Le Sud Mark II

It isn’t often I will go to a play for a second time, but when offered review tickets for a second run of Le Sud at Downstage, I didn’t hesitate.

My August 2009 review gave a good summary:

It is a wonderful politically incorrect play that pokes the borax equally at New Zealand, French and Maori culture.

In this political satire, New Zealand does not exist. North Zealand was colonised by the British and South Zealand by the French. The North Zealand Prime Minister (think Jim Bolger and Fred Dagg combined) is accompanied by his two coalition partners (a female Hone Harawira type Tuhoe activist and a young nerdy fiscally conservative Freedom MP) to negotiate new power prices with South Zealand.

The South Zealand Prime Minister and Deputy are classic Frenchmen and women, with all the traits captured well. Their other Minister reminds me of Tuku Morgan – a likeable pin striped suit wearing, golf playing Maori who uses his culture to rort money whenever possible.

As I said, it is a very politically incorrect play, and the audience was laughing throughout. Not only was French, Kiwi and Maori culture mocked but in one auducious scene the North Zealand PM greets the President of the United States in a unique way.

While the basic premise and plot of the play was the same as last August, there was a lot of new dialogue. With mentions of the PM’s vasectomy, Tuhoe claims and oil spills, it was as current as you can get, and still bitingly funny.

It remains the best political play I have been to for years. I can recommend it to anyone, including those who (like me) saw it last year.

Now as it happens, I have 15 free double passes for Season One of Downstage, through the Scoop Media Network. It isn’t guaranteed you can use them for Le Sud as space is limited, but first in first served.

The first 15 readers to ask for a double pass in the comments will get one.  I’ll e-mail you to arrange delivery if you are one of the first 15.

UPDATE: And we now have over 15 people who have put hands up. It is the 1st 15 comments below. I will e-mail people tomorrow.