This is the only the­atre show cur­rent­ly run­ning in Welling­ton, we’re told, as Com­mu­ni­ty Notice­board begins. It’s a lit­tle sur­re­al to be back in a the­atre — I’ve per­son­al­ly not been in one since like… June? — and it is espe­cial­ly sur­re­al to be wear­ing masks and spaced out across a tra­verse in BATS The­atre’s Dome stage. What a fit­ting first night back — though — Com­mu­ni­ty Notice­board, explic­it­ly a show about con­nec­tions peo­ple make with strangers?

Using real-life notes found on the com­mu­ni­ty notice­boards at super­mar­kets through­out Welling­ton, the show explores the needs, wants, desires, lives and rela­tion­ships behind the notice writ­ers and read­ers, real­is­ing rela­tion­ships and cre­at­ing sto­ries beyond a few words on a piece of paper. Are the sto­ries true? We’ll nev­er know, but I’d like to think that some of them are.

Best on Tap has an excel­lent improv style that’s ground­ed and real, tak­ing the good moments with the bad. There were lots of ‘awws’ from last night’s crowd and a lot of heart­felt moments, as well as a scene about a fish­tank that I won’t get out of my head for a long while.

The Best on Tap cast — Nico­la Paul­ing, Mary Lit­tle, Geoff Sim­mons, Tim Croft, Bar­ry Miskim­min — are very tal­ent­ed per­form­ers with excel­lent chem­istry. Their work is delight­ful to watch — slick, clever, fun­ny improv that res­onates deep in the chest.

If you’re keen on a good night out at Delta Lev­el 2, I absolute­ly rec­om­mend this show. BATS is super strin­gent with their COVID-19 pro­to­cols, and every­thing feels real­ly safe. Do recc!

 

Com­mu­ni­ty Notice­board is on at BATS The­atre in Welling­ton until Sat­ur­day. Tix are very lim­it­ed, and also here.