Looking Back: 2011 – A Theatrical year in Review

December 29, 2011

Q opens in triumph, Fringe overshadows Festival, Outfit Rise, Rugby, Rugby, Rugby, and the Death of the Theatre. [by James Wenley] Attending the recent Hackman Theatre awards, Auckland Theatre circa 2011 would appear to be in rude health. Rude being the word, hosts Nic Sampson and Joseph Moore proudly observing it was a record year of nudity on stage, from […]

REVIEW: The Waste Land (ATC Participate)

December 13, 2011

April is the cruelest month… [by James Wenley] Last week I was fortunate enough to experience a profound theatrical event. It’s been a few days now – most productions wash off soon after viewing – but in this one I keep returning to its moment in my head. I find experiences like these are all too rare, but it’s what […]

REVIEW: The Twits (Auckland Theatre Company)

December 4, 2011

Nasty delights in an upside-down world [by James Wenley] Roald Dahl has a lot to answer for. His childrens stories, among them Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The BFG, and Fantastic Mr Fox are gruesome and subversive tales, in George’s Marvellous Medicine for example, 8 year old George is responsible for the death of his Grandmother (causing her to shrink […]

REVIEW: The End of the Golden Weather (Auckland Theatre Company)

September 8, 2011

Milk and Honey Dreams [by James Wenley] The End of the Golden Weather has got to be one of the great New Zealand stories. As a play, it’s endured far beyond its intended lifespan. Playwright Bruce Mason wrote it partly as a platform for himself, performing the work solo across NZ in the decades for a staggering 986 performances, until […]

REVIEW: Calendar Girls (Auckland Theatre Company)

August 14, 2011

Tastefully titillating theatre [by Sharu Delilkan] Leaving home yesterday evening on the way to the city to watch Auckland Theatre Company’s stage production of the infamous Calendar Girls brought its own set of surprises. I innocently said to my mate who was giving me a ride to the city  “I’m going to Calendar Girls today”.  To which I got this […]

REVIEW: Young and Hungry Festival Auckland 2011

August 4, 2011

Cow, Tigerplay and Disorder. What a threesome! [by James Wenley] If you haven’t already, rush to see the Young & Hungry Festival, there’s not much time left… there’s a Zombie apocalypse on don’t you know? Under Auckland Theatre Company’s guidance, the third year of Young & Hungry in Auckland is arguably the strongest yet, containing two Young and Hungry classics – […]

REVIEW: RED (Auckland Theatre Company)

June 8, 2011

 “What do you see?” [by James Wenley] I’ve started with a quote. “What do you see?” It’s the first line of RED by John Logan (he of Gladiator and The Aviator fame) , presented by the prestigious Auckland Theatre Company, starring theatre luminary Michael Hurst and directed  by Mr. Oliver Driver. Sterling credentials all. “What do you see?” says Hurst […]

REVIEW: Mary Stuart (Auckland Theatre Company)

May 9, 2011

Two Queens, two kingdoms [by Sharu Delilkan] With the recent revelry to mark the British Royals tying their nuptials I wasn’t surprised that The Maidment Theatre’s foyer was packed to the gunnels when we arrived. But I soon realised it was because there were two sets of audiences in the house – those gearing up for the NZ International Comedy […]

PREVIEW: Mary Stuart (Auckland Theatre Company)

May 5, 2011

Edward Peni on playing French, and the trials of making it as an Actor [by Sharu Delilkan] It was all about being at the right place at the right time for Edward Peni. He admits that he hadn’t considered auditioning for Auckland Theatre Company’s production of Mary Stuart until he bumped into Artistic Director Colin McColl. “I had actually called […]

REVIEW: Polly Hood In Mumuland

April 17, 2011

Mumuland mesmerises Mangere [by Sharu Delilkan] It was an evening of firsts for me.  From experiencing a performance at the Mangere Arts Centre theatre for the first time, to seeing a Pacific Island flavoured musical extravaganza led by Goretti Chadwick, making her directorial debut. Another first was also the collaboration between Auckland Theatre Company and the Pacific Institute of Performing […]

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