By Nadine Kats
Driving home from work in recent weeks, a certain radio ad for a new play always made me want to opt for a fish ‘n‘ chips dinner. “‘Two fish ‘n‘ a scoop!’ – ‘Two fish ‘n‘ a scoop?’ – ‘Thanks mate!’” I resisted the temptation of the deep-fried Kiwi speciality (well, apart from Fridays), but I couldn’t resist going along to the world premiere of The Court Theatre’s latest play Two Fish ‘n‘ a Scoop to see what it was all about.
We were fittingly welcomed with a programme made to look like a good old fish ‘n‘ chips newspaper, promising a hot ‘n‘ tasty treat, combining Chinese ‘n‘ Pakeha, love ‘n‘ loss, comedy ‘n‘ drama by Christchurch writer Carl Nixon. And it’s amazing how much fits into the intimate auditorium of The Forge at The Court Theatre! The place, which was packed with an anticipating audience, played host to ever-changing settings, a dozen characters and a big story.
Two Fish ‘n‘ a Scoop is all about fish ‘n‘ chips shop owner’s daughter Rhea (Cassie Baker) and new employee Jason (Robbie Hunt). As Kiwi Jason starts his new job at Chan’s Fish ‘n‘ Chips to support Rhea, he soon falls for the half-Chinese girl. Romance blossoms despite Rhea’s father’s graphic threats to cut off Jason's balls and deep-fry them should he ever make advances on his daughter. However, as the story unfolds, it soon becomes clear that not only Rhea’s father jeopardises their relationship. The young couple also has to deal with cultural and racial divides, pressure from friends and problems within the family.
Just as the script embraces so many thematical facets ranging from love to hatred, from racism to unity, from family problems to peer pressure, fascinatingly, only two actors embody the entire range of Carl Nixon’s dozen characters! While Cassie Baker takes on the lead role of Rhea and her Chinese father, Robbie Hunt switches back and forth between lead Jason and another nine (!!!) characters, including Jason’s racist friend and Rhea’s overweight, depressed mother! The scenes in which the two actors take on roles of the opposite sex, acting on Chinese and Kiwi clichés, are certainly crowd favourites and create one laugh-out-loud moment after the next. However, the theme of cultural (dis)integration is explored with far more complexity. As the actors morph into different roles, the play changes from comedy to drama, from funny moments to passages that make you question your own values.
And all this transformation and complexity is brought to life in one beautifully simple set of a fish ‘n‘ chips shop. Thanks to highly skilled lighting, the scene moves from the shop out to the street, all the way to Sumner Beach and to romantic restaurants. Combined with the magnificent acting this made me dive right into Carl Nixon’s story and stick with the characters on every step of their journey right until the play ended with another portion of chips being banged on the counter and the actors calling out: “‘Two fish ‘n‘ a scoop!’ – ‘Two fish ‘n‘ a scoop?’ – ‘Thanks mate!’”
Before leaving The Forge, everyone was invited to scribble their comments on a big fish ‘n‘ chips-style blackboard. With a play where the boundaries between male and female, powerful drama and great Kiwi comedy, racism and identity are so skilfully blurred, a play where you get such a great combo of everything, it’s no wonder the blackboard quickly filled with notes such as ‘Magnificent!’, ‘Well done, guys!’ and ‘Great Play!’. I wrote: ‘Choice!' and 'Good as gold!’.
Two Fish ‘n‘ a Scoop at The Court Theatre: 29 October – 27 November 2010.
