BWW Blog: Dearna Doglione - Ali Harper is Doris Day

The last two Sundays, Christchurch's Court Theatre has been filled with the shared stories and boisterous laughter of two solid staples of New Zealand theatre. It is easy to see why a viewing of Ali Harper's one-woman show 'The Doris Day Special' is such a charming mix of tears and laughter with these two talented and powerful women at the helm.

The play is set in the studio of 'The Doris Day Show' as she is set to tape a special look back on her career. When the camera is on, we see the Doris the world adored. When we cut to commercial, Harper brings soul to candid moments of the woman who spread love through a television screen. It feels as if she is speaking only to us in secrets shared between friends.

"It's not a trite fluff Hollywood piece," says director Stephanie McKellar-Smith. "This woman was at the top of her game for a very long time and, like all of the women of her era, has gone largely unrecognised today." The show is careful to express both the charm and grace of Doris Day through Harper's likeness both physically and vocally to the woman herself, while still managing to hit home with harsh truths about her life.

Harper, both writer and star, feels that the world has much to learn from the life of the Golden Age's girl nextdoor. "[It was] actually a sad life, but there's a lot to celebrate. She was a woman that survived. I love stories about women that do amazing things in unforgiving circumstances." With the show shedding light on some of the cruel realities of Doris' life, including life-threatening health struggles at a young age, many fans approach Harper after to show to share in admiration - most had no idea.

Throughout the show there is one quality that really makes itself known: heart. There is anguish and festivity, joy and loss; but Harper brings with her an honest impression of love that is reserved for only the most powerful performers. No matter the sorrow Doris tells, Harper grounds it in a genuine kindness that speaks volumes for herself as both an artist and a person.

"I love that, like me, she sings with her heart on her sleeve," Harper is sure that this is due to the pain Doris went though. "People see Doris as the happy girl nextdoor, but she's actually so much more. Just like in everyday life when we meet people. We don't know what their layering is made up of. It's great to show that."

McKellar-Smith concludes undoubtedly, "she's a real woman. We're showing the real woman."

From her dressing room Harper makes quips about her Calamity Jane number, complete with cowboy hoedown, taking time to entertain the room once again.

"I'm having to really dig deep into my..." Harper assumes a yoga pose and breathes in so loudly and animatedly, the room becomes another fit of laughter.

The truth is, while I speak to them, Harper and McKellar-Smith are fixing a faulty zipper on a sparkly emerald gown. Seeing as it is for Doris' big ballad ending, they easily decide to sew the back of the dress lower so it sits just off her shoulder and there is less to zip up. Harper checks herself in the mirror and grins, open mouthed: "It's really quite sexy - even if I do say so myself!"

She speaks with such charm and sweetness everyone around us is enchanted to smile, and I forget I am not talking to Doris.

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