SCENE BY JAMES: The Pop-up Globe Experience

February 29, 2016

[A Worthy Scaffold] The original Globe theatre has a terrific origin story. Shakespeare and co were leasing ‘The Theatre’ in Shoreditch, but they didn’t like their landlord. A careful reading of the lease revealed that while they didn’t own the land, they did own the playhouse.  A few days after a white Christmas of 1598, the acting company turned up […]

REVIEW: Romeo and Juliet (Pop-up Globe)

February 29, 2016

[This is not Romeo] Romeo & Juliet is a tragedy. An early twenties (arguably late teens) knave and a 13 year old girl become infatuated with each other, and in less than a working week six people including themselves are dead. While that may come across as an amusingly black read at first, it belies the tragedy by which these […]

REVIEW: Vladimir the Crow-Whispering Ghoul (The Basement)

February 27, 2016

[Open the Doors] ‘Some are born to sweet delight, Some born to endless night…’ — William Blake ‘Is everybody in? The ceremony is about to begin…’ — Jim Morrison Generally, while I watch a show, I try to get a grasp on something that I can use as a basis for my review, a hook to hang my hat so […]

REVIEW: If There’s Not Dancing at the Revolution, I’m Not Coming

February 25, 2016

[This is Julia] Julia Croft’s one-woman show If There’s Not Dancing at the Revolution, I’m Not Coming was not only one of my favourite two shows from 2015, but also one of the best pieces of theatre I have ever witnessed. Seeing the show for a second time, I found that while I maintained a superficial recognition of the original, […]

REVIEW: Benedict Cumberbatch Must Die (The Basement)

February 24, 2016

[Cumbersome] Fandom culture is fascinating. It’s hysterical, it’s heartfelt, and for those involved, it’s very real. I was an avid Sherlockian as a young teenager. I cried and yelled when Sherlock jumped off that roof. I went to the conventions, I read the blogs. My feelings towards Cumberbatch have moved more towards ambivalence in recent years, as I realised that […]

REVIEW: People Like Us (Auckland Pride Festival)

February 19, 2016

[Same but Different] The heart of Joanna Jayne St John’s homegrown People Like Us is the binary-breaking love story between two trans-women, Bianca (Luke Bird) and Sheena (Ramon Te Wake), who meet at DOT’s Bar, a safe haven for the show’s transgender community. Like any good romance, they both have their own baggage and personal obstacles to overcome before they […]

REVIEW: Polo (Auckland Theatre Company)

February 16, 2016

[Like a Mallet to the Face] Polo is a dangerous sport. When one considers the combination of horses and mallets, it’s easy to see how strains and sprains, muscular and ligament tears, fractures and dislocations, concussions, and even death can result. I suffered a concussion once – not from polo, mind you – and while I count my blessings that […]

REVIEW: The Loose Dick Kiddies’ Show (Auckland Pride Festival)

February 14, 2016

[Breast in Show] A Show and Tell from hell, a Mr. Rogers Neighbourhood if the neighbourhood was a porn set and Mr. Rogers was played by the Child Catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. A Barney & Friends if Barney had no friends… In reviewing this show I feel like a carnival barker promoting the geek in the freak show. […]

REVIEW: The Book of Everything (Silo)

February 13, 2016

[Everyone has their Reasons] After a successful run last year, and with some changes in cast (hello Stephen Lovatt, Amanda Billing, Amanda Tito and Dan Musgrove), The Book of Everything makes a welcome return to the Auckland stage. Thomas (Patrick Carroll) is a young boy growing up in post-war Holland. Struggling under the thumb of his abusive, ultra-religious father Abel (Stephen […]

REVIEW: Heteroperformative (Vibracorp Productions)

February 13, 2016

[Theatrical Realness] In Jennie Livingston’s seminal drag documentary Paris is Burning, performer Venus Xtravaganza exclaims, “I would like to be a spoiled, rich white girl. They get what they want, whenever they want it.” You’d be forgiven for finding the quote vapid or narcissistic, but you’d also be missing the point. For the minority communities in Livingston’s film, a mixture […]

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