CHRISTCHURCH REVIEW: Fresh off the Boat (The Court Theatre)

October 27, 2019

Time Capsule Pacific Underground’s influence as a landmark theatre company has deeply shaped our nation’s theatre canon, particularly through works such as Dawn Raids, A Frigate Bird Sings, and Niu Sila. So The Court Theatre’s revival of seminal Fresh off the Boat, the very first play Pacific Underground ever did (in 1993), is a significant acknowledgement of the company’s place […]

WELLINGTON REVIEW: Cock (Brilliant Adventures)

October 20, 2019

No Exit The titillating title of the play alludes to the play’s bisexual love triangle as well as the brutal influence of cockfighting on the piece. A contemporary classic of British drama, Cock, penned by Mike Bartlett, is a taut piece of playwriting, each scene escalating towards a deliciously inevitable showdown.  Bartlett opens by dropping us right in the middle […]

PREVIEW: Sing it to my Face (Barbarian Productions)

October 15, 2019

[Voice of an Intergeneration] Opening this week under the helm of Jo Randerson in association with Auckland Live is Sing it to My Face, a show that invites everyday people from the community from different generations to express their concerns to each other through song. After premiering at Wellington Cathedral in 2014 the show also has had immensely successful seasons […]

TOURING: HarleQueen (Abby Howells)

October 3, 2019

[Queens of Comedy] Abby Howells’ HarleQueen is mini-history lesson folded into personal storytelling slash standup comedy routine. After its successful original run during Wellington and Dunedin Fringe, where it swept up a few awards, it’s returned in preparation for its Adelaide tour next year.  And it’s the perfect type of show to go over the pond: simple in design but containing […]

TOURING: A Doll’s House (Twist Productions & Tour-Makers)

September 9, 2019

Architecture of Happiness “You must change your life” –Rainer Maria Rilke, The Archaic Torso of Apollo It’s great to be wrong sometimes.  When I reviewed Emily Perkins’ A Doll’s House (in ATC’s production) the first time around, I found fault with the play and production. It seemed to take place in a nowhere land, despite the New Zealand references. The […]

CHRISTCHURCH PREVIEW: HIVE (Arts Centre)

September 6, 2019

[A Swarm of Talent] Running 6 to 21st September is a fascinating piece of dance-theatre. Set in the ruins of the pre-quake Court Theatre foyer, HIVE is a rare opportunity to explore one of Christchurch’s most significant cultural spaces while it’s under construction. Stepping into the makeshift set for HIVE is like stepping into a liminal space, where time doesn’t […]

WELLINGTON PREVIEW: Inter-FENN-Tion at BATS

August 29, 2019

[An interfiew with George Fenn] Just over a week after the Tahi Festival of Solo Performance closes in Wellington, improv comedian and solo performer George Fenn will be opening a mini-festival of his own works. Five completely different shows, per night, over the course of a week at BATS.  First off on Tuesday is improvised magical tour Router Sidewalker, which […]

CHRISTCHURCH REVIEW: The Arsonists (Court Theatre)

August 22, 2019

Slow Burn Part of The Court Theatre’s Forge season, an alternative programme to their mainbill productions, Jacqueline Goldfinger’s The Arsonists plays like a homage to great American playwrights such as Tennessee Williams and Sam Shepard. Described as a love letter to her father, Goldfinger’s narrative is focussed around the parental-child relationship of M (Monique Clementson) and H (Roy Snow). Their […]

CHRISTCHURCH ARTS FESTIVAL: Six Picks

July 23, 2019

The Christchurch Arts Festival opens this week. Critic Nathan Joe selects his six must-see events that offer vastly distinct flavours and genres.  When you first look at the programme for the Christchurch Arts Festival you might be struck by the lack of international acts. What seems like a glaring omission, upon closer inspection, is an acknowledgement of Ōtautahi’s fiercely creative […]

DUNEDIN REVIEW: The Flick (Wow Productions)

July 7, 2019

[The Last Picture Show] The reputation of Annie Baker as a playwright of Chekhovian sensibilities can often overshadow the fact that she has her own distinct idiom and rhythm that taps into the banality of contemporary life. And, yes, her plays are slow but only in the sense that they are patient, unhurried miniatures. It’s this unassuming style, the very […]

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