BWW Reviews: HELLO MY NAME IS Turns Meet and Greet Into a Comical Masterpiece

Reviewed Wednesday 2nd April 2014

Vitalstatistix Theatre Company is presenting Hello My Name Is by Nicola Gunn, who is responsible for the concept, creation, text, and performance, and the Sans Hotel company, a collective led by Gunn, who provided everything else involved in creating a new work: dramaturgy by David Woods, video by Justin Batchelor, and lighting by Gwen Holmberg-Gilchrist, who co-designed the production with Gunn.

At one time or another I imagine most of us have been sent by management on one of those awful team building weekends, or brainstorming sessions, led by a 'facilitator' who thinks that they know more than we do. I imagine, too, that we have all felt that it was a complete waste of time and did nothing but put us further behind in our work. There are so many of these types of events around, some like those mentioned, where people are sent, like it or not, and some that people willingly enrol themselves to attend in the hope of personal growth.

Nicola Gunn has taken the concept and created a work that draws on these group workshops, hilariously lampooning both workshops and facilitators, but that is only the beginning. She has cast the audience as participants in her workshop, titled How To Change The World Through Social Transformation, which is to be held in a community centre, in this case the historic Waterside Workers Hall at Port Adelaide, home of Vitalstatistix. She plays the volunteer who is going to be leading that workshop.

Things do not always go according to plan, however, and the volunteer session leader is rather more enthusiastic than competent. Board games, knitting groups, table tennis, karaoke, dancing and a conga line, a community walk, and a drawing class are all attempted in an effort to take a group of complete strangers and get them talking to one another. The laughter starts almost immediately, and just keeps going.

Participating in the performance adds up to a whole heap of fun for audience members, and Gunn's wonderful portrayal of the somewhat chaotic and flustered volunteer keeps everybody smiling. Because every person attending is an individual, and will act and react differently, so no two performances will ever be the same.

There is far more to this production than meets the eye as the 'workshop' actually meets it goals of bringing together strangers, getting them to talk to one another and create links during the session. Gunn took her audience and, subtly and very cleverly, brought about a transformation, with people who had never met, talking together, like old friends, in the foyer area for a long time after the performance had finished. Genius!

This marvellous production is only here for a few performances and closes on Saturday. The audience is limited and it is selling out every performance. If you hurry, you might still get a ticket.

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