REVIEW: Emilia (Pop-up Globe)

March 8, 2020

[“Do not take my anger from me!”] Emilia tells the story of Emilia Bassano, one of the first Englishwomen poets and the possible muse behind Shakespeare’s sonnets. However, this is not just a play about Shakespeare’s Emilia. This is a play about Emilia the discriminated poet, Emilia the feminist spirit; Emilia as Emilia.  As soon as the performance begins, I […]

REVIEW: My Heart Goes Thadak Thadak (Silo Theatre)

November 26, 2019

A Giggleful Expedition to mid-1970s Bombay Inspired by the decade of disco in the city where dreams come true, My Heart Goes Thadak Thadak is a sweeping tribute to the power of fusion in what was to become the world’s largest film industry. Set in 1975 on a film set, the play reveals a tense amalgamation between the Hollywood Western […]

TOURING: Hansel & Gretel (Royal New Zealand Ballet)

November 7, 2019

That Freshly Baked Taste Staging a brand new, full-length ballet is a milestone for any company and a relatively rare occasion for the Royal New Zealand Ballet. This world premiere of Hansel & Gretel is a significantly larger undertaking, therefore, than reproducing a classic, or reimagining a ballet with an existing score and cast of characters. Every aspect of this […]

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 […]

REVIEW: Green Day’s American Idiot: The Musical (The Civic)

October 12, 2019

[Still feeling the angst 15 years on] An American musical, an English cast, a Kiwi audience: can the early 2000s hit pop-punk band Green Day deliver a musical that crosses both time and culture? Drawn from the 2004 rock-opera style album American Idiot which responded to American anxiety following 9/11, the public divide over the Iraq war, and the Bush […]

REVIEW: School of Rock: The Musical (The Civic)

September 9, 2019

[Essential Education] As we take our seats at the Civic we are immediately transported to the smoky bars of a bygone era synonymous with rock bands. The simplistic drum kit with brick wall backdrop is a clever device that instantaneously evokes that trip down memory lane. Instead of the customary ‘turn your cell phones’ announcement as the lights dim, we […]

REVIEW: The Blind Date Project (Silo Theatre)

August 30, 2019

[Swipe Right and Swipe Right Again] Improvisational theatre, ephemeral at best, becomes completely sui generis when you have a new guest performer each night; add in a hearty amount of alcohol, constant cellphone use, and some karaoke and you have The Blind Date Project, a wildly unique hour of entertainment. Natalie Medlock returns as Anna after a previous sell out […]

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 […]

REVIEW: Mrs Krishnan’s Party (Indian Ink Theatre Company)

August 8, 2019

A Warm and Joyous Memory My mother and I attended Mrs Krishnan’s Party during Indian Ink Theatre Company’s September 2018 tour – the first NZ-South Asian production we had experienced together. I remember her commending the impressive production values and the talent of Kalyani Nagarajan and Justin Rogers, who play Mrs Krishnan and James. I found the show to be a […]

REVIEW: War Horse (The Civic)

June 24, 2019

Horseplay at its Finest The National Theatre of Great Britain’s War Horse is probably one of the most spectacular productions to be staged at The Civic to date. War Horse is mesmerising – bringing out the child in everyone as we watch the horses trot, canter and gallop in unison, without missing a beat. The life-sized puppet horses are truly a design marvel […]

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