REVIEW: Constantinople (Basement Return Season)
Grape fun [by Matt Baker]
Grapes!
Constantinople has a rich and impressive history, a history that is manhandled to fit the mold for Trygve Wakenshaw and Barnie Duncan’s show of the same name. Though some of the facts are true, the majority of the storyline is warped to accommodate a series of bizarre scenes including a horse and his physiotherapist, Rod Stewart, and a DJ and the eponymous Constantine himself.
Wakenshaw is a superb comedic performer, with great physical articulation. His playfulness on stage is constantly endearing, allowing the audience to easily accept the absurdity of his performance. Duncan starts off with a slightly more measured approach, and ingratiates himself as the show progresses, especially with the role of the irreverently flambouyant Constantine. The two work cohesively together, though neither could be considered the straight man in this comedic duo.
REVIEW: Constantinople (Comedy Festival)
An Experience Not to be Missed (And If You Did, It’s Too Late, Shame on You) [by Rosabel Tan]
Constantinople
Crowded at the bottom of the stairs to the Wintergarden are a chorus of ladies (and a few men) in togas. As we descend, one of them kisses us on the cheek, another offers us grapes, and yet another points us towards our table, nestled in the centre of the cabaret-style seating.
Given the warm welcome, it’s unsurprising that the crowd are in lively spirits – it’s also late, and in true bacchanalian fashion the liquor is flowing and for a moment the atmosphere feels more party than pre-show, but then the lights dim and Barnie Duncan and Trygve Wakenshaw hit the stage. Kicking things off with a rendition of Istanbul (Not Constantinople), what follows is a loose history of this “city of syllables”, presented in a series of sketches that are charming and absurd in equal measure.
REVIEW: Constantinople (Auckland Fringe)
Toga Party.
A good likeness.
Constantinople is a famous city founded by the Emperor Constantine in 330BC, but had its name changed to Istanbul in 1930. Actor Barnie Duncan (Outrageous Fortune) liked its name better the first time. He uses the city as a name for his ‘soloish’ play and a very lose framework to experiment with some absurd gags, and to play some groovy records.
Supporting player Oliver Cox, bravely greets us at the doors of the Basement wearing a toga. He welcomes us to Constantinople. He offers each of us a grape (“symbol of mass orgy”) as we enter. I stupidly went and ate mine. Hold on to them, there is a great pay-off after the curtain call.
Barnie Duncan embraces the Monty Python School of comedy, glorifying in the silly and ridiculous. As the toga-fied Emperor Constantine, Barnie searches around the stage looking for a city. There is a brilliant running gag where he tries to find different things to wear as ties. One sequence involves him playing a horse formerly called Trimmingbeard, but who has inexplicably changed his named to Kyle (clever). Barnie is a witty actor with a particular flair for physical comedy. He is ably supported by the crazed looking Oliver Cox, and another toga draped supporting player Ben Cragg who joins in some of the action, although he spends most of the time watching from the audience.
Barnie also appears to have gained a postgraduate degree from the School of comedy where, if you make a gag go on long enough, what will have stopped being funny will become funny again. In a soundscape at the start of the show we hear someone walking towards the theatre doors, Barnie waiting in terror. Except it takes ages, and the places this man goes get more and more ridiculous. It’s funny, then not funny, funny, then not funny, then funny again. Similarly a very long but clever sequence has Barnie DJing (Emperor Constantinople loved dance parties you see), changing the records, controlling the sound and speed, and creating some hip tunes. Except it’s all mimed to a soundtrack, Barnie having had to memorise the track, and he does all the fiddly DJ movements with believable precision. It’s risky comedy, but it pays off for him, and the punchline to all this is superb.
It is a humour I don’t see working for everyone, and other than the Constantinople stuff there isn’t really a narrative or logic for what happens. It’s very much a showcase for Barnie’s considerable skills and allows him to go a bit crazy. If you like Python-esque humour, very silly things, and a dash of history, then this is the show for you.
Constantinople plays as part of the Auckland Fringe Festival at the Basement Theatre until 4th March.
More information at the Auckland Fringe Website.