‘The Rehearsal’ Review Competition – The Winner

We made the call-out to New Zealanders to write a review for The Rehearsal, the adaptation of Eleanor Catton’s debut novel directed by Alison Maclean. Entries have now closed and the winning review is below (followed by the other submissions).

And the winner is… J.J. Hensucker!

“More than just a read-through”

Country-boy Stanley (James Rolleston) arrives in Auckland to attend drama school and, over the course of his first year, makes friends in class, romances a girl, and helps devise an end-of-term theatre piece. But none of these endeavours works out quite the way he expected. And The Rehearsal doesn’t take the form you’d probably imagine this scenario is “supposed to.”

If a film about young actors, performed by young actors, sounds like a recipe for self-indulgence, relax: The Rehearsal maintains a tantalizing ambivalence toward these kids. It likes them but doesn’t romanticize them. It doesn’t judge, exactly, but observes with a critical eye as their naiveté runs into conflict with a world of adult choices. This knife-edge between investment and detachment is one of the key tensions driving both the characters themselves and the film’s relationship to them.

The young newcomers all do well, with Ella Edward, Michelle Ny, and Kieran Charnock particular stand-outs. Meanwhile Rolleston looks more like a born star with each new film; Kerry Fox, as lip-smackingly formidable drama coach Hannah, has at least two scenes with him which crackle with electric chemistry. Ah, Kerry Fox. She can make the tiniest hesitation resonate like an explosion.

I haven’t read Eleanor Catton’s novel from which the script was derived but, judging from what’s on-screen, Emily Perkins’ adaptation strikes me as an intelligent one. It feels like an impression of the novel, like she’s selected scenes which were not only interesting dramatically, but where there was room for subtly “layering in” ideas or themes from other, unincorporated parts of the book. It skims through eleven months, only stopping where it absolutely has to for a story-arc to emerge, and loads those beats with as much subtext as she can smuggle aboard.

Director Alison Maclean is more interested in underlining questions than providing answers. She carefully coaxes her actors to a place where the uncertain emotional geography between their characters can be felt without becoming redundantly explicit. She has a knack for framing her shots so they feel right yet still catch us off-guard (she’s ably abetted here by Jonno Woodford-Robinson’s deft editing).

Maclean’s perhaps best known as director of the legendary short Kitchen Sink, although her two other features, Crush (1992) and Jesus’ Son (1999), were both striking too. I think there’s something very cool about her films. They slither, with uncanny confidence, through a murky genre-arthouse nether-realm that’s thematically sincere but formally ironic. Her style echoes various influences, classic and contemporary, without slavish reverence (or Reference). This is her straightest, lightest movie yet, but no less interesting or idiosyncratic for that.

The Rehearsal applies the enduring maxim of short fiction – say as much as you can with as little as possible – in cinematic terms. The multiplex might not know what to make of it. And you know what? That’s precisely why this movie deserves to be seen: it’s fresh, vital, and unlike anything else on right now.

By Ann Kidd

Emily Perkins and Alison MacClean’s adaption of ‘The Rehearsal’, the debut novel by Eleanor Catton, is a great success. They have turned a complex story line into compelling viewing.

Using a young, talented and engaging cast, the viewer is taken behind the scenes of what it is like to become an actor, to play convincingly someone else, which these actors learn to do admirably well under the tutelage of Hannah, one of the academy’s senior tutors. (played by Kerry Fox) By nature Hannah is tough, uncompromising, questioning, demanding, pushing actors to the edge in order to get them to be in touch with their true selves. But does she go too far? One of the other tutors thinks so.

Students have to perform their own piece for the end of the year finale, choosing their own subject matter and scripting it. Real challenges come for Stanley, (James Rolleston) one of the students, when he acts out people and dramas close to him. He uses the public scandal of a young girl and her tennis coach as subject matter – the girl being the sister of his new, young girlfriend.

When art imitates life as in playing script from personal observation, truth, lies, secrets, leadership, risk, and feelings often become blurred.
“How far do you go? How badly do you want it? You have to go all the way, all the time”, says Hannah.
Enter moral territory and conscience if you have one.

And this is where The Rehearsal excels, exposing subject matter which once upon a time was not spoken of, or publicly displayed, covering a myriad of topics that some people might not be comfortable with, or even able to identify and/or empathize with. Because of this the movie lends itself to more than just entertainment if one wanted to use it in say, a class room or movie club coffee group. Even Gran, “This is what life is like in our generation.”

But unanimous agreement surely of the stellar performances by James Rolleston, Ella Edward, Marlon Williams, Alice Englert and Michelle Ny, who play the students. With excellent young talent like this New Zealand’s future in film is in good hands. A movie like this will be around for some time to come. Go and see it.

By Max Langenkamp

After a stilted and monosyllabic conversation between the aspiring actor Stanley (James Rolleston) and his younger love interest Isolde (Ella Edward), the camera cuts to a pink backdrop with an Asian girl in a blonde wig, tennis attire and high heels. She stumbles around, focusing desperately on returning an imaginary tennis ball. Delightful yet heartfelt moments such as this punctuate the banal and sometimes tender reality of Alison Maclean’s “The Rehearsal”, based on the novel by Eleanor Catton, which artfully depicts a group of young actors and their complex relationships.

We may recognise Stanley from his role in Taiki Waititi’s endearing portrayal of rural New Zealand culture, “Boy”, but the character he plays in “The Rehearsal” is far removed, grown up and introspective. Stanley is largely reticent, but the moments he does speak reflect a suppressed emotional intensity. One of the most memorable lines of the film comes as almost a refrain, uttered at various parts by Stanley to different effects. “Thou, nature, art my goddess; to thy law my services are bound.” He first declares this while staring at himself in the bathroom mirror, and we understand it as the line from King Lear that Stanley is echoing as an extension of his acting self. The next time he whispers it to Isolde before kissing her in a carefree youthful passion; his proclamation here parallels his development. Stanley has internalised Shakespeare’s words and made them his own. Isolde is his “goddess” and he is the actor, and delivering the line serves to blur the boundaries between acting and life.

The film is meta-aware in the best sense: Rolleston is an actor playing an aspiring actor much like himself, and just as Micheal Keaton does in “Birdman”, Rolleston embraces the insecurities and tensions that come with playing such a role.

However, the limelight is not merely hogged by Rolleston. The appearance of a few of the minor characters inject an added intimacy into the film’s spirit. In the dimly lit aftermath of a small acting troupe get-together partway through the film, William (Kieran Churnock) is left alone with Frankie (Michelle Ny). It is not so much the words that are uttered as the soft illumination of the kitchen, the casual allure of Ny’s glance, Chernock’s wry downward smile, that elevate the episode into one of wonderful ephemera. It seems that Ny and Chernock have internalised the famous theatre practitioner Constantin Stanislavsky’s words: “There are no small parts, only small actors”. The minor characters in “The Rehearsal” are subtle but their actions speak to universal impulses.

Combine the occasional scenes of dramatic brilliance, a decent soundtrack— including Marlon Williams’ memorable contribution— and a superbly designed ending that interweaves several threads scattered throughout the film and what you have is a worthy, if eccentric, account of an attempt to reconcile the contradictions that make us human.

By Helen Hayhurst

As is true in many other homes, my refrigerator door is covered in an eclectic assortment of ephemera. Postcards, photographs, the occasional power bill and other collected miscellany all vie for my attention alongside colourful magnets promoting once-visited holiday spots, and inspirational quotations intending to propel you forward with new-found vigour and positivity.

It is one of these that has caught my eye now, after a viewing of Alison Maclean’s new movie, based on a book by renowned New Zealand author Eleanor Catton. It is a small unobtrusive rectangle, highlighting beautifully designed typography that simply states, ‘Life is not a rehearsal’.

Except that for central characters of this film, it is one, both literally and figuratively. As teenagers exploring life and relationships on their own terms for the first time, as well the challenges of first year drama school, they are in rehearsal for their life to come and, in the meantime, quite literally rehearsing for their end of term production, the presentation of which will eventually provide an unexpected finale for the film.

Through all this the inimitable Kerry Fox, as Hannah, provides guidance both in life and in acting, for her charges at the drama school – proffering a highly polished performance for us and for her students alike. The acting skills of which, both in the movie as a whole and in their drama school contributions, seem somewhat inconsistent and overblown on occasion, but as such are entirely accurate and appropriate given their stage of life and the emotionally charged situations they find themselves in. James Rolleston in particular creates an entirely believable and likeable, if complex, character. Sensitive and unobtrusive direction means we easily empathise and perhaps, for anyone older, create a touch of fond nostalgia for their own mis-guided over-dramatic youth.

And so, I find myself in front of my fridge late at night, pondering the serendipitous providence of the aforementioned quotation. Its relevance and poignancy further revealed when you consider the recent fate of talented lead actor James Rolleston, and that the ascendency of this young star may well have been cut tragically short. We can only hope this is not the case and that we will, in the future, get to enjoy a great deal more of his work on the big screen.

Meanwhile, we must do as the quotation suggests, make the most of it and enjoy everything as we go along. With any luck, that will include a proliferation of many more superb New Zealand movies, like this one.

By Barry Carter

If drama reflects life, then life is drama? Adapted from Eleanor Catton’s debut novel of the same name, The Rehearsal is a story of high expectation, peer pressure, first love, under age sex, scandal, betrayal, lies, faith, tragedy, exploitation, moral dilemma, and, pushing ‘it’ right up to the limit. How bad do you want something – how far would you to go to get it, and to keep it? Stanley (James Rolleston) came to the big city to go to drama school. He got in and senior tutor (Kerry Fox) pushes him to create new limits, new boundaries for himself, and to examine who really lives ‘in there’. He meets Isolde (Ella Edward), a young girl who will change his life, his young life – he is only 18. His drama class is divided into groups and each group must write and present a story that represents their true selves, and present it as part of their end-of-year exams. Stanley suggests a recent scandal between a tennis coach and one of his students, who happens to be Isolde’s sister.

The Rehearsal is a coming-of-age story but is it a rehearsal for how to write a drama about life – or for a career as an actor – or for how to make friends or be in a relationship – or about honesty and the consequences of not telling the truth – or how to cope with unexpected tragedy – or a rehearsal for life itself – or all of the above and more? Is life is just one rehearsal after another where we constantly auditioning to improve ourselves, and this is Stanley’s first big rehearsal. James Rolleston (The Dark Horse, Boy, Dead Lands) is as good as ever; Ella Edward comes from an acting family and this being her first feature film is one to watch. Kerry Fox (Mr. Pip, Angel At My Table, The Dress Maker) is like an avalanche – look out if she comes at you.

By Brierly McGee

Well, now I need to put into words to describe how awesomely raw The Rehearsal was. Perfectly relatable and true this film is. You almost feel as though you are there, in the moment, with the characters. The intimate camera angles used and the naturalism of the film allow you to feel a sense of vulnerability and to really connect with the characters and story because of its authenticity. The animated and at times energetic lives of youth is really naturally and cleverly communicated. Let’s not forget the humor throughout the film – mainly emanating from the drama school. Exceptional. Towards the end of the film you are truly left teary eyed AT THE VERY LEAST, unless you are heartless. Because we become so involved in the relationships between the three, a character death feels genuinely traumatic. The Rehearsal is vivid and lively all while communicating a well thought out subtext that is super real life.

By Stewart Sowman-Lund

It’s always inspiring and enlightening to sit back and enjoy a new Kiwi film, and The Rehearsal is really no exception. Based on the first book by Eleanor Catton – albeit with many changes – the film tells the story of Stanley, a student at a fictionalized Auckland drama institute. The film featured as the centrepiece of the 2016 New Zealand International Film Festival, and is now opening on general release nationwide. With a large supporting cast, the film follows Stanley and his fellow students, along with their teachers, as they work towards their end of year drama performance. Running consecutively is the story of 15-year-old Isolde who forms a relationship with Stanley in the aftermath of a sex scandal involving her older sister and her tennis coach.

Penned by Emily Perkins alongside director Alison Maclean, the large cast, led by James Rolleston, Kerry Fox and Ella Edward, all get their chance to shine, as do supporting members Kieran Charnock and Miranda Harcourt. For a story with a strong central story and theme, it was disappointing that the characters never really made any impact on my viewing experience. They felt important for the storyline but did not have the emotional heft to stay with me upon leaving the theatre.

That being said, the story itself is thoroughly engaging, well acted and the haunting soundtrack and cinematography make the film a highly enjoyable watch. I found myself immersed in the story being told, and the many twists and turns throughout kept me interested. It was never entirely apparent where the story was going to end up, but loose ties were concluded satisfactorily and the story finished in the right place, without dragging on or losing my interest.

All in all, The Rehearsal is a pleasant watch with an excellent and diverse cast of adults and teenagers. While characterization is lost in favour of storytelling, the story being told is interesting, engaging and manages to be funny, poignant and optimistic at the same time.

4 stars

By Jessica Ducey

all the world’s a stage
but where do you draw the line?
it only takes one