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Salient. Official Newspaper of the Victoria University of Wellington Students Assn. Volume 40, No. 16. July 11 1977

Drama — Don't Cry for me Pahiatua

page 11

Drama

Don't Cry for me Pahiatua

Drama

Well, I'm afraid I didn't find this revue very funny at all. Mind you, I have no sense of humour, (or to I've been told, by several people, often) so bear that in mind; also I suspect that Dave Smith is one of those people you either find hilarious or you don't. Well I don't, so there we are. Neither, unfortunately, am I terribly uplifted by the tort of music that dominated the show; musicals, Gilbert and Sullivan, depressing themes from various TV series, end of course 'Exita', which I've only heard through once; it sounded to me..... like a rehash of The King and I' with a bit of 'South Pacific' thrown in. There was a sort of orchestra in a pit — it was all a bit 1950's somehow. Surely a revue is the one sort of show where you can use what used to be celled rock music without being accused of cashing in on 'Rock Follies'? The use of the pit also meant that far too much of the action took place at the back of the stage. So, what with tired music, the actors not connecting with us, and the taped stuff they were supposed to mime to occasionally not connecting with them, (the speakers being at the front of the stage) this show was a long way off having the impact and immediacy I associate with good revue.

There was a fair amount of soft-hitting political stuff - but where was-Muldoon? Quite a lot of abortion stuff too, dealt with in a peculiarly chauvinist manner I thought. Surely this is the time for some really biting political satire? And why the fuck Evita'? Apart from being dreary and mediocre, hardly anyone's heard it, and no-one's seen it, to half the send-up element it lost. And if the point it to make a point about mediocrity, it is rather important not to be mediocre yourself. Unfortunately this was the case with much of the writing and performance.

Of course, I saw it on the first night and it will improve; but I fear it will only really turn into polished tat at best. Rough good stuff is preferable any day.

The best moments were provided mainly by the short fill-ins between main sketches, notably Anne Budd's hazy and slow song (she was a very good "Queen" too and why didn't she have more to do as Faye Dunaway?) Steve Gledhill was memorable for his entrance as the jester in Bard Lines, and as Stu. Stuart Devinie managed to make everything he did funny; he even managed to make whet he'd forgotten to do funny.

The Impulse Dancers stole the show with four stunning pieces. See it for them if nothing else.

Jean Bens