Thomas, Smart Artz

Press, 18 February 1989, Page 8

Thomas, Smart Artz

‘ “Barns, Bars, Barbecues and Parked ' Cars,” performed by the Christchurch ‘ Festival of Fringe Theatre by Steve • Thomas and Smart Artz, at the Rollesb* ton Theatre, February 17-18. Running > time: 8 p.m. to 9.35 p.m. Reviewed by j Lindsay Clark. f,- Billed as a “comment on life in New V Zealand, transposing colloquial images ; into words, music and song,” this ► muddled pastiche hardly measures up to -• a brief aside. J From the shambling opening sequence s when the audience was confronted with ? the tired “What are you lot doing here, we’re not ready for you yet” routine, a £'■ welter of warm but wet numbers coni' firmed the impression that there was " nothing much to say. • Patrick Duffy and Gavin Buxton, who make up the Smart Artz team, are • practised performers, somewhat in the l mould of Front Lawn, developing rhythr; mic routines round Kiwi joker vernacu- ” lar and adding bizarre moments — I. fleeting but effective. imagine the Grim, Reaper in multiSt coloured tutu, a bucket on his head, propelling a roaring, throaty motorI mower. In general, however, timing and material were not of the quality this pair has sometimes generated. g Steve Thomas, the other member of fc the ensemble, is a “performance poet," fa though neither of these elements was g well demonstrated on this occasion. Broad general themes of pollution,, techthingy’s attendant ills .ajQd the poet’s

response to nature were not well served by the glib patter of his delivery, albeit flavoured with Welsh good-humour, engaging to some. His tour of New Zealand sequence was new but much material has been aired already. Probably the most successful pieces were the chirpy satires such as Cook Strait Ferry Cuisine, delivered with vigorous conviction. Among the debris of the set were clues to the general drift of this multistatement Television sets, beer bottles and crass domestic clutter presumably added up to the New Zealand image behind the Bars and Barbecues of the title. But various musical accompaniments did more to confuse the issues than support them and the impression of a combination of ideas and skills without a real centre or focus was never redressed. It is fair to say that an unresisting Fringe audience received the performance cheerfully. If mass participation (“stress management”) involving standing, and chanting “We are the Weasels” is a criterion, there was a certain success to the presentation. On the other hand it is difficult to displease those bent on pleasure. At a more serious level it would take more than a few colloquialisms and some rhythmic stomping to transform mediocre humour into something more substantial. .