Less silk, more crunch [by Matt Baker] Jess Sayer has inarguably established a firm and justified reputation for herself as one of the leading New Zealand playwrights of her generation, so, when a play like Crunchy Silk comes along, I am torn between what is ultimately a good play with potential, and the feeling that Sayer has not packed her usual […]
Hilariously homegrown [by Sharu Delilkan] In a world where planes go missing, the Crimea is important and Miley Cyrus’ tour bus catches fire it’s imperative to occasionally escape to some irreverence, in order to balance out the heavy politics. Put simply, A Boy Wonder is probably the most endearing Kiwiana plays I’ve seen for a long time. Being in the […]
Satiable [by Matt Baker] While the mutual love of Lisa Left-Eye Lopez may not grab all potential audience members, Stomach is a surprisingly accessible piece of theatre – for both men and women. Granted, there are one or two references that will completely skip men, but overall the themes of friendship and one’s self-respect are presented with a degree of authenticity […]
Killer Father Ted [by Andrew Parker] If you knew nothing at all about Ireland or its people then chances are a trip to see Mark Power’s play The Slapdash Assassin would get you up to speed, or at the very least deter you from visiting anytime in the immediate future. One half of the Basement’s ‘Murder Season’, Assassin is a blackly […]
They also came and conquered [by Matt Baker] Completing the New Zealand tour of their award-winning fringe show, writers and performers Justine Campbell and Sarah Hamilton have brought a unique play based on fundamental storytelling to Auckland’s Basement Theatre. The disconsolation of extinction and the mystery of its validity is a major part of the interest in the Tasmanian Tiger, and […]
Unanimous decision [by Matt Baker] The inciting incident that rings the bell in Simon Ward’s play is, unfortunately in today’s society, by no means a fanciful subject matter. However, the lesser reported, and unaccounted, consequences are a source of great dramatic material. A court-appointed psychological evaluation for an assault charge is an inevitably sure-fire situation, and Ward has written a […]
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 […]
The journey, not the destination [by James Wenley] It struck me while watching Sam Brooks’ Riding in Cars with (Mostly Straight) Boys how many moments of great (and small) personal drama burns out while stuck in an automobile. While Film loves to show wheels in motion, cars can be problematic to represent and rather static in action in a stage drama. […]
Auckland Participates [by James Wenley] This past year I have partied with underage drinkers, appeared on the 6pm news, ran for my life from snarling zombies, and, for an all too brief moment, locked eyes with a sensuous Lucy Lawless. If there’s one big trend that has come out of Auckland’s 2013 theatrical year, it’s got to be the year of […]
Acting on the Camino Real [by James Wenley] At the Camino Real, to borrow from The Eagles, you can check in any time you like, but you can never leave. To mark the public debut of the second crop of actors from the industry-geared The Actors’ Program, Benjamin Henson directs them in arguably Tennessee Williams’ most experimental and misunderstood work: […]
Copyright © 2024 | MH Magazine WordPress Theme by MH Themes