Pretty Legal is the story of four adults who have been friends for a very long time. Olivia (Rebeca Wright) and Simon (Liam Prisk) are divorced and Katrina (Karen Codd) and Barry (Rupert Green) are separated and planning to divorce. The twist in the story is that they have all come out as gay and so now Simon and Barry are together as are Olivia and Katrina and both couples are planning to get married. The challenge for them all is how they are going to integrate and manage their children’s adjustment into this changed reality, particularly when Olivia and Simon’s son Matthew (Ben McIntosh) is hostile to it all.
I was curious about why the themes of coming our and resistance to marriage equality was such a big issue in this play and I think it’s due to the fact that I wasn’t sure which era the play was set in.
In the end I assumed it must have been the late 1980s since there was a reference to ‘helicopter parenting,’ which first came to prominence then. Also in one scene a landline was used (a very 1980s ‘pert’ phone incidentally) and there was no mention of the internet or cellphones.
More importantly Barry is diagnosed with AIDS and eventually dies, something that is very rare in 21st Century New Zealand. Yet, there is a gay wedding, something that didn’t become legal in this country until 2013.
If it is indeed set twenty five to thirty years ago that would make sense in terms of the issues the families are dealing with, particularly Matthew’s opposition to the impending nuptials.
The Coal Bunker at the Pumphouse is a small space that gives productions great intimacy as the audience is literally right next to the actors. This can work well for certain types of plays, but I think in this case it was quite constraining.
The need for constant furniture changes and the type of dialogue and action in this play meant it needed more room to breathe. The emotional content, the arguments, they all felt as though this space was too confining and this affected the energy of the play. Many scenes were quite subdued to the point that there were occasions the actors actually mumbled lines and despite sitting less than three metres from them it was impossible to hear some of the dialogue.
There were some break out moments. An argument between a sober Olivia and a very stoned Katrina was impeccably done and very funny. Equally strong were a couple of impromptu songs and the way the play explored Barry’s diagnosis and denial was deep and emotional.
For me, Pretty Legal had a fascinating premise but it needs a little more confidence and energy.
PRETTY LEGAL
19-22 February 2025
Pumphouse Theatre – Auckland
