REVIEW: FLAPS (Bits and Pieces Ensemble)

August 26, 2016

[Light in Dark Places] A sickly smell of adolescence wafts through the Basement Studio. The floors are lined with mattresses and the walls are adorned with pink, white and floral sheets, which, coupled with the upbeat, girl power tunes, gives a 90’s-esque slumber party vibe. It’s an immersive and welcoming environment as the cast mingle with the audience and offer […]

REVIEW: Sister Anzac (Stark Theatre)

August 25, 2016

[Honour & Horror] Theatre can do certain tones well. Visceral dread is not usually one of them. Sister Anzac is the rare drama that manages to feel like a completely theatrical yet horrifically immersive experience. Told from the perspective of three green New Zealand Red Cross nurses and their formidable matron, Sister Anzac (written by Geoff Allen) presents the battlefields of […]

REVIEW: Venus in Fur (Auckland Theatre Company)

August 23, 2016

[Theatrically Stimulating] It turned Nina Arianda into an overnight success, her performance earning her the 2012 Tony Award for Best Actress. In 2013 it became the most produced play that year with 22 productions. And its origin is found in a 19th century German S&M novella. At least that’s how Vanda Jordan, a brazen and uncouth, yet inarguably fascinating, actress refers […]

REVIEW: Mating in Captivity (Last Tapes)

August 21, 2016

[Page to Stage] There is a significant step missing in Auckland’s theatre industry. Between independent producers and production companies presenting their own works, whether old or new, there are few of either who dedicate themselves to introducing new playwrights, actors, designers, and directors to Auckland audiences. Enter Last Tapes: First Steps season, which is “dedicated to supporting and staging debut […]

REVIEW: Lennon: Through a Glass Onion (The Civic)

August 11, 2016

[Come Together] Lennon: Through A Glass Onion is a unique experience at The Civic which epitomises a live concert combined with the most entertaining chronological tapestry of commentary.  For children of the 60s likes us it gives you a nostalgic trip down memory lane or, for the punter born after the Lennon/Beatle years, a great historic snapshot of the iconic band […]

REVIEW: Leilani (Q Matchbox)

August 11, 2016

[Finding Ourselves in the Form] Sometimes there is nothing so magical as a girl, on a stage, sitting on a rubbish bag.  With every funding cut scything away at our creative waistlines, the Arts are now in a position where every show must first justify its existence. Why do we bother to make theatre – especially under these conditions? Sitting […]

REVIEW: Sandy Edmonds: Sure to Rise (Dionysos)

August 7, 2016

[Add Baking Powder] Written and performed by Jessie Cassin, Sandy Edmonds: Sure to Rise is a show stuck somewhere between a night with Sandy Edmonds and a jukebox musical theatre piece. A star of the New Zealand 60’s music scene, publicity raises the question of “what happened to Sandy and where did she go?” This is a ruse (and a […]

REVIEW: Mia Blonde in Ice Dagger (Dynamotion)

August 4, 2016

[Kiss Kiss Bang Bang Ha Ha] There have been a few times I’ve watched an old James Bond movie (generally one starring Roger Moore) when I’ve wondered what a James Bond musical would look like. Mia Blonde in Ice Dagger is probably as close as we are going to get. Mia Blonde (Olivia Tennet) is James Bond without the penis or […]

Matt Baker on Curious Incident

August 2, 2016

[Killed the Cat] EDITOR: Auckland Theatre Company’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time has completely sold out its run at the Q theatre, which is a remarkable achievement for the company. This follows their run of To Kill a Mockingbird at the Civic Theatre earlier in the year, which was their most successful drama, beating the record for their 12 Angry […]