Grab your popcorn – this satire entertains while asking big questions
The details
Show: Popcorn by Ben Elton
Presented by: Hamilton Playbox
Dates: 7-21 October at Riverlea Theatre
Tickets: https://www.iticket.co.nz/events/2023/oct/popcorno
Reviewed by: Cate Prestidge
Warning: Contains graphic violence including gun usage, sexual themes, drug use and explicit language
Popcorn is a play that asks some big questions about celebrity, media consumption and morals.
Writer Ben Elton is known for work that explores and satirises human behaviour and society. This play, adapted from his 1996 novel of the same name, is no exception.
The play is set against the context of the high-profile OJ Simpson trial, where questions of guilt were played out in the media, as much as the courtroom. Through the character of movie director Bruce Delamitri (Arthur Van Resseghem) and crime couple Wayne and Scout (Jono Freebairn and Olivia Turner) it also references 90’s movies with violent protagonists like Natural Born Killers and Reservoir Dogs.
It opens on the afternoon before the Oscars, in the swanky home of controversial movie director Bruce Delamitri. The satirical mood is established well as the swaggering Bruce and his more moderate producer Karl (Jonathan Kay) debate which of the disturbing and violent scenes in Bruce’s film they could pitch for the TV broadcast.
With occasional sideswipes from Bruce’s spoilt daughter Velvet (Sarah Briston) the dialogue is funny and provocative, full of pretentious proclamations which contrast humorously with the base reality of some of Bruce’s directorial decisions.
Unfortunately, the flow was affected in some early scenes by dropped lines and character from Kay which were obvious enough to disrupt the action in a few key places. This will get ironed out and the tempo lifted when our two media-dubbed ‘Mall Murderers’ break into the house, part of an emerging master plan.
I really enjoyed the performance of Jono Freebairn who showed psychopath Wayne’s shifting focus and mood. He was physically adept moving from lascivious and leering to jerky and menacing, from humour to righteous fury. I thought he was terrific.
Olivia Turner, as his partner in crime and passion, Scout, was also skilled balancing her characters mood. While primarily pitched as submissive and naively excited about their increasing fame, Turner was able to flip this convincingly when Scout needed to bare her teeth.
Anna Mulligan was consistent and polished as actress (and former centrefold) Brooke Daniels. She did well with some running gags about her former career and maintained comedic and dramatic focus without hamming it up.
Maria Eaton, as Bruce’s soon to be ex-wife Farrah, had a few good one liners but the one-dimensional character didn’t give the experienced Eaton a lot to play with and it didn’t quite land for me.
Van Resseghem had a big job as Bruce, and sustained his character well, but it’d be good to see him stretch his range more as the tension escalates.
Director Lee Owens has pulled together a good ensemble and production team to bring this provocative play to life.
Popcorn is a clever satire that references its time period but will still challenge the audience to think.
