Review: SOCIAL CLIMBERS BY STAGECRAFT at Gryphon Theatre reviewed by Lottie Butcher

There is something wonderfully, quintessentially Kiwi about Social Climbers. A Department of Conservation hut, mismatched mattresses, backpacks being emptied and repacked, and the unmistakable sound of the bush. If there had been a lone sock drying beside the fire, left behind by some previous hut dweller, I would have believed I was genuinely at the top of a rainy New Zealand hillside.

Written by Roger Hall and directed by Trudy Dalziel, Stagecraft’s Social Climbers takes us into the bush with a group of women navigating friendship, life, laughter and the particular intimacy that comes from being thrown together in a small space with nowhere much to go.

The set immediately transported us into the world of the DOC hut. It could perhaps have been a little more cluttered and weather-beaten, huts do have a tendency to look as though several generations of trampers have passed through them, leaving behind a curious collection of belongings but the atmosphere was there from the moment we arrived. The opening bush soundscape, complete with the kiwi birdsong was a lovely touch and established a sense of place before the characters had even properly begun.

What particularly stood out was the rhythm of the piece. There was plenty of chatter, laughter and wonderfully busy business, but this was balanced beautifully with moments of comfortable silence. The women could simply sit, absorbed in their own thoughts or books, and those quieter moments allowed the audience to breathe alongside them. Sometimes the absence of dialogue said as much as the dialogue itself.

The thought-tracking was another engaging  theatrical choice. Hearing the characters’ inner thoughts directly connected us with them and made the audience feel less like spectators and more like we had somehow been invited into the hut with the gals.

And then there were the moments when the laughter softened and the women allowed themselves to become more vulnerable. These moments are where there is an opportunity to push the emotional journey even further. The comedy gives the audience such a strong sense of connection with these women that when the more personal truths emerge, there is real potential for the emotional impact to land even more deeply.

The real magic tonight was in the chemistry between the performers, their relationships feel genuinely lived-in and effortlessly natural. There is a sense of trust and care between them, suggesting a great deal of work had gone into building those connections far beyond just rehearsing. This production showcases six solid thoughtful, performances from the actors. Who show us that woman can be strong, vulnerable, funny, angry, ridiculous and capable all in one weekend. 

And really, what could be more Kiwi? A Kiwi playwright. Kiwi women. Kiwi humour. A DOC hut. Bush noises. Ruru hooting in the darkness.

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