A taste of Kiwi

“ By hokey, what will it be customers -the money or the bag”? “THE BAG” roared the audience. Well with only $5 on offer it was no contest really, but all good fun. Apparently it is 50 years since Selwyn Toogood came to Martinborough and he delighted the audience on opening night just as he would have all those years ago. Strangely no-one admitted to being old enough to remember that far back. After all Selwyn would be 98 if he were alive today!

The theme of this MADCAPS production was “A Taste of Kiwi”. The minute you walked into the Town Hall, Michael Honey and his team, with their imaginative decoration, transported you into a world that was at the same time, nostalgic and delightful. Gumboots hung from the ceiling, jandals were stuck to the walls and images of buzzy bee were seen in any available space. Our flag was prominently displayed everywhere.

At the front of the stage Pat Houghton took her place as Prompt and then Musical Director, Peter Totman, and his gifted band of musicians walked out to applause. What a wonderful group of musicians these people are – they provided sensitive and lively accompaniment.

The curtain rose to the cast smiling broadly at us – they were going to enjoy the show and so would we. The cast of 19 immediately got into the Kiwi groove with Haere Mai. All the old time Kiwi song icons were there; On the Ball, Rugby, Racing and Beer, Taumaranui.
The musical offerings were interspersed with AD Breaks. It was once said of Television New Zealand that the advertisements showed much more imagination than the shows they screened. And, indeed, although some license had been taken with the ADs, it was not difficult to see why this view had prevailed – Pinky Bar (slinky bar), Palmolive Dishwash Liquid (sly groggers), the Weetbix Kids, the Milky Bar Kid, Mainland Cheese and more – we all loved those ads as entertainment in their own right. They were superbly presented with their own spin by the cast.

Pania of the Reef created a laugh. Showing a healthy disregard for political correctness, the beautiful Pania’s representation was entirely in keeping with what is currently acceptable and fashionable globally (except for Russia) given the success of the bearded cross-dresser who won the recent Eurovision Song Contest. The Moo Cows (or was it Caps? Maybe Pats!!) skiffle group concluded an exceptionally enjoyable first half.

Peter Sinclair and C’mon, one of the New Zealand rock shows of the early 70s which he hosted, opened the second half. C’mon launched or enhanced the careers of several rock wannabes – Ray Colombus, Dinah Lee, Alison Durbin, Max Merritt, John Rowles, Maria Dallas – they were all there. Those who were not part of Sinclair’s C’mon scene included the lovable Topp Twins and Lorde. The latter was considerably less gothic and scary than the real one and arguably has a better voice. Pinocchio would have looked quite at home among the “toys” in the recent Royal New Zealand Ballet production of Coppelia.

Transmission ended with the Goodnight Kiwi tucking herself into bed to the hauntingly beautiful signature tune, E Hine E, gently sung by Dawn Hartnell.
The last words must go to Gill Kerr. When stalwart MADCAPS members Pat Houghton and Mary Smith said they were stepping down from producing the show, relatively low profile Gill Kerr put her hand up to take over the reins. “I’ve got it all in my head” she said. “It’s going to be a Kiwi show”.

And that is what she gave us in spades. The show was a bottler in the true sense of the meaning of that great Kiwi adjective “a person or thing that is excellent and excites the imagination”. Gill; along with your talented cast, take a bow, a curtsey, a curtain call – this was an extraordinarily successful debut as MADCAPS producer. It was an extraordinarily good show. The audience loved it. You made us laugh and proud to be New Zealanders!