REVIEW: At the Wake (Multinesia Productions)

November 28, 2014

In the Wake of Genius [by Sharu Delilkan and Tim Booth] Victor Rodger’s uncanny ability to write dialogue, that’s often self-censored in real life, is both refreshing and hard-hitting, which captures our attention right from the start. And this is evident as soon as Joan (Lisa Harrow) opens her mouth. The barrage of profanities that emit her gob can only be […]

REVIEW: Sheep (Actors’ Program)

November 28, 2014

Es gehts [by Matt Baker] Selecting a graduation/showcase production for an acting/industry institution is not aneasy task. Numbers aside, gender and the suitability of sensibilities can be a difficult jigsaw to manage. Director Ben Henson has chosen wisely by gifting The Actor’s Program 2014 class with Arthur Meek’s Sheep, which has been adequately expanded to its full cast size. Henson’s tweaking […]

REVIEW: Pure and Deep (Auckland Live)

November 17, 2014

Successful Sequel [by Matt Baker] Breathing and listening. They’re key components to acting, and they feature in Toa Fraser’s direction and latest script, Pure and Deep. Even for those who haven’t seen Fraser’s first full-length play, Bare, the nostalgia embedded in this, its sequel, along with performers Ian Hughes’ and Mia Blake’s trust and familiarity is enough to sense the successful […]

REVIEW: SEP ARATE (The Basement)

November 14, 2014

Beyond the Binary [by Matt Baker] (SAME) From programme notes to performance, choreographer Lydia Zanetti and her performers take an intellectual approach to the subject and theme of gender. The group’s etymological exploration delves much further, with Tallulah Holly-Massey’s haunting hair-masked crawler (designed by Leonie Nicholls) allowing for Freudian interpretations of castration anxiety. That’s not to say that the show doesn’t evoke […]

REVIEW: Famous Flora (Playtime Theatre)

November 14, 2014

Famous Flora Fascinates [by Sharu Delilkan and Tim Booth] Choosing to stage Elisabeth Easther’s premiere about Flora Mackenzie, one of Auckland’s most notorious Mesdames, at the White House was a stroke of genius. The venue not only gave the show added dimension, being totally apt, but also acted as an eight character in the 7-strong cast that entertained us at the […]

REVIEW: The Blind Date Project (Silo)

November 12, 2014

Not just blind luck [by Matt Baker] In a similar vein to last year’s White Rabbit Red Rabbit, Silo Theatre presents a production that’s success banks almost entirely on each individual show. Appropriately titled, actress Natalie Medlock literally has no idea whom she is about to meet, the show more or less improvised around some narrative points and direction via text […]

REVIEW: Like a Virgin (The Basement)

November 5, 2014

Abstain [by Matt Baker] Contrary to its premise, Like A Virgin does not so much uncover the conversations, secrets, and revelations of people’s first experiences, as it does half-heartedly pontificate on these matters without exploring them alongside its audience. What little narrative exists lacks natural development, with the numerous scenes piling up instead of amounting to anything substantial. Any attempt at […]

REVIEW: Jesus Christ Superstar (Auckland Theatre Company)

November 4, 2014

Jesus Lives! [by Matt Baker] Jesus Christ Superstar is a deceptively difficult musical. What seems at first a song-list with the appropriate momentum to a presumptuously well-known plot can also be exposed as an inadequate foothold for character journeys and development. Thankfully, director Oliver Driver has handled this difficulty with excellent casting decisions. Conceptually, the most important thing interpreting the Superstar […]

REVIEW: The Cagebirds and The Collector (Wild Boy Productions)

November 2, 2014

Set them free [by Matt Baker] As a double-bill, The Cagebirds and The Collector are a clear and legitimate programming decision by Wild Boy Productions, with each play containing inherent, parallel themes of being trapped, isolation, choice, and freedom. As a Halloween double-bill, however, the choice is not totally clear – other than as a marketing gimmick. As a text, The […]