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If you haven't yet, I highly recommend heading along to I <3 Camping, which plays at The Basement until this Saturday - I'm going again tonight (I <3 it that much)


Written by the supremely talented Sophie Henderson and Curtis Vowell, I <3 Camping touts itself as an unromantic comedy, though it's precisely the kind of romance portrayed in this play that is romantic - it is awkward and it is fumbling and it is hilarious. It's also refreshing to watch a play that is (cringe) quintesentially New Zealand. I feel like I'm running the risk of sensationalising the whole thing, but: I <3 Camping truly captures our generation, the way Roger Hall captures our parents' (grandparents'?) generation. Think Eagle vs. Shark meets Flight of the Conchords. Actually, don't. I pretty much just named two things that make me laugh, and after watching the play again I've realised that its strength lies in the interplay between the realism of the main characters and the exaggerated quirks of the cameos.

Anyway, for those who aren't frequent patrons of theatre, now is the time to start. Trust me. It rules. And unlike films, plays don't last forever so go see it while you still can. The other thing I was reminded of tonight is the fluidity of theatre: It actually astounded me how much the play has blossomed over the past week. It's sharper, more fleshed out, and has a lot more impact because of this. I haven't seen anything this great written by young New Zealanders (shit, I don't mean to sound so patriotic. I'm not) since Blinkers and Spurs (though whether you can really compare the two is another question altogether).

I have some really hilarious photos but I don't want to spoil the surprise, so here are some vanilla shots:


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