Salient

The Orderly

By Eleanor Bishop | 12 Mar, 2007

Written and performed by Michael Downey
Directed by Anders Falstie-Jensen
BATS, March 2 – 10

The Orderly is a one man show about a real life orderly in Auckland hospital whose secret weekend delight is participating in historical re-enactments of famous battles. Peter (Michael Downey) chats to the audience as he makes the bed for a new patient. Downey plays the other characters in the story too: Donna, the friendly nurse; Troy, another orderly who is after Peter’s job; and the security guard who is sent to look for Peter after he disappears for more than three hours under the guise of changing a bed, when he’s actually telling us all about the famous battles he participates in.

As the play moves between the reality of the hospital room and the fields of a Saxon battle, with Downey playing both squadron leaders, the change is shown by lighting and sound effects.

The play is a sad tale of a man who lost his voice in a cock-up during a simple operation to remove a small lump on his neck. He is forced to speak in a raspy croak, and endures ridicule from other employees about his weekend hobbies. He can’t even play the “big” characters in the battles now, due to lack of a strong voice.

Despite all this, Peter has a wicked sense of humour and an appreciation of the things he has. He dreams of a life beyond the four walls of the hospital, a life of excitement and adventure, which he finds in the historical battles. Ultimately, it’s a life that’s left unfulfilled.

Plenty of comedy mileage is pulled from the ridiculous notion of a load of full grown 21st century adults pretending to be Saxon warriors at the Ngarawahia A&P show. Whilst the play is well-written and the direction strong, it lacks an emotional punch, or a story arc to draw us in.

The show is redeemed by the fact that Downey is a talented, versatile performer and his characterisations of Peter and the other characters in the hospital are well drawn and extremely funny.