REVIEW: The Last Man on Earth is Trapped in a Supermarket (Auckland Fringe)

February 28, 2017

[Countdown to the Apocalypse] Sitting in the audience for the return season of The Last Man on Earth is Trapped in a Supermarket is a real joy. Ben Anderson has created an engaging and aesthetically stunning piece of theatre. Once again Auckland is introduced to Tom, played by Ryan Dulieu, an unfortunate protagonist who finds himself locked in the local […]

REVIEW: The Last Man on Earth (Is Trapped in a Supermarket)

November 4, 2015

Like a movie made out of Yoga Mats and Paper Plates [by Jess Holly Bates] It’s no secret that I have a raging crush on devised theatre. It is fast, and furious, and often absurd. Providing live experiences made under pressure, the material generated in a devising room operates in a dangerous state of flux, always under threat of performative disorder. […]

REVIEW: Ghastly Dash Grimm: A Tale of Unease (Fractious Tash)

October 30, 2014

Grimm sparks grins [by Sharu Delilkan and Tim Booth] It was impossible to ignore the writing on the wall as we walked up the stairs to the Basement Studio. A closer look revealed the actual script that had been penned by none other than Ghastly Dash Grimm: A Tale Of Unease’s writer/director Benjamin Henson. Ben Anderson’s dramatic stage design was […]

REVIEW: Just Above the Clouds (The People Who Play with Theatre)

February 5, 2014

Cirrusly Funny [by Sharu Delilkan] As we entered the theatre we couldn’t help notice the set’s striking resemblance to Roger Waters’ legendary concert’s Berlin Wall setting, the only difference being that it was the “paper sky” version. Opening with cubist fireflies making up the cloud aspect of the show title, the a capella vocal sounds and repetition set the tone […]

REVIEW: Just Above the Clouds (Auckland Fringe)

March 1, 2013

Transcendental [by Matt Baker] Presented by The People Who Play With Theatre, Just Above The Clouds is, not surprisingly, a very playful piece of theatre. That is not to say, however, that the content is treated facetiously – far from it. It is a story about love, loss, grief, denial, acceptance, and self, and I thank writer and director Ben […]

Looking Back: 2012 – A Theatrical year in Review

January 10, 2013

Taking the Risk [by James Wenley] “…It was this lack of “weight” (a not too easily defined term which an actor, if not a member of the audience, would understand) that Mr George Henare needs to work on if he wishes to pursue the acting profession. His is a good, powerful voice, he has strong features… yet a lot of […]

REVIEW: Like Smoke in Here and Norma Strong (The Basement)

November 7, 2012

Absurd Choices [by James Wenley] The Basement’s upstairs Studio space has really proven itself this year as an accessible venue where curious audiences can seek out work from left field. This week two new works Like Smoke in Here by Ben Anderson, and Norma Strong by Elyse Brock, are featured together as an ‘absurdist double bill’. Absurdism was one of […]

INTERVIEW: Ben Anderson on The Suicidal Airplane, New Zealand’s first Graphic Play!

May 11, 2012

Scripting Images [by James Wenley] Auckland playwright Ben Anderson’s latest play is not your standard script. Published by The Play Press, The Suicidal Airplane is being claimed as New Zealand’s first published ‘Graphic Play’. It’s part of a slowly emerging trend to make plays in graphic form, presenting ideas and scenes in images as well as words. Ben’s play, reproduced […]

REVIEW: This Kitchen is Not Imaginary [The Basement]

April 11, 2012

This Kitchen IS Not Imaginary [by Sharu Delilkan] The action starts straight away with the main character ‘Man’ (Alex Walker) making a paper plane that he throws over the screen on the back of the stage. The fact that is got stuck in the ceiling, whether intentional or not, certainly loosened up the crowd from the get-go. Man very soon […]