Fuddy Meers at Bats Theatre

Fuddy Meers at Bats Theatre

5 April 2011
Director Alison Walls delivers a hilarious play that is both entertaining and melancholic in its poignancy.

A victim of “psychogenic amnesia,” Claire wakes up every single day completely unaware of her past. Her only aids in putting the pieces of her former life together are limited to: a book, a disfigured, dishonest man, her frustratingly optimistic husband and angst-ridden, pot-smoking adolescent son, a mother whose speech is impaired from a recent stroke, and an ex-convict who once worked as a school janitor. As Claire says in her confused, humorous way, it’s all “very inconvenient.”

The audience assumes the perspective of Claire, observing the chaos unfolding with very limited knowledge. As she starts to comprehend her past, character’s motives become more visible, and the audience is drawn in a bit closer to the reality of Claire’s situation—that despite the sunny and hilarious nature of the play, the grave consequences of amnesia are actually tragically sad.

No character outshines another in this production, as each projects an enormous amount of energy throughout, helping to maintain the constant frenzy of Claire’s path towards understanding. Equally impressive are the rapid scene changes, and the constant flow of dialogue.

It is only in the last few moments of the play, when nearly everything has been revealed, that the action finally slows. In these rare, silent moments, the truth of what Claire’s amnesia really means for this broken family is manifested. Every moment of comprehension on Claire’s part, every expression of closeness between Claire and her son, everything Claire knows, is fleeting. After a night’s sleep, her family will be reassuming the frustrating task of trying to convey the love and relationships Claire has sustained despite her lack of awareness.

“Fuddy Meers” is a laughter-inducing and thought-provoking performance.

“Fuddy Meers” is playing through April 9th at 8:30 pm. Please visit http://www.bats.co.nz/content/home-page for ticketing.

ENDS

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