God, this one was good.
In defiance of the show’s name, I knew very little about Laser Kiwi before entering the Hannah Playhouse for Everybody Knows. My only inkling of expectation came from peripheral hype, and the guarantee that they would live up to it. They blew my expectations out of the stars.
The structure is ham-fistedly revealed up-front. We’re given a comprehensive, if not fleeting rundown of exactly what the show is going to entail, with teasers for the performers’ favourite (and least favourite) parts. They promise quick vibe switches and certain confusion. They deliver. Each bit lasts an average of two to three minutes, in which it successfully establishes its premise, stretches it to its weird edges, then rides the absurdity curve all the way up. If any given bit isn’t your cup of tea, you’ve got a fresh one lined up immediately after, although it’s hard to imagine any of them being not to your liking.
The trio of Imogen, Zane and Degge are a gravity-defying, hilarious treat. Every bit feels like it’s got some level of personal stakes for the performers, whether it’s ego-death in a rigged charades game, or a balancing act twenty feet off the ground. We’re instructed to never let Zane press the button, and by god do we want to refuse him time and time again.
It’s the fundamentals of clowning refreshed. Their sense of timing is just fantastic. They’ll stretch a bit out if the audience is loving it and will drop one (sometimes literally) if the crowd sees through the performance early. They refuse even a second of boredom and send the audience careening down a non-stop slide of insanity.
As well as being a hilarious joy ride, there’s also some phenomenal skill on display. Degge’s monologue about the beloved Nerf Vortex could have just been left as a funny idea, but when Imogen emerges from the shadows and does what is essentially an interpretive dance of the toy’s heyday, these ideas get elevated to new heights. This cannot be mistaken for just a mash-up of circus and comedy, it’s an insanely well thought-out integration of the two art forms brought by a team that absolutely nails both.
Near the start, the trio advises us that the bits are loose, flitting from vibe to vibe. This is a lie. It’s a perfectly designed package that they revel in performing. To elaborate on any of the bits would be to spoil the surprises that lie in wait, but it’s so difficult to describe the feeling of watching them without it. You would think in a show called Everybody Knows, there’d be little surprise. Believe me that this is an experience worth going into blind.
Everybody Knows by Laser Kiwi is the perfect blend of two art forms that they excel at. They’re completely aware of their skills and have no hesitation in showing them off. Hell, sometimes they even fail just to demonstrate that there’s no tricks, no schemes, no safeties – just phenomenal raw talent. It’s the perfect night of alternative comedy with a cast that loves doing what they do.
Red Boy 4eva.
Disclosure: As a somewhat active member of the Wellington performing arts community, I may be quite familiar with a number of the performers in this show. Having said that, I am not a liar, and there is zero bias in my reviews, shut up.
Also, tickets were provided to me for free by the production. Literally changes nothing, though