Words Wal Reid
Anyone who can get away with inserting ‘Soul Thai’ takeaways into the show gets a tick from me (No, not two blue ones either). Comedian Tom Sainsbury; that Tom who takes the piss out of Deputy Leader of the Nats Paula Bennett on Snapchat, along with Hamish Russell, who looks the part given he took out Drag Wars a couple of years ago, both team up with a show with a difference.
When I read the blurb, I thought it would be another cabaret-esque show with much fanfare and little substance, however Wigging Out seems to have an intelligent script with the cabaret trimmings that offers the viewer great entertainment, with wigs and in drag. Think of it as if Shorty Street ever became a musical these two would be in the forerunning for the lead roles.
Without giving too much away, it centres around two characters, the successful Anne Xiety (Russell) and manic Dee Pression (Sainsbury) both have a past together and meet under awkward circumstances while in a doctor waiting room. The story unravels from there into a comedic interaction of song, dance and the occasional melodrama that spills over into real life posing more than a few questions about life & friendship.
Actors Frith Horan Ava Diakhaby from Cool Behaviour are great in their support roles with ‘trout pout’ as the sassy background dancers, whoever plays the boyfriends Blade & Sebastian deserves a medal, the reverse acting in the parts is superbly played out, especially as Anne’s deadbeat potty mouthed, X Box playing boyfriend Blade, complete with theatre stubble, made me laugh more than a few times.
The shows are sold out but keep an eye on their Facebook page as there maybe extra shows being put on. Sometimes it takes two guys in wigs to really get the grasp on the psyche of a female, Wigging Out takes that notion one step further exploring the theory “are men really from Mars and women from Venus?”. This is one show that should have longevity and hopefully makes it overseas, go see it if you can, even if you have a phobia of wigs.
