REVIEW: Tampocalypse (Te Pou)

May 29, 2018

[Tampocalypse now needs a Redux] “At the end of the world, not everything stops.” So claims Embers Collective, a daring new production company set up by Unitec grads, Ashleigh Hook and Rebekah Dack, the dynamic director-producer duo behind Tampocalypse, which concluded Te Pou Theatre’s Rangatahi development season 2018. The show’s tagline couldn’t be more fitting. Tampocalypse gives us a world […]

REVIEW: Dope (Te Pou)

May 14, 2018

[A Trip Worth Taking] Drug use and addiction are popular theatrical topics, but tend toward the extremes of experience. Daniel Tomlin’s play Dope presents a relatable and nuanced view, revolving around a family and their friends on the Shore in Mairangi Bay. It’s the first time smoking weed for the little brother (Miles Ford), following in the footsteps of his […]

REVIEW: Such Stuff as Dreams (Te Pou)

May 8, 2018

[Schizophrenic armadillos] The lights come up revealing a man half covered in cardboard. Our protagonist, Alfie (Chris Rex Martin), starts to regale us with facts about armadillos. This explains what he is wearing. This sets the tone for the next hour – referencing Shakespeare and Milton, Such Stuff as Dreams is a lyrical, moving, often surreal, informative and entertaining show […]

REVIEW: Herstory (Te Pou Rangatahi Season)

February 16, 2018

[Strength in Sharing] Herstory is the opening show of the Rangatahi Festival at Te Pou Theatre. Under the direction of Zandra Ah-Jay Maepu and support of The Creative Souls Project, the show combines eight emerging actresses as they each share their stories through monologues, poetry, dance and song. Alana Tele and Kirilayla Dhillon both explore their cultural identity through their […]