A Response to For You To Know And Me To Find Out
Let’s get this out of the way: This show was one of the most joyous theatre experiences of my life. That means a damn lot. Here’s why.
When it comes to watching theatre in Aotearoa, I usually have a good idea of what to expect. In such a small community, you usually know a lot about a show before sitting down to actually see it. For me, this show was one of those rare cases where things were different. I basically knew nothing going in. I knew it was a solo show and that Liv Tennet was a highly accomplished dancer. That was it. I had no idea what to expect. So, when an adorable child’s voice echoed over the speakers telling the audience to, “Turn off phones please,” and “Don’t get up to go to the toilet,” my interest was piqued.
What came after, blew me away.
For You To Know And Me To Find Out is Liv Tennet’s brand new solo show centring on the challenges of navigating your identity as both a new mother and creative in the arts industry. The show is strikingly simple but effective in its structure. Each scene is a new aspect of motherhood or being an artist (or the clashes between both worlds) told through voiceovers and dance. It draws heavily on Tennet’s own experiences as she talks frankly about things like questioning her life decisions or realising she’s no longer who she thought she was.
These fascinating themes are only amplified by the sheer brilliance of Tennet’s performance. As a former dancer (leotards and black tights were childhood staples), I can’t help but be a bit harsh when I watch dancers. I love the art form so much that I’m always looking with a hyper-critical eye. Within the first minute though, Tennet blew me away. Coming out in a knee-length red wig, she pulses, twists and contorts to the chaotic music. She effortlessly moves between free flow and stillness. It’s punchy yet soft. Wild yet controlled. This is someone born to dance. Oh, what a joy it is to see.
Through Tennet’s movements, she effortlessly brings a multitude of perspectives of motherhood and creativity to life. She takes you on a journey of dance genres, giving you soulful contemporary, romantic partner dance (with a doll—we’ll get to that in a moment) and even a silly but skilful tap number. With each new style, the audience dives deeper into the issue that Tennet is highlighting. Often words aren’t enough and it’s only the body that can truly talk. Her movements speak loudly and induce reactions of glee and anguish, aligning perfectly with the story she’s telling.
“Seeing someone with this level of skill and passion, it’s all too easy to get swept up in it. You’ll be dancing at 2:00am in your room till you’re out of breath.”
Ultimately, it’s just a blast to watch! Seeing someone with this level of skill and passion, it’s all too easy to get swept up in it. You’ll be dancing at 2:00am in your room till you’re out of breath. Well, at least I was.
In For You To Know And Me To Find Out, Liv’s performance is easily the standout. Yet, the ways in which the world of the show is built shouldn’t be overlooked. Through various staging elements, you are invited into a surreal world, a world of disjointed pieces conjured up by the imagination of a young child.
This is most evident in the use of comical dolls. When you walk into the theatre, you’re greeted with a large white faceless doll sitting on a box. This doll soon becomes Tennet’s partner and anything else she wants. She goofs around with it and holds onto it passionately, allowing for equal measures of heart-wrenching melancholy and child-like wonder. Not to mention, an incredible moment with another over-the-top puppetry element. I won’t spoil it for anyone who catches this show in the future but it had me in stitches. Very clever.
Beyond the dolls, and a few boxes and children’s toys, the space is kept bare. When you’ve got a dancer as good as Tennet, that’s all you want. Bucket loads of empty space. She fills it with so much vibrancy and energy. She invites you to build in the world around her. It wasn’t long before I painted in a detailed picture of a dance studio filled with nervous pre-audition energy, or a dimly lit bar with drunken bodies sloshing around. The team uses the power of theatre to let us decide what the space looks like. It’s peak theatre. It’s seeing the world through the eyes of a child. It’s everything the show needs to be.
“Through every decision of the creative team, we are presented a work that tugs on your heartstrings.”
Anchoring this whole journey is the captivating soundscape created by Tom Broome. Using original sound design and smart music choices, Broome instils a sense of playfulness and pangs of heartbreak throughout. A standout moment that captures this is the punchy electronic opening that immediately wakes the audience up and then effortlessly transitions into a hilarious vibey summer tune that remixes sounds of various kids’ toys. It’s smart but simple, bringing the show to life in colourful and exciting ways to match Tennet’s tenacity.
Through every decision of the creative team, we are presented a work that tugs on your heartstrings. Tennet investigates unique perspectives, like being a creative couple and having to make tough financial decisions, or feeling the loss of a life never started and wondering if you should be moving in a different direction. As I get older, I notice how much of a sucker I am for these introspective moments that ask existential questions of life and our purpose. When it’s punctuated by voice recordings of Tennet’s son calling out for her, it’s enough to make me ball my eyes out quietly in the third row.
Even with these sadder moments, the show always comes back to joy. There’s always an emphasis on being uplifted, seeing the fun in the challenges and embracing what life has to throw at you. There is so much laughter to be had in this piece. So many smiles. So many happy tears!
This brings me back to my original point. This show was one of the most joyous experiences I’ve had in a long time. That’s important not only for brightening up every soul in the audience during the middle of winter but because it reminds us to stay positive. At a time when I spend most days scrolling through dreadful news piece after dreadful news piece, you’d be surprised at how much of an impact it makes on your heart.
So thank you Liv for giving me an insight into your feelings about what it means to be a mother, to dance with your whole body, and to navigate every new life experience.
It is joy. Pure, unrelenting joy.
Featured photo courtesy of Liv Tennet via Basement Theatre.
