REVIEW: High School Hangover (Auckland Fringe)

High School Hangover
High School Hangover

I’d rather have my stomach pumped… [by Matt Baker]

High School Hangover
High School Hangover

High School Hangover is described as a romantic-comedy that will “have you in stitches”, and I did laugh, twice. Once at Xavier Mercedes Black’s awkward attempt to both calm and support her friend, and once at musician Jess Dowlman’s one-liner aside.

It’s hard to keep track of this play, not only due to the plot and dialogue, but the absolute lack of clarity in the scene settings. The writing is incredibly messy, as if the dialogue for each character had come from different writers who had no idea what the others were saying. In this respect, characters don’t talk to each other; they talk at each other. This inevitably results in the content of the scenes being lost, and the actors working far too hard (and unsuccessfully) to give intention to their words and motivation to their characters.

It’s a shame that Amelia Rose Reynolds’ character is so unappealing, because she’s supposed to be our protagonist. Who in their right mind would care about someone who explodes into expletive outbursts at their friends, who are just trying to help, and berates a mother who clearly loves and wants the best for her? She says she wants to be the real her, the her that dances by herself in her bedroom and watches romantic-comedies, but we never see that person. Good friends, a doting mother, a full-time job – what the shit does this person have to be so unhappy about?

The answer is Kate Vox, playing Tara, the girl who bullied her at school. Tara seems to have suffered a stroke which has resulted in pathologic nystagmus and an inability to articulate (the first duty of an actor is to be heard). Vox notes in the programme that this play is as much for the bullies as it is for the bullied. I would riposte that it is for neither, because it doesn’t address any issues directly. Reynolds’ Henrietta simply runs away from her problems, and the fate of the bully is completely out of her hands. Apparently, it takes 10 years for karma to kick in.

Said karma is provided by a trio of celestial beings, a self-proclaimed collective unconsciousness (although that’s not actually what the concept of the collective unconsciousness is). Black, Liesha Ward-Knox (who commits 100% to the role), and Jessie Graham all double as both Henrietta’s friends and The Invisibles. But, they’re actually always The Invisibles, so the fact that their relationship power-play and dynamic alters between the two roles makes no sense. They form Vishnu at one point while accompanied by The X-Files – I’m at a loss as to why.

With them come a barrage of pseudo-philosophies about life, fate, and blah blah blah. References to their involvement in humanity throughout the ages is explicitly laid out for the audience, which leaves me wondering what my role as an active audience member is when being spoon-fed such tripe. Especially considering the fact that Jonny Cross’ lighting design operated by Peter Davison has the audience as well lit as the actors on stage. If you want to introduce your own personal philosophies and ideas to an audience, you must do so subtly – no one wants to be pontificated at. Philosophy aside, Vox also attempts to inject a series of social media related gags (Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, pxting), but these are equally as blatant and far too forced.

If this show is the resultant hangover of fringe binging, I’d rather give up theatre.

High School Hangover plays as part of Auckland Fringe at The Basement until 1st March. Details see Auckland Fringe.

SEE ALSO: Theatreview.org.nz review by Hannah Smith

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