Lisa Allan reviews Rise of the Olive, presented by Laser Kiwi as part of the World Buskers Festival, at Altiora, Te Matatiki Toi Ora The Arts Centre, Wednesday 29 January, 2025.
I am seated at Altiora for the second time today, marvelling at how quickly the hard-working crew has transformed the stage and audience set up. Laser Kiwi’s Rise of the Olive stage is jutting out into the audience, like a cat-walk, and there are seats arranged on all three sides. The bricks and concrete on the walls make for a slightly industrial feel, which seems a great vibe for a Buskers Festival. Perhaps my fascination with the venue explains why I am looking the other way when the big reveal takes place at the top of the show and the olives assume centre stage. I can, however, piece together what has happened (I won’t give it away) and it is the first of a number of clever tricks that Laser Kiwi have planned to delight us over the course of their sketch show.
The stylish trio of performers, Zane Jarvie, Degge Jarvie and Imogen Stone, take initial pains to lower our expectations of how good the show will be, which they manage to do without lowering their status. What unfolds from here is a series of comedic ideas in sketch form which range from talking olives, Jenga-assisted juggling, and acro-balance, to a flip-chart that gets us all thinking about what kinds of love are socially acceptable, and what kinds are not. Olives sometimes feature, sometimes they don’t. There is an earnestness that underpins the silliness of the show, a combination of qualities that wins the audience over quickly.
The all-but-sold-out crowd laughs a lot and there is not a single sketch that falls flat. Each performer has their speciality and they are supported by the other two to shine throughout. This is a show that has obviously been shared many times. It is polished and the performers are confident with the material and each other. Imogen’s sequence on the corde lisse (smooth rope) is mind-blowingly stunning. The choreography is the most complex and cleverly executed that I have ever seen. Degge’s commitment to good-humoured naughtiness as the human-sized olive is an exercise in persistence that grows in comedic value over time. Zane’s unwavering optimism is a delight and keeps us on board as he attempst to throw an olive into a balanced glass again, and again, and again. Audience volunteers happily participate when called upon, a testament to the environment that the performers have created.
One of Laser Kiwi’s stated goals is to bring joy, and they certainly do this here at the 2025 World Buskers Festival. There are still chances to see Rise of the Olive, every evening until Saturday. This show deserves sold-out audiences, so I’d recommend booking fast.
Rise of the Olive plays every evening until Saturday 1 February, 2025.
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