BWW Reviews: A Feast For The Senses And A Journey Through Emotions as a BLUE WIZARD Comes To Earth.

Wednesday 25 February 2015, Belvoir St Theatre, Surry Hills NSW

Nick Coyle's (writer/performer) one man show BLUE WIZARD is an endearing story of the experiences a very camp visitor from another planet has when he arrives with a crash on earth. As part of Belvoir St Theatre's offering for the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, this quirky little tale is a hilarious 1 hour of escapism.

Ralph Meyers (Design Consultant) and Edwina Guinness (Stage Manager) have transformed the intimate space of the Downstairs Theatre into a junkyard with piles of household rubbish of all sizes from old washing machines, plastic chairs, and twisted fans to torn clothes, coke cans and building blocks. The space is plunged into darkness as mechanical groans fill the air, ending with a booming crash and frenzy of laser lights bouncing off the mirrored floor and ceiling as a young man with minimal body armor and blue hair down to his tiny silvery sequin hot pants enters carrying a large white egg.

Shy and a little awkward, he introduces himself and presents his highly provocative greeting to the tune of Cher's Turn Back Time. The Blue Wizard, from a crystal planet where everyone is gay and lives on "Diamonds, Cocaine and Jizz", is the winner of a competition to visit earth and is somewhat disappointed when it is not what he expected. In a move reminiscent of Mork and Mindy's "Mork calling Ork", the Blue Wizard tries to report back that the stunned audience is not giving him any of the fanfare and party that he was promised would be waiting for him and they won't accept the gift of the egg.

Coyle's Blue Wizard's awkwardness and shyness is endearing. His bonding with the hatchling is humorous and sweet and the reaction when he thinks he's lost Grubby is poignant. The attempt to make a home out of the rubbish even though he's a blue Wizard, characterized by their purpose being flirting, F*cking, and Dance, whereas the Beige Wizards of Renovation would be better suited to the task, gently pokes fun at stereotypes. The discovery of a transistor radio and a VHS tape box blend in pop culture references including Meryl Streep and the music of Britney Spears and the Carpenters.

The writing is clever, ranging from humorous lines to the completely bizarre. The puppetry with the hatchling "Grubby" and later "Meryl" are well handled giving the creatures personality from singing Grubby to Charade playing baby and are cute rather than creepy. The lighting (Damien Cooper) and sound (Steve Toulmin) all enhance the experience and help transport the audience to place where you can believe an alien would fall to earth in a junkyard.

This is a wonderful chance to slip into another reality for a little while and to think that the show was written from the hair down is also quite amazing. Whilst Coyle's Creator's Note in the program suggests that parallels may be drawn between the AIDS epidemic in America emerging at the same time he was born and the loss of the Blue Wizard's species and home, and that he sought to create an enjoyable work on being gay and feeling alienation and loneliness, other meanings could possibly be drawn out too. Regardless of how deep you want to analyze the meanings, on the surface, this is a wonder-filled story tale for grownups that may leave you a little bewildered at the end, but definitely entertained.

BLUE WIZARD

Belvoir St Theatre

18 & 25 Belvoir St, Surry Hills NSW

19 February - 15 March 2015

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