Sometimes, going to a theatre show is magical and mesmerising. Other times, going to a play means sitting there wondering, “Could I have produced more progressive dialogue whilst high?”

I went home from Auckland Theatre Company’s latest effort Black Confetti convinced that this was a lull in theatre for the year and assumed that of the screeds of people there that night, they all went home thinking the same thing. I turned to the Internet to see what I could find. Turns out, everyone is raving about the show’s excellence! Were these reviewers on drugs? Or was it me that was high the whole time?

Don’t get me wrong – I understood the play and what it was trying to do. I got that it was clever with its intertwining plot lines and humorous use of a surreal state and I dug the moments of visual orgasm; I just felt like the in-your-face drug-fucked party rambling got really dull really quickly.

Watching Black Confetti felt being the sober driver in a room full of drunk friends. They’re having these conversations that are really long and seem profound and interesting to them, but the reality of the matter is, anyone sober enough to string a sentence together is bored by the banality of their chit-chatter.

For the record – the actors were beyond fantastic. I have a particular love for Kip Chapman, who was faultless in the role of Gen-Y hot mess Siggy. The directing, lights, stage set up, music and general atmosphere were great and worked superbly too.

The script was probably the most bizarre piece of writing I have ever seen. However, I understand that I am alone in these feelings. Even the people I went to the show with absolutely loved it. Perhaps someone just slipped me the blue pill instead of the red one upon entering the theatre.

| Amie Wee