Review: THERAPY at The Basement

Standing at the door, a member of staff asked me "are you going to Therapy?". At 6:30pm with a beer in hand? Hell yeah I was, and I was hoping for a hearty laugh. The award-winning show THERAPY: A musical comedy starts at 6:30pm and runs for one hour. Time well spent if you ask me, since the production team delivered a sharp, funny, and moving performance - no prior love of musicals or mental health jargon required.

The Studio space, the upstairs room at The Basement Theatre, is a cozy intimate spot. Upon walking upstairs, you arrive at a room with terraced seats to the right and a stage to the left. On this occasion a vivid cherry pink couch stood at centre stage, an electric keyboard was positioned close to the entrance and a projector screen hung behind. The couch is a classic symbol of the armchair therapy stereotype, but since this was basically a solo show, I was intrigued to discover how the story would unfold.  

Opening with Mario Sadra-de Jong on the keys, (with a gorgeous iridescent suit jacket mind you) the story begins with the introduction of the lead character played by Chelsea McRae. This woman has reluctantly arrived to see a therapist - talking at us, the silent 4th wall - at the behest of her partner and doctor. The protagonist doesn't think she has a problem or any issues and knows exactly what she wants, insisting that the appointment is just a box checking exercise to get a medicine prescription.

Chelsea's play of the protagonist was persuasive and endearing – it was not just dialogue that led me to believe the character struggled and wrestled with the events and emotions across the hour. Her crystal-clear voice rang true and on pitch throughout the show.

Most of the musical numbers featured in the first two-thirds of the show as she confided to the audience, among many other things, the absurdities of modern anxiety culture (including memes and painfully relatable blunders — like saying “you too” after someone tells you to enjoy your meal).

THERAPY weighs some difficult topics through the realisations and denial of the protagonist’s journey. There are moments throughout where she grapples with memories of sexism, sexual assault and suicide. Even though the final story beats tended toward a more sombre, thoughtful tone, I wished there had been at least one more song near the end of the story.

Chelsea’s character moves in and out of the therapy office. Sometimes the projector screen shone her Messager app conversations which I found hilarious in an embarrassing relatable way. The use of this display contributed to the concise scene transitions, which are which are especially important where there is minimal set design and a solo actress. The choreography and lighting were well executed, another feature that helped the audience to distinguish different emotional states and locations.

In the end it seemed to me that this show has served the audience with a kind of mental health culture mirror with comedy sauce drizzled liberally on top. I couldn’t help but notice (and giggle at) familiar thoughts, beliefs and emotions about how things “ought to be”, the recognition and the struggle with these ideas.

If you’re a psychology student, femme, or someone immersed in mental health discourse, some jokes may land a little too well. Above this, however, THERAPY is for anyone.

Tickets available at the Basement Theatre website: https://basementtheatre.co.nz/whats-on/therapy-a-musical-comedy