REVIEW: Vietnamese Water Puppets (Auckland Arts Festival)

March 9, 2011

Puppets, on water, from Vietnam  [by James Wenley] The Festival Garden in Aotea Square contains quite a treat. At the back, a small lake has been created. Regularly during the festival the Thang Long Troupe of Hanoi perform water puppetry there. You should seek it out. Water Puppetry is an art form that has been going strong for 1000 years. […]

REVIEW: Havoc in the Garden (Auckland Arts Festival)

March 8, 2011

Havoc on the Stage! [by James Wenley] From the outside looking in, our lives must seem bizarre, rushed, and incomprehensible. Havoc in the Garden cuts open houses and allows us to peek into other people’s lives. A brilliant scene shows people living their lives in parallel, unaware of each other, all talking and behaving in their own little bubbles. It’s […]

REVIEW: Paper Sky – A Love Story (Auckland Arts Festival)

March 7, 2011

Paper and Puppetry. Sometimes theatre can take you to that other place. All the elements combine to transport you to the place akin to the dreamland, the subconscious, where anything can happen. I’ve had this experience before, in Red Leap Theatre’s previous work The Arrival no less. It was with high hopes that I entered the Glen Eden Playhouse for […]

REVIEW: Xerxes (Auckland Arts Festival)

March 4, 2011

Xerxes ‘Handel-ed’ at its best [by Sharu Delilkan] King Xerxes could well be likened to an 18th-century Mr Bean, with a cruel streak. Australian-born counter tenor Tobias Cole, who plays the lead has a crystal clear voice that’s juxtaposed against his ‘Mr Bean-like’ dramatic facial expressions. Before I proceed I must admit this is my first experience of Xerxes – […]

FESTIVAL PREVIEW: Massive Company’s Havoc in the Garden

February 15, 2011

There will be Havoc. In the Garden.   HAVOC IN THE GARDEN rehearsals look like crazy fun. Each day starts with the most high-stakes, intense game of handball I have ever seen, making my high-school handball games look like a game for, well, kids. There are shouts, and loud howls of triumph when director Sam Scott is finally vanquished out of […]

Looking forward: What’s on my theatrical radar for 2011?

January 26, 2011

Just quietly, I’m really rather excited about 2011 in theatre. Its early days, sure, but there are a heck of a lot of upcoming shows that are definitely on my theatrical radar. My theadar if you will. Here’s what is making it go ping!   Auckland Fringe is starting in a month. This upstart alternative festival launched in 2009 with 75 […]

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