The couple at the centre of Howick Little Theatre’s final production for the year have hearts of gold and understand the true value of family.
Penel Keegan directs the play Hilda’s Yard at the east Auckland theatre until December 3.
It’s written by Canadian playwright Norm Foster and is set in Auckland during the 1960s, a simpler time when houses were affordable and buying a television was a major family event.
It centres on middle-aged Auckland couple Sam and Hilda Fluck, played by Mark Bishop and Jo Crichton, who possess a tender mixture of wit and endless kindness for their children.
They’re just starting to enjoy having their home to themselves when their adult children Gary and Janey arrive unexpectedly.
Gary, played by Joshua Tanner, brings bad news in that he’s having problems keeping a job, but he’s got what he thinks is good news in the form of Bobbi, a sassy musician who may be the girl of his dreams and is played by Stephanie O’Connor.
Sam and Hilda are just getting to grips with Gary’s appearance when Janey, played by Georgina Malzard, turns up due to a falling out with her new husband and the fact she’s not the biggest fan of housework.
Gary reveals to his parents he’s being chased by the bookie Beverly Woytowich, played by Arthur Young, while Janey surprises them with the revelation she wants to see the world and is smitten with a man who works at a travel agency.
As Sam and Hilda grapple with surprise after surprise another one arrives over the fence in the form of the dashing and eloquent crook Woytowich, to whom Gary owes a large sum of money.
The Flucks are down-to-Earth, commonsense people who solve problems by talking about them rather than running and hiding.
Sam is excited at the prospect of buying a new TV but worried at its cost and the prospect of potentially losing his job.
He’s meek and what he seems to lack in strength he makes up for with his devotion to Hilda, who’s clearly the head of the household, dishing out the witty one-liners with regularity.
Foster’s script contains a large amount of humour that has the audience in stitches at various points along the way but there are also gentle moments of melancholy due to the dramatic family dynamics.
This is a warm, humorous and light-hearted family story in which audience members no matter their age will find something to relate to.
- Hilda’s Yard
Directed by Penel Keegan
Howick Little Theatre, 1 Sir Lloyd Drive, Pakuranga
Season: Until December 3, shows at 8pm, with a 2pm matinee on November 20.
www.hlt.org.nz
