REVIEW: The Vagina Monologues (Te Pou)

February 12, 2016

[Make V-Day Count] Two years after its premiere in 1996, The Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler resulted in the launch of V-Day (February 14), a global movement aimed at ending violence against women. This month is Auckland Pride Festival, and this week, all around the world, The Vagina Monologues have opened. Comprised predominantly of third year students and graduates from […]

REVIEW: The Phantom of the Opera (The Civic)

February 12, 2016

[Far too many notes for my taste] I should declare my Phandom up-front: Andrew Lloyd Webber’s masterpiece – yes, masterpiece – is a long-standing favourite. The moment Rob Guest’s mask was ripped from his face to reveal the Phantom’s awful disfigurement is a childhood memory burned into my mind. Amici’s pro-amateur production is the third version of the show I’ve […]

REVIEW: Puzzy (Auckland Pride Festival)

February 11, 2016

[Poetry from the Puzzy] A major concern in theatre that deals with LGBTIQ identity is often the validity of labels. Which box do we fit into? Do we have to decide? Gay? Lesbian? Bi? These are the questions  hurled at Mele (Frankie Adams) in the opening sequence of Puzzy, and immediately reflects a relatable plight for young people uncertain of the […]

REVIEW: Defending the J.J. MAC (Last Tapes)

February 3, 2016

[Addy in Wonderland] Addy has lost someone close to her, someone she calls her sunshine-maker, and she doesn’t know how to cope, except to withdraw into the safe haven of her imagination. The fantasy world setup is something you’ve probably seen before, from classics such as Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz to Where the Wild Things Are […]

REVIEW: Hart (She Said Theatre)

February 3, 2016

[More to Tell] One week after Australia Day, Auckland audiences are introduced to Ian Michael, a proud Noongar actor and recipient of the Melbourne Fringe Best Emerging Indigenous Artist award; an accolade achieved for the very show She Said Theatre has brought to Basement Theatre. It is the story of four men, each affected, by some degree or another, by […]

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