At Arts Festival Dunedin in October the Royal New Zealand Navy will celebrate its 75th anniversary in a very lighthearted way.
On a national tour, the navy is bringing two very funny stage shows to town — The Complete History of the Royal New Zealand Navy Abridged is more aptly described as a comedy review, and Commander Claire and the Pirates of Provence is a children’s pantomime.
You may know Hadlow as Dori the dwarf in The Hobbit movies, or remember him starring in the TV series Willy Nilly, or perhaps you saw him in the outrageously funny MAMIL (Middle Aged Men in Lycra).
What you are less likely to know is that he is also a naval lieutenant-commander and very proud to be a part of the navy’s celebrations this year.
"We are the best small navy in the world," says Hadlow, whose personal history in the navy dates back to when he joined in 1975 straight out of school.
"My father was a navy chaplain and was based in Philomel, the Home of the Fleet in Auckland, and having baled school at 16 the Navy seemed like a good choice. I had been a mediocre cornet player in the school band so I auditioned for the navy band and got in, so for the next three and a-half years played trumpet in the RNZN Band. I left the band to go to drama school and that was that.
"In 2013 I was press-ganged into considering joining the reserves in public relations. So I went off to officer training for three weeks and came out as a lieutenant. Then [I] got attached to the planning team [of one at the time] for the 75th anniversary of the RNZN and three and a-half years later I’m still there, having been promoted to lieutenant-commander."
The two shows came about through Hadlow’s association with Kiwi playwright Greg Cooper, who wrote MAMIL and who has also written the series of the Complete History.
"I have directed and been in five Complete Histories and they have been hugely successful. It wasn’t rocket science to approach Greg about writing a Complete History of the RNZN and a pantomime for the littlies."
The shows have got Hadlow and Cooper stamped all over them with witty one-liners and funny observations.
From the arrival of Captain Cook in 1769 through to protecting trades routes against piracy around the Horn of Africa in 2015, The Complete History of the Royal New Zealand Navy Abridged navigates its way around the world’s oceans through song, satire and silliness.
Respect and sensitivity is exercised when called for but they indulge their madcap humour at every opportunity.
"Greg just seems to nail content and relevance to our society, and the things that are happening in it. Comedy is a healing thing, laughing is a release and a comedy allows you to surrender a little," Hadlow said.
From the directing side, he says "comedy is sometimes about the simplest things, a look, a pause, a movement, and the words. The director, a good director puts that all together in a formula that is stimulating to an audience. That’s what a laugh is."
But one has to ask what does the navy think of all this frivolity?
"The navy is a serious business, it does so much in so many different areas: fisheries protection, customs, police assistance, 13,500 miles of coastline, piracy patrols as part of the UN internationally, border protection, disaster relief, at home and abroad. But there is a funny-bone in naval people. They take the navy seriously and being a part of the NZDF but they don’t take themselves too seriously as individuals.
"Their history has always been about loyalty, honour, courage, commitment and camaraderie, and from those values comes great respect. And respect allows for trust and from that, humour, and laughter is a great energiser for ships’ companies. So it was easy to tickle the humorous side of the history of our navy, with a revue that was based on human emotions.
"The two shows work in tandem educating, informing and giving the public a very funny and brilliantly entertaining look at our navy from the beginning to this very day."
Hadlow’s daughter, Olivia, is making her stage debut in the children’s pantomime, which caused some initial trepidation for her father, the director.
"I was nervous about directing my daughter. Olivia, is a very independent young woman, and so I have very little say in her choices ... but I think her intuitive nature is spot-on and so my experience in directing and acting and my direction and advice to her is listened to, and taken very seriously. Her natural talent and ability grows all the time and to be honest I’m very proud of her."
Hadlow says that audiences can expect a rollicking good panto in the true traditions of the genre and to be thoroughly entertained and leave the theatre wanting more.
"Commander Claire ticks all the boxes for me as a live theatre practitioner, Cooper is honestly a genius in creating the writing formula for pantomime too. But there is something about introducing the next generation to live theatre. Getting them in a theatre and watching them light up and respond energetically and emotionally is the most satisfying thing. One show we did in Napier had 1000 children at it, it was bedlam, but so satisfying; even the preschoolers were mesmerised.
"The panto is fabulous theatre for the young and The Complete History of the Royal New Zealand Navy Abridged is outstanding family entertainment. Go see it and be really entertained."
The shows
Both shows are now at the Mayfair Theatre and not at the Regent Theatre as previously advertised. Tickets that have already been issued to Commander Claire and the Pirates of Provence will entitle entry to the Mayfair Theatre.
• Commander Claire and the Pirates of Provence, Friday, September 30, and Saturday, October 1, at 11am and 2pm, Mayfair Theatre. Tickets are free and can be picked up from the Regent Theatre to ensure a seat.
• The Complete History of the Royal New Zealand Navy Abridged, Friday, September 30, and Saturday, October 1, 8pm, Mayfair Theatre. Book at the Regent Theatre or online at www.artsfestivaldunedin.co.nz
