Last year Otago University produced [unclear: hut] they chose to call the "Last Great [unclear: apping] Revue", a response to what they [unclear: w] as a lack of interest in Revues, at [unclear: leain] Dunedin. A parochialism that ignored [unclear: e] Victoria Revue "The Way We Gone one It" which followed a few weeks [unclear: la-er].

This year, which happens to be the one [unclear: at] follows last year, has challenged history [unclear: y] seeing revues again produced by both [unclear: O-go] and Victoria.

[unclear: ears] of it

The Otago and Victoria revues have [unclear: th-ughout] their long history been a major [unclear: ntnbuting] factor to the health and [unclear: lon-vity] of culture in New Zealand - a [unclear: train-g] pound for performers, writers and [unclear: di-ctors] in theatre, television and other [unclear: pla-s]. Otago for its part has produced the [unclear: its] of "A Week of It" through its revues, [unclear: well] as celebrity giants such as Derek [unclear: yne].

The last decade of Victoria Revues has [unclear: oduced] such as John 'Fred Dagg', Clarke, [unclear: ave] Smith, and Michael Wilson; and [unclear: Do-nstate] director John Banas. If you take [unclear: vay] the influence of University Revues [unclear: om] New Zealand comedy you're not left [unclear: wi enough] eggs to make an omelette.

This isn't restricted just to New Zealand; [unclear: itain] and in particular Oxbridge has seen [unclear: e] development of the Monty Python team, [unclear: e] Goodies, Rutland Weekend Television, [unclear: avid] Frost, and so on...... Which goes to [unclear: ove] that where N.Z. leads the rest of the [unclear: orld] follows.

A student's mum in Suburbia remembers mid-war Auckland student revue titled [unclear: "H-lestly] It Sphinxes". Not surprisingly it had [unclear: arge] political content, dealing with, as the [unclear: Ie] suggests (as well as being the [unclear: clever-t] part of the show), NZ troops being sent the Middle East during the second world [unclear: ir]. It was believed that the cast put the [unclear: ow] together over the influence of a keg or two of beer, and the audience was forced to endure the hangover.

Capping Festivities

Revue was associated with Capping Festivities such as Proseseh, which offered students the opportunity to do down-trou's in public with limited impunity.

Of recent years Victoria has developed small cast revues, reflecting the greater flexibility offered, and a move away from male ballets, mass choirs and traditional routines. Otago, for its part, has retained the big show extravaganza type format, reliant on its traditional sextet and male ballet. Perhaps the shock of the introduction of women into the cast in the late forties has yet to be overcome.

Last year the Victoria Revue used a cast of nine, and a band of three, but as many people again were behind the scenes organising and running the show. It is necessary to have a constant stream of personnel to retain the expertise on campus and to secure its position in the future. It is pleasing that even in these times when students are fighting against low bursaries, part time jobs, and the pressure of internal assesment that new blood is being infused into revue along with the haggard remnants of the past.

Revue Club

In an attempt to secure the future a Revue Club has been formed. In a time when the culturally elitist Drama Club, after a few years with its head in the sand, and with the aid of a fire in Kelburn Parade which destroyed much of their costumes etc, decided suicide was preferable to a slow and lingering death.

The aims of the Revue Club are to promote the future of Revue at Victoria, plus offer a vehicle for the promotion of other activities. These other activities include a small presentation on University Open Day and hopefully the development of 'spots' in hops. Apart from the current revue, which is entering production, the major undertakings are sending a team to perform in Arts Festival at Christchurch in May, and a Christmas Revue at the end of the year.

After the ball

This year's Revue returns to the traditional Capping Revue Time, running from April 19-28. Titled "After the Ball is Over" it will incorporate social and political satire, irreverent humour and a jazz show band.

It it does little else, it offers the newspaper reviewers an excuse to exercise some of their favourite cliches. Last year it elicited "Nothing sacred to students" a headline, and "the students curdle the milk of the sacred cow even before the audience reach their seats" further on in the text.

Similar to last year the revue will feature a front of house exhibition. Last year the works of Owen O'Pake were displayed, a mixture of concrete and steel, sculpture and modern paintings.

Owen, a local civil servant who died on his bycycle seat after tilting with a big red on Wadestown Hill believed that "the artists problem is one of making individually unique human statement while at the same time avoiding the pitfalls of art for arts sake approach, and being compelled to endure emotional and functional hardships of popular rejection."

Bullshit Owen!

Phill MacDonald