Repertory play makes big impact

The Daylight Atheist
Written by Tom Scott
Directed by Kerry Girdwood
Whanganui Repertory Theatre
Reviewed by Paul Brooks

The Covid niceties were followed, right down to social distancing, at Repertory Theatre for their staging of Tom Scott's play, The Daylight Atheist.

Under normal circumstances it would have been a full house, but such crowding of the theatre was foregone for public safety. A shame, because the more people who see this play, the better.

The script was brilliant. Word play, sharp observation, quick wit and an original turn of phrase, plus a few stock pithy sayings, made for a challenging but satisfying performance.

It's almost a monologue, but not quite.

The play centres around Dan Moffat who takes us through his life, his marriage and his dealings with his friends and a few other characters.

Dan was played by Paul Lyons. His job was to memorise vast swathes of a complex script and deliver it with a full understanding of the playwright's meaning. Mission accomplished. Paul Lyons got it.

He was able to speak each line like he's just thought of it. His easy-on-the-ear baritone enriched every line and he let the words create the humour. His delivery was strong but there was no attempt at being funny. It just wasn't required.

Dan tells us stories and, as he introduces or interacts with each character, they appear on the other side of the stage, in another room.

Those characters included his wife, his children, his workmates, a teacher, and various others with cameo roles. He calls his wife Dingbat, his son Egghead and one of his daughters, Horse. Cathy Gribble and Campbell Wilkins played Dingbat and Egghead.

Other actors involved were Rob Davies, Elise McDouall, Patrick McKenna, Murray Milne, Russell Penton, Nadine Rayner, Christopher Stedman and Freyja Wrigglesworth.

Based largely on Tom Scott's own father, Dan Moffat is an Irish-born Kiwi immigrant, a raconteur with a stubborn streak, a nasty temper and a tendency to alienate mostly everyone.

He lives in a room filled with junk, isolated from the rest of his family, from which he communicates directly with the audience, telling his tales and letting us see his life through his eyes.

Like a puppeteer he controls the other characters, showing them to us as he would want them to be seen, not as people in their own right.

Paul Lyons carried it off extremely well, mastering a tough, long script, and making it look, if not easy, as least natural. His supporting cast members were well chosen and delivered their (his) lines well and, in many cases, with just the right accent.

You may not like Dan Moffat, but you will probably laugh at a lot of what he says, even if it is not particularly appropriate. Woke, he is not, nor does he care. He is a product of his time and his behaviour is a reflection of his upbringing, peer expectation and a dram or two too much. Drink plays a big part in Dan's life.

Of course, any play is more than just the actors, but director Kerry Girdwood has assembled a strong cast and a backstage crew who obviously take pride in their work. Lighting and sound went without a hitch and the set and costumes looked and felt realistic.

The Daylight Atheist is a good play done well. See it this week.

Paul Brooks
Whanganui Midweek 9/9/20