Happy 13th  birthday to The Bacchanals! They are throwing us the surprise party, leaving behind their ‘serious/politically conscientious’ plays in order to be ‘silly & have fun’.  The Clouds is silly and heaps of fun while still containing political and social commentary. The Bacchanals are growing up, but not away from their roots. (As a bonus (for me) I was at the play with a friend and his 13 year old son. )

In the play, Dad is in debt and is in danger of losing the house the car the spa etc if he doesn’t find the money to pay it all by tomorrow. He wants his son- a ‘horse lover’ – to go to university to become a law-yer in order to argue his way out of the debt. His son is not interested and so Dad goes himself. It doesn’t go so well (or rather, it goes too well) so the son agrees to become a lawyer. He after listens to Right and Wrong argue their case and then picks a side…

There are asides during the play either to explain or augment the script. There are references to NZ cases and Wellington institutions.  There are dad jokes. There are sexual jokes. There is political and social commentary poking fun at almost everything.  The interpretation you’ll make depends on your political leanings. (Apparently this is traditional!) The dodgy humour and content amused the 13-year-old no end.

N.B. Tickets are selling well so book online!