Absorbing tale of boy apprentice in a bind
The Bookbinder by Ralph McCubbin Howell, directed by Hannah Smith Arty Bees Bookshop, until March 1 Reviewed by Laurie Atkinson
IN A small room in Arty Bees bookshop not surprisingly overflowing with books, and seating 15 people only, is a bearded bookbinder working diligently at his craft. Behind him is a phonograph with a large metal horn playing some music. The bookbinder welcomes us into his world and starts to tell a story.
His voice has a slight but varying accent and he appears to be from Mitteleuropa, though he occasionally uses words such as bush for forest and tussock for grass. The story he tells is about a boy he takes on as an apprentice. And, like most storybook apprentices, the boy doesn’t heed his master’s advice when repairing a precious book for an old woman. He ignores the advice that one should bind books, not read them.
Strange things happen to him. He meets a mysterious young woman, he travels to a strange city and sails a boat on a roaring ocean, he is carried off by angry eagles and he has to repair a gap in the world. There is, of course, a moral to it all.
Ralph McCubbin Howell (who plays the storyteller) and Hannah Smith have come up with an absorbing and imaginative 45-minute piece of storytelling theatre. They have been assisted by Nick Zwart (set) Jen Curry (sound) and Tane Upjohn Beatson (music), whose work combines effortlessly to assist in the storytelling.
But it is the numerous ingenious ways they use to tell their fantastical story that grips and holds the attention. A jug of water, a bottle of black ink, shadow play, books, sound effects, an anglepoise lamp and, best of all, pop-up paper art all play their part in this small gem of theatre. Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular TSB Bank Arena, till February 22 Reviewed by Alistair Hughes
Arguably, the original Doctor Who was all about sound effects (even the famous theme was a pioneering experiment in electronic acoustics) while the modern, revived show is all about music.
But even hardened fans of the television programme would have been challenged to imagine that music ever being performed by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra to open the New Zealand Festival.
Doctor Who concerts have been in existence since 2006, growing to headline the Proms in Britain and even travelling to Australia, and last night was Wellington’s turn.
A mixture of bombastic anthems and haunting themes were performed by the NZSO with appropriate exuberance and complete authenticity.
New Zealand soprano Anna Pierard, tenor Oliver Sewell and child soprano Mia Vinaccia visibly moved the audience with several choral pieces, not an experience normally expected from a science-fiction TV show.
But these events, not merely concerts, have always been intended as family multimedia events, and kids of all ages – many in costume – were hypnotised by clips from the series on a huge screen hanging above the orchestra.
The appearance of actual creatures from the programme looming across the stage and stalking the aisles created an excited stir among the audience – particularly the Daleks, timidly stroked by reverent young fans as they glided menacingly past.
Charged with pulling all this self-professed mayhem together was the fifth Doctor, Peter Davison.
He proved his mettle from the outset when forced to reassure the audience while technical difficulties delayed the beginning of the show by 15 minutes: ‘‘Keep calm’’, he intoned ‘‘I’m the Doctor’’.
In keeping with his cricket- obsessed portrayal of the Time Lord, many cricket references were made during his entertaining asides, even enviously referencing Brendon McCullum to the audience’s loud approval.
One of the world’s most famous themes brought the concert to a rousing end, gaining a welldeserved standing ovation.
Doctor Who may be just a television programme to many, but if events like this can interest children in live music and the classics from an early age, then that is worth applauding. For more New Zealand Festival features and articles go to dompost.co.nz /festival2014.