The Theatre As Is (Dunedin). By Jimmy Currin and Dell McLeod assisted by Richard Huber, 3.5/5.
Once Was is presented in a cosy upstairs space, with chairs or couches as seating options. The stage space has the lighting exposed and is bare except for one chair and two layers of mesh that is hung to cover the back corner.
The two skilled actors take you through four different realms, changing seamlessly from one character to the next. They begin as an old couple, reminiscing about earlier times, but a central hanging light only slightly illuminates their bodies, allowing the actors to manipulate the mood as they move in and out of it.
They then move to being two highly paranoid people at a meeting, when outside there is some sort of apocalypse taking place. One actor even changes characters while they are having the conversation. Moving on, they are two actors, discussing the play and how they want to perform different characters, with Dell McLeod changing brilliantly and believably into different characters all during the same scene.
The play ends beautifully with the two actors moving behind the mesh, allowing one to only see their silhouettes. They have become children again and talk to each other about dragons and fairies. But it’s not done in a clichéd way. This performance takes you through different stages of life, but does so in a disjointed way so you don’t really realise that’s what it was about until the end. The actors create new believable realities in a matter of seconds and take the audience on an interesting journey through different psychological states and stages in life.
Once Was
