REVIEW: Gavin puts things straight

Clear eye for the straight guy [by Sharu Delilkan] 

It’s not often that North Shore residents get the opportunity to see a play that offers an eccentric and a somewhat exaggerated reflection of themselves. 

 But being a Shoresider himself playwright Andy Saker provides the perfect perspective that at times makes the audience cringe due to the harsh reality of the situations he’s created in his skilfully scripted play Gavin Puts Things Straight. 

 The sequel to Pear Shaped, the play is centred around a typical North Shore family living what appears like a simple existence on the ‘sunny’ side of the bridge.  They are handyman Gavin (Pete Coates), his mum Noelene (Louise Wallace), who's shacked up with young ‘stud’ Duane (Allan Roberts), his dad Keith (David Mackie), younger brother James (Daniel Bonner) and grandad (Michael Murphy). 

 The play is very much in keeping with the spirit of Pear Shaped.   Domestic situations of the living room, workplace and an old people’s home provide familiar settings to the mostly North Shore audience. 

 Comic references to Milford, Takapuna, South Africans (loud arrogant and with no dress sense) also lend the play a local flavour – rare in Auckland theatre.