive but not in a CGI kind of way.
There is a revolving model of the street which is projected onto a
large screen. Brilliant. The busy actors are also puppeteers wielding dinosaurs, Barbie dolls, airplanes and miniature bikes to wonderful effect, along with Johann Nortje’s AV work and Ian Hammonds fun cardbox box set.
Ultimately though it’s the characters we need to connect with for
these clever storytelling devices to work as a whole. Erin Banks,
channeling perhaps the divine Dame Kate Harcourt, is a total
delight as 85 year old Beryl whose memories of growing up on the
street and of the love of her life, Lionel, are starting to fade as
dementia takes hold. While out on her zimmer frame she is bowled
over by a local lad (Robin Kerr) who’s running after being caught
tagging a fence. He thinks the street is a tip but she tells him her
stories in the hope he will see it differently. Helping Beryl is Byron
Coll, who plays a multitude of roles from Lionel to Genghis Khan
with panache,
composure and a series of terrible wigs.
Dave Armstrong packs a lot of humour into his hour long script and
to his credit still manages to pack an emotional punch at the end.
It’s subtle enough not to upset the youngest members of the
audience, while I imagine providing some excellent talking points
for parents and their children on the ride home.
The tremendously funny and extremely sad Magnolia Street is a treat for all
ages. Only having three people (two set characters and one changing) to act
over 10 parts led to some of the funniest scenes in the whole play. But it would
not have worked without the amazing acting, props, sound and set design.
The animation and model of Magnolia Street was a beautiful backdrop to an
emotive, interesting (and very well-received) story, and helped make scenes
flow together smoothly. I particularly liked being able to see costume and set
changes, which gave an intimate feel. All three actors looked as though they
were having a great time, and supported the awesome dialogue with expressive
gestures.
With very real themes like divorce, war, ageing, and remembering those who
are gone, Magnolia Street will ring true with older watchers and provide lots of
laughs for younger children too (as well as give them something to think about).
DEFINITELY worth going to! The audience I was with certainly thought so!
Daisy Abraham
12 years old
South Wellington Intermediate School
We were lucky to get to go to this play to review it for Kiwi Families. The play was
about a boy named Jake who moves to Magnolia Street, where he bumps into
(literally) Beryl Booth, a lovely old lady in her eighties. Beryl helps Jake to know the
history of the place and the magnolia trees.
The way the play talked about history was interesting and educational and helped
Jake realise Beryl’s life wasn’t so different to his after all. I also liked the joke when
Beryl Booth muddled the street name and before we knew it Genghis Khan appeared on stage! There were other good jokes throughout that kept us laughing.
A highlight was the way they used technology to make the backdrop come alive.
There were clever special effects using simple but effective techniques. The way
Jake’s dad was displayed using a doll’s body was a bit weird. But it did help show that
his Dad wasn’t a very good character, that his life was too busy to make time for his
son.
Mum and I both really liked this play. It was emotional and quite thought-provoking
in how we saw the characters come to understand one another despite their
differences. Through telling lots of stories, the characters showed the importance
of overcoming all sorts of prejudices. We would recommend it to older children and
their parents together as an entertaining way to learn to understand other people.
Kiri Sim
8 years old, reviewing for Kiwi Families
Magnolia Street. Wow! It’s clever, funny, fast and interesting from start to
finish. But certainly not for the faint hearted.
The start of Magnolia Street is really cool and out of the ordinary and it sets
the scene in a very funny and interesting way. It’s almost like seeing the actors
setting up, and that’s just the beginning…
It’s about a teenager, Jake, and when he accidentally knocks over an old lady
who is using a walking aid. Despite being 85 and not able to remember what
she had for breakfast this morning, she has many funny and unusual stories to
tell about her history and that of Magnolia St. My favourite character was the
old lady. She is really funny and doing pretty well given that she is 85.
As I watched I thought “wow!” But not just wow, “Wow I could do that!!” was
the satisfying thought that immediately came to mind. Because as I watched it
I didn’t just see the show I also saw what was happening on stage right (and, of
course, stage left!) and how everything works. From the projector, to the actor
putting on a new costume, I could see it all.
I was also amazed at how cleverly they used only three actors even though
there are more than 5 characters. And sometimes the actors doubled up as
puppeteers too!! The sound effects were awesome as well. They made the
whole show so much more realistic, particularly the puppets.
Magnolia Street isn’t a normal play it’s a weird but exciting mix of puppets,
actors, the coolest sound effects and much more. I would definitely
recommend this show. Go on take a visit to Magnolia Street.
Emma Brown, 11 years old
Magnolia Street
Jake the wanna-be tough guy, spray painting the local streets meets Beryl the 85 year old straight
shooting, mad lady who lives her life in the past. An unlikely friendship, Beryl wishes her life was still
with Lionel and thinks about what Magnolia Street means to her and all the memories of the past.
Jake thinks Magnolia Street is boring and he would rather turn it into a skate park.
Special effects are a feature as are the props. At the beginning the stage looked unorganised and
boring, but that all soon changed as we saw them take away the boxes and reveal a cardboard
version of Magnolia St which was projected on to the back drop.
I recommend Magnolia Street because it is funny, entertaining, cleverly designed and produced, and
is different from any other play I’ve seen.
By Andrew Latta
9 years old
From a crazy old lady to a father who owns a spa pool company, from
slow-motion skateboard crashes to a dead young air force pilot, it’s
hard to believe that Capital E, The National Theatre for Children and
Downstage Theatre could have put on a better show than the Dominion Post Season of Magnolia Street. Written by Dave Armstrong and
directed by Frank Newman, this visually enchanting masterpiece will
have anyone of any age rolling on the floor with laughter.
To combine amazing lighting and sound effects, thrilling acting and
entrancing sets is great achievement, but to put it with an engaging
storyline such as this one, it cannot be denied it’s incredible, and it’s
something only talented artists such as the makers of this production
could produce.
The story is all about memories, the ones that old places and people can hold. As we age, we remember our childhood, even if some
can’t remember what they had for breakfast. It is also about friendship, the bonds of people with much in common, or without much at
all. This emerges in the play when Jake, a spoilt but lonely teenager,
bumps into an old lady on Magnolia Street and ends up learning lots
about the area from her child self’s point of view. The performance
is full of mixed emotions; humour, sympathy, sadness and ‘what on
earth?’ ness.
I was particularly impressed by the unique part of the set that was
filmed and projected onto a large screen at the back of the stage. A
circular platform model with houses around the edge represented
Magnolia Street. It was spun by the actors who added small props,
like bikes, into the model set. I liked it because the audience could
see the goings-on that are normally concealed back-stage.
This was an amazing performance and I would recommend it to anyone.
Dan Harward Jones,
10 years old
Magnolia Street
When mum told me we were going to watch a play called Magnolia Street I
didn’t know what to expect. As the ideal age is 8 – 14 and the play’s duration
was only 55 minutes I thought that I would be one of the oldest people there.
Magnolia Street completely surprised me! All of us in the audience were
wowed by this humorous, witty and imaginative show. The show continued to
please the audience as it went on. All eyes were drawn to centre stage where
a huge screen was positioned. From a projector various images were shown
from a miniature set at one side of the stage. The miniature set was operated
by the actors. Talking about the actors, they continued to amaze me how they
could show so many emotions and tell the story well with only three of them.
Afterwards, thinking about the performance I have come to the conclusion
that all ages would enjoy this show, including adults! The storyline is one that
would not be boring for adults as there are many twists and turns throughout.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed the performance of Magnolia Street and would
recommend it to anyone who asks. A show like no other.
Olivia Yeo
12 years
‘Magnolia street’ is a story of a teenaged boy named Jake who
moves into a house on Magnolia street. His first impression of the
street is a boring, old road where nothing happens. But when he
bumps into an old lady named Beryl Booth, who tells him about
Magnolia street’s history, he starts to notice how special and
amazing it really is. She tells him that each magnolia tree on the
street was planted to remember someone who has died. With extra
characters such as weed killer man and Jake’s spa pool companyowning dad, the action makes the play even funnier.
Beryl lives on her own and is starting to lose her mind. Telling her
stories brings a range of emotion to the audience, including
laughter, surprise and sadness. Her daughter has been attempting
to convince her to move into a retirement home, but Beryl is
reluctant, believing her daughter will just abandon her when she
sets foot into the home.
The scene and costume changes are so simple but clever, it helps
and strengthens the story. The play has a mix of digital and real
life. It is hilarious and a little bit sad and is definitely worth watching.
A few of the things I liked about the play is the way it was all
presented and the scene and costume changes. There would be
one tiny costume change that would make a big difference. The
overall play was funny and entertaining.
Piata Inch
Aged 11
Magnolia Street is a humorous play about a teenage boy,
Jake (played by Robin Kerr) who is escaping from a crazy
gardener when he runs into an old woman called Mrs.
Booth (played by Erin Banks). She insists on sharing her
view of the street which is completely different to the run
down place Jake thought it was. There are also many other
characters to make the show entertaining, all played by
Byron Coll.
One of the most inspiring things I found about the show
was the special effects, which are designed so that you can
see the set up which is being projected onto the back drop
while you are watching the play.
One of the best things about Downstage Theatre is that
you are never too far away from the stage, you can see
every thing clearly from were you are sitting.
I really enjoyed watching the show, the special effects are
amazing and the acting is spectacular. I think it’s a
wonderful show.
Review by Makayla Gibbs (Age 13)
Magnolia
Street
Magnolia Street was an extremely fantastic piece!
No mistakes whatsoever. The sound and the excellent acting
were clear from the beginning to the end.
We were thoroughly entertained from start to finish with the
delivery of hilarious
lines
that kept mum and I in stitches!
I think the crew did an exceptional job of making us believe their
characters
as they revealed personal details about themselves.
The set was brilliantly constructed and the lighting was
phenomenal as well as the
sound
we heard every line perfectly.
The actors stayed in character the whole time on and off set.
I enjoyed every minute of that play
therefore I give it a 10/10.
Just exceptional.
Keep it up guys!
Thank you for the invitation to come along, enjoy, and review this
brilliant piece!
Thank You
-Riley (11)
I was lucky enough to receive tickets to Magnolia Street, a play that
incorporated animation and visual effects along with a clever, witty and often
sad story line. The three characters did a fantastic job of telling the story between Beryl Booth and the life that she led on Magnolia Street. This was told
to Jake a young teen, who thought that Magnolia Street was just a street with
no special meaning whatsoever. How wrong he was as we explored the years
of Beryl’s life.
I would recommend this show to all my friends and I really enjoyed it, the
visual effects and props were entertaining and amusing and really made you
feel part of the story.
Georgia Comeskey
14 years old, St Marys College
A friend and I were invited to watch the play Magnolia Street. Right from
the start I was drawn into the lives of Beryl Booth and a young skateboarding teen, Jake. Their ages could not have been more further apart but their
friendship slowly developed and they warmed to each other, in hilarious
situations. The play is about memories and how the characters became i
ntertwined. With the clever use of digital technology many images and settings were projected onto a backdrop using small kitset models.
I would definitely recommend this show to all my friends and anyone who likes
a heart-warming trip down memory lane.
Ruby Chappell
14 years old, Queen Margaret College
Frank Newman’s production of Magnolia Street was about two
individuals and their memories of their street, Magnolia. I think that the
play was able to give appropriate comedy, which all ages would get and
enjoy. The story line was about a young boy, who is trying to be a “bad
boy” and a old fat lady who is slowly aging and forgetting things. Together
they share the memories of Magnolia Street that the lady has gathered
over the years.
The lightning wasn’t overdone and when it was used, it looked great. The
set was also was clever with a projector being used to change the background on a screen. I think that the actors managed to show expression
on their faces, and moved around enough. I would say that the grocery
bag bit could have been choreographed better, though.
The script was written really well, the writer getting the main point across
while still making it very funny. Personally I really enjoyed the play and a
great family adult friend also enjoyed it. The audience seemed to enjoy
greatly, as well. For the age range I would say that little kids would like the
play as would the grandparents.
Deborah, 12 years old
On Saturday the 21st of July, my family and I went to a play in
the Downstage Theatre called ‘Magnolia Street’. Written by Dave
Armstrong and directed by Frank Newman, it is an enjoyable play
for older audiences.
It talks about a kid called Jake, who thinks that he is the coolest
guy in the street, and he runs into an old lady called Beryl, who
starts going on about her childhood days in Magnolia Street,
doing things much differently then Jake. She tells him all about
the wretched war against the Germans and her lover, Lionel, who
is sent of to join it.
All throughout the play, I heard people all around me laugh at
the hilarious antics of the actors as they struggled through old
age and memory loss, growing out of being a kid and being
chased by cranky neighbors with weed killer!
My family enjoyed how shadows from different objects were
projected onto the screen, making them look so life like. It was
interesting that, in the corner of the stage, there was a circular
table that could be moved around, showing the street and the
different scenes.
This play I recommend for 12 years and up as younger audiences
may not understand the story.
A play so hilarious, it’s hard to put it into words. It’s such a
great play that you’ll need to come and see it yourself to get the
full power and thrill!
Anneke Hutt
10 years old
Magnolia street is a magnificant play based around a boy called Jake. It’s
humorous and exciting yet sometimes a bit sad. It is about Jake moving into a
new house but he finds the street boring and old. But an old lady called Beryl
tells him cool stories about the street’s history and her childhood to change
Jake’s mind. It brought the two generations together, they had a better
appreciation of each other by the end of the play.
It is staged extremely well, the props and use of a camera to project images on
a back drop is very smart. The lighting and effects play a huge part in this play
that almost seems like an imaginary world. initially you think that the screen in
the background is only there for the projector but there are secret holes and
they are also on wheels. Lots of creative and different things happen.
In this play there are only three actors but one of them changes from character
to character (he was really funny!). The actors and actress in this play are
extremely talented, they had clear voices which they projected and gave an
excellent portrayal of their characters.
I think Magnoila Street is an excellent play!! I really enjoyed it.
Tabitha Dombroski
12 years old
From the revealing way the title is showed to the parting shot of a
magnolia tree spreading its leaves across the stage, this play captivates you.
The three actors are astounding; Erin Banks as Beryl Booth, the forgetful,
barmy, cheeky old lady, Robin Kerr as ‘tough guy’ Jake, and Byron Coll doing
fast costume and voice changes being all the other people on, through, and
beside of the stage and backdrop. They, together with the lighting and music
people, do a wonderful job of transporting the audience to Magnolia Street.
Magnolia Street! The street where long dead ghosts watch from their
memorial trees and the line between past and present, fact and fiction,
reality and digital, is blurred and smudged. The backdrop is wonderfully
designed, with a mini cardboard Magnolia St on the side being projected onto
a life size backdrop. There are laughs every other second. You are constantly
being swapped through memories, the present, and just imagining. The witty
and varied script (written by Dave Armstrong) makes it a play for all ages.
Young children will only see it as a great bundle of laughs, but older watchers
will be open to the whole depth, and feel how moving it is, especially if they
know people struggling with dementia. Magnolia Street reminds you of the
real world.
Cassandra Bahr
12 years old