Sylvia Morton does not dance – no – she soars through the night thanks to Alexander Karpovsky.

In a special one-off performance the acclaimed Meeting Karpovsky starring Helen Moulder and Sir Jon Trimmer will be performed at the Whitianga Town Hall this Saturday, June 6.

Meeting Karpovsky will be onstage for one night only at the Whitianga Town Hall on Saturday, June 6. Photo: File

Everything I love about theatre was offered to me on a silver platter with intricate china tea cups when I caught Meeting Karpovsky in Tauranga last month.

There's a reason why the adjective ‘acclaimed' often precedes the show's title, and after the lights were dimmed and the curtains closed the word ‘spellbound' was bandied about so many times I lost count.

It was created by and stars accomplished actor Helen Moulder and ballet legend Sir Jon Trimmer, and was directed by Sue Ridder.

Helen is the lone voice in the show and her command of the stage is awe-inspiring. She has a truly remarkable ability to make the absolutely abnormal look completely natural.

What I found really interesting was listening to the laughter gradually disappear as the show progressed and we the audience come to realise how mentally unstuck Sylvia has become.

Towards the end you could hear the audience holding its breath in silence, it was truly fascinating.

Completing this grand pas de deux (French for ‘step of two') is the silent Sir Jon Trimmer as the world famous ballet dancer Alexander Karpovsky.

We live in a world where lots of people talk endlessly and say absolutely nothing at all.

Over the course of an hour and a bit, Sir Jon has no dialogue but says absolutely everything with a simple swoop of his arm, tap of his cane, and a Cheshire sly smile.

The show is acted out in front of a minimal set which includes a stash of boxes and four large photographs of Sir Jon in some of his most famous roles from his illustrious career.

For me, the almost emptiness of the stage served as a great allusion for the emptiness that the character of Sylvia feels. Something so simple had the biggest impact on me.

There's no bells and whistles which I also appreciated a great deal. Meeting Karpovsky isnot about flashy gimmicks – it's all in the dialogue, the way Helen and Sir Jon move together and their amazing onstage chemistry.

I feel absolutely enriched having seen Meeting Karpovsky: brilliant script, amazing lighting work, a simple but elegant set, and the dynamic between Sir Jon and Helen is truly enveloping.

Meeting Karpovsky featuring Helen Moulder and Sir Jon Trimmer will be onstage for one night only at the Whitianga Town Hall on Saturday, June 6, from 6.30pm.

Tickets cost $15 for general admission and can be purchased from Whitianga Paper Plus on Albert St. To book call 07-866-5698 or email: [email protected]

Helen and Sir Jon during a 2004 performance of Meeting Karpovsky. Photo: Willow Productions