Overview
You'll never know how much you needed an honest conversation until you've watched LUNGS. Even thereafter, it will soak into your bones, sit deeply in your thoughts. A theatre show relying heavily on dialogue, LUNGS is brought to life by critically acclaimed producer Adrianne Roberts and director, Dean Hewison. Did I mention, they've been married for seven years? Making this production, about a couple deciding to have a baby, was about having your "heart door wide open."
Dean and Adrianne both come from very impressive theatre backgrounds. Born and bred in Wellington, straight out of uni they were seeing success in the plays they were a part of. This of course, was before they met when Adrianne did the marketing for one of Dean's projects. From there they have been all over the globe. Dean has directed a pile of award winning shows and Adrianne has started her company Show Pony, up until this year, mostly working with NZ plays.
Adrianne, a vivacious women, who somehow has time for hot yoga and a puppy, first saw LUNGS in Edinburgh after being sent there as part of an initiative by Creative NZ. It struck a chord, a confrontational reflection of her and Dean's very dilemma. How can you decide whether or not to bring a baby into this world? Dean went along, alone. In fact he saw LUNGS twice, both times leaving him in tears. It felt important for the two to see it alone, but also to recognise this kind of performance as the essence of why they loved theatre.
LUNGS is raw. In accordance to directions of writer, Duncan Macmillan, it relies almost solely on dialogue, without props, costume or set. It is quintessentially the story of the couple next door. These are the conversations being had internally, across the dinner table, on the bus, showing up in the smallest parts of your days. The show takes you on an emotional ride, it is hysterical, and relatable. Just when you are comfortable in taking it lightly they hit you with the hard stuff, some of it you've been trying to ignore. The show is a a place where you can safely be inside the problems you, yourself are dealing with. And I can assure you, these are real life problems you have definitely dealt with.
What is remarkable about Dean and Adrianne is they are comfortable, within their relationship but also in their own right, in their responsibility to use theatre to initiate conversations. "When you're really aligned with one path, you're kind of indestructible." The couple agree that it is shocking at times to understand how much they resemble the characters on the stage. Dean and Adrianne are honest with each other and with the emotions they've felt producing and directing the show. Being the first time they worked together, it felt important to the couple to bring it to Wellington where these couples are lurking in every corner.
Dean laughs when I call him young and accomplished, he also laughs at just about anything Adrianne says. These two are accomplished, and they are young, but most importantly they are filled with love and a sense of truth that is sometimes hard to find upon first meeting someone. They have worked together to bring LUNGS to NZ because after seeing it separately themselves they saw it as a necessity. I agree.
Dean and Adrianne are a young couple battling with assuring themselves they are good people, with the planet, with whether or not they and the world they are equipped to handle a new life. Dean and Adrianne are also talented and dedicated theatre heads, a director and producer doing some seriously amazing work. LUNGS is a testament to a couple who leave their heart and souls on the stage.
LUNGS is showing 22nd October - 19th December at Circa Theatre, Wellington.
One of Dean's most recent works, On the Conditions and Possibilites of Hilary Clinton Taking me as her Young Lover is available online now.