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2–24 October 2009 THE DAY MY BUM WENT PSYCHO–LIVE ON STAGE–DUNEDIN, NEW ZEALAND!!
FORTUNE THEATRE, DUNEDIN NZ PRESENTS:
THE DAY MY BUM WENT PSYCHO by ANDY GRIFFITHS
adapted and directed by LAURA COONEY
Zack Freeman is ready to tell his story… The story of a boy and his crazy bum. The story of a crack bum-fighting unit called the B-team, a legendary Bum Hunter and his formidable daughter, and some of the biggest, ugliest and meanest bums ever to roam the face of the Earth. A story of courage and endurance that takes Zack on a journey across the Great Windy Desert, through the Brown Forest and over the Sea of Bums before descending into the heart of an explosive bumcano to confront the biggest, ugliest and meanest bum of them all… The Day My Bum Went Psycho — a story that you and your bum will never forget.
2–24 October 2009 Performance times: Tues 6pm – Wed to Sat 6.30pm – Sunday 4pm 11am matinees weekdays – check box office for school holiday and term time matinee details. Family ticket prices available
Review:
The bums of the world have rebelled! Urged on by the rebel leader, Zack’s bum, bums everywhere have detached themselves from their owners and are forming an army to build the most terrifying and dangerous bumcano of them all, in an attempt to take their rightful place on top of the shoulders of their owners. they will put up with being stuck inside pants no longer!
Director Cooney set out to make The Day My Bum Went Psycho resemble an action movie on stage, and i can confidently say she has succeeded in doing so. zack Freeman (taylor), and the “b” team, a group of bum fighters, cross the great windy Desert, the brown Forest, and the sea of bums, complete with fight scenes, acrobatics, and a dramatic finale on the edge of the bumcano and a pit of hungry maggots. The Day My Bum Went Psycho was filled with gimmicks, props, farts, bangs, bums, cracks, sounds, and flashy lighting, and the kids loved it.
The action really starts to get going when we are introduced to the “b” team. as eleanor (Pollard) and zack escape two rogue bums in the bum mobile, the team pops out of numerous places; the action freezes for a second as they pull numerous poses and introduce themselves, all the while fighting off the bums and escaping. the lighting and sound are perfect for this act, and some great images are formed with the chaos of the team highlighted. big ups to gary Kierle and rebecca de Propso, who did a fantastic job with the lighting and sound.
My favourite parts of the show were the transition stages, which showed the team’s travel in between the main action. zack and the “b” team had awesome roller shoes and came on and off the stage joyously reacting and playing with one another. here, we were also privy to some acrobatics with cartwheels and turns. the acrobatics also cropped up in some of the fight scenes, for which armstrong needs to be particularly commended. i loved the acrobatics but wanted to see more, more, more.
The actors were all great and enthusiastic and i enjoyed their genuine passion for fighting the evil bums of the world. i particularly adored nielson as Kicker, a stereotypical jock who just wanted to kick the bums of the bums …?! or anyone else who got in his way.
Cooney did a great job including the audience in on the action. there ain’t no audience participation quite like encouraging a bunch of kids to make fart noises. i also enjoyed zac’s bum (gorgeously voiced by georgia Cooney) speaking directly to the bums of the audience to not fear, as they wouldn’t have to put up with being squished on to the seats for much longer.
The Day My Bum Went Psycho is good, dirty fun. i would say it is also about bravery, looking after your friends and standing up to evil. It is about adventure, the journey and the fun of poppy music that left the kid next to me literally dancing out of the theatre.
JessICA JeffRIes, ‘Critic’ #27
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