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New Zealand professional theatre & dance: reviews, news and your views
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JARRED FELL – AGAIN at Sixty6 on Peterborough at Christchurch Casino, Christchurch
reviewed by Tony Ryan 16 Jan 2021
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A truly masterful entertainer
Even if this year’s Buskers Festival had been able to include all the usual international acts, Jarred Fell would certainly be right at the top of the list for comedy, magic, slickness, originality and showmanship!
From the moment he races onto the stage from behind tonight’s capacity audience, he has us laughing – and we laugh-out-loud almost non-stop for the next ninety minutes.
Jarred Fell – Again is listed as ‘Comedy, Magic’, and, while it’s certainly a show full of impressively mind-bending magic tricks, the comedy dominates every moment of this hugely engaging routine. [more]
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THE LOOK OF LOVE at The Piano, 156 Armagh Street, Christchurch
reviewed by Tony Ryan 19 Dec 2020
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Genuine charm and vocal prowess
Ali Harper and her musical director, Tom Rainey, consistently demonstrate their deep and personal love of these songs. Both performers convey the musical and expressive essence of every song so completely that memories of the original performances are enhanced. In the past, when singers have attempted to emulate familiar hit recordings, I’ve sometimes found that comparisons can result in a wish for more authenticity, but here, singer and musicians bring the material newly to life with their own considerable musical intuitions and personalities. [more]
See also reviews by:
Gail Tresidder
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CHRIST! WHAT A NIGHT at Little Andromeda, 130 Oxford Tce, Christchurch
reviewed by Erin Harrington 17 Dec 2020
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Fast and loud and very funny
In Christ! What a Night,this year’s Little Andromeda Christmas show, it’s the night before Christmas at the Stickitt Inn, Bethlehem, the least soundproofed motor lodge in the greater Tauranga area.
Fusspot proprietor Matthew Mark (Tom Sainsbury) has been hiding something significant about the motel’s crippled finances. His much younger husband Lucan John (Chris Parker) is feeling underappreciated and unloved, his interior design ambitions shot down again and again. The motel is falling to bits – as is their marriage ... [more]
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CINDERELLA at Isaac Theatre Royal, Christchurch
reviewed by Grant Hindin Miller 16 Dec 2020
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Christchurch falls in love with the entire cast
This warm balanced family extravaganza is a winner! A script crammed with wry, dry and high moments; a gorgeous, multi-talented cast; stunning backdrops and effects (it’s the best carriage I’ve seen in Cinderella); and individual performers who outdo themselves. We love it.
It’s always a comfort to be invited into a story whose rooms we have, for long years, known and loved. This fresh take, with new decor and design, works a treat: lights, impressive backdrops, pianos and tables appearing/disappearing; magical transportation from the suburban streets of Hay Hoon to the deep jungle of South Hagley Park, from a palatial ballroom to a humble dwelling. [more]
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JEKYLL & HYDE at The Forge at The Court in the Pub Charity Studio, Christchurch
reviewed by Erin Harrington 10 Dec 2020
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Political in tone, contemporary in its concerns – and ambivalent
In this female-centric continuation of the story, Jekyll’s widow, Harriet (Isayah Snow), struggles with the fallout from her husband’s death and her repressed sense of self. Her newfound role as ‘woman alone’ in a world marked by strict, misogynistic gender divisions is judged as wanting by hypocrites and bores. She’s looking for something different, and her solo trips to the theatre late at night, and her interest in her husband’s experiments, mark her as transgressive. Female behaviour, then as now, is always policed.
It’s not spoiling much to reveal that she eventually manages to recreate the serum, unleashing the rapacious, sensual Flossie Hyde (Meg Roberts) ... [more]
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A COLLECTION OF NOISES at Square Edge, FX Theatre, 7 The Square, Palmerston North
reviewed by Adam Dodd 9 Dec 2020
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Engaging and nuanced, uncomfortably fascinating, invites introspection
The success of this relies on the strength and nuance of the actor. Sarah Judd achieves her Alice masterfully, demonstrating a commanding subtlety and agility in inflection. Beginning from a seemingly flat and featureless characterisation, Judd’s delivery throughout is a study in emotional exhaustion and restraint gradually unravelling, measured with a perseverance that in the quiet moments shows her stifled emotions more profoundly. Alice’s control is not absolute, allowing Judd to play to some of the depths and heights of emotion – harrowing and raw as the control lapses. [more]
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A champion team
As always, Footlights delivers an evening of exuberant musical entertainment.
The show is a collection of songs from movies – some are from movie versions of musicals, some are from musicals made from movies, and some are songs that are sung in movies. There’s a big range of styles from Disney to Sondheim to Dolly Parton to Don McGlashan.
Te Auaha’s theatre is set up in the round for Silver Linings. This arrangement creates a welcome intimacy for a show delivered with joy, exuberance and wonderful ensemble pieces. [more]
See also reviews by:
Andrew Smith (2) (The Dominion Post);
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[collated audience responses]
This is a time travelling comment with its own temporality to boundary cross across friendship and leaves across memories and the sound of forest's voice tuning with a passion fruit plant it hasn’t any boundaries and yet the loss is hopeful and beautiful- of touch, of the reflection from the lens- and here we are right now, the sound unfolding, the leaves composing us [more]
See also reviews by:
Rebecca Jensen
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Streaming consciousness, intensity exercises
She tells us her story of becoming a dancer bit by bit while she expertly performs a variety of choreographed movement phrases and repetitive movements (intensity exercises is her description) such as fast vibrating/shaking/jumping which have an indirect relationship to this wittily spoken text. The time ticking away on the screen and the house / drum and bass music relentlessly drives this piece forward. Accumulation serves her well as a device to begin again and add on a new snippet of information on her story each time. She begins again many times and adeptly varies the pace of delivery while performing the phrases in a variety of directions and orders. It is exhausting – time for a sip of water. [more]
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ITHACA at Fly Palmy Arena, Palmerston North
reviewed by Tania Kopytko 6 Dec 2020
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Fantasy and escapism
Stand out scenes are The Lotus Eaters (Jaine Mieka, Edward Clendon, Mary Piggin and Reuel Terezakis) with its evocative bird song score and four aerialists spinning and performing beautiful unwinds; the tempting Sirens (Rochelle Mangan, Mary Piggin, Jane Mieka) in their suspended coil frames; Penelope in Danger (Eve Gordon, Geoff Gilson, Andre de Jong) when the performers balanced, fell and caught on a suspended angled beam and the fascinating contortions in a cage by the prophet Tiresias (Edward Clendon). Some scenes which are more slow paced could perhaps be edited, such as the Deadlands Bar section. [more]
See also reviews by:
Dione Joseph
Janet McAllister (New Zealand Herald);
Richard Mays
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HERS & HERS TOWELS at Little Andromeda, 130 Oxford Tce, Christchurch
reviewed by Fiona S Giles 6 Dec 2020
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Engaging tension, humour, drama, crescendos and pathos
Tonight’s hour-long show opens a window onto the relationship of a young lesbian couple and the many ups and downs that accompany it, during which they occasionally burst into song. The music is directed by music veteran Frankie Daly. The song choices match the mood perfectly each time, though to my mind the acoustics at Little Andromeda, unfortunately, do not suit singing.
Meeting in Disney World but living half-a-world apart, Maddy and Brianna McZant are a couple who beat many odds. [more]
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"Brilliant! Loved every second!! " - Emily Eddy [read full comment]
"I thought your readers would like to know about how the music for this Pantomime came to be .In Bristol Englan..." - David Thomson [read full comment]
"If I offend it is with goodwill ... As an objective fact it would be inaccurate to descibe this cast in gender..." - John Smythe [read full comment]
"I feel like the "as per their preferred pronouns" comment was unnecessary, rude and nothing to do with the pla..." - Anonymous [read full comment]
"Mel, really enjoyed this review of the show you would have made. Would be keen to hear your thoughts on the sh..." - Sue Denim [read full comment]
"Is it well known that the premise for, and conclusion of, Jean-Paul Sartre’s Huit Clos / No Exit is that..." - Existential Angst [read full comment]
"Yes, Linn Lorkin's show was excellent. At the end of her song 'Landlord', I was expecting a brass band to come..." - 3531nz [read full comment]
"Thank you Lucy - Claire has now added an ammendment to her review. We really appreciate feedback like this.&nb..." - Editor [read full comment]
"Hi Claire,
I was at Hatch last night and was completely blown away by the talent of Wellington's emerging art..." - Lucy [read full comment]
"I suggest try Playmarket - or find the creatives on Facebook." - Editor [read full comment]
"is there anyway i could gain access to these scripts? " - joanna perdikaris [read full comment]
"Fabulous, John, spot on! Very helpful! Cheers..." - Shane M [read full forum post]
31 Dec 2020 - 2020 WRAP UP: How the Performing Arts Sector Negotiated COVID-19
A personal statement from the Managing Editor.
With so much commentary calling 2020 ‘horrendous’, I feel compelled to recall what happened with Aotearoa New Zealand’s professional-level performing arts practice over what has turned out to be a remarkably impressive year.
Despite COVID-19 and the levels of Lockdown, Theatreview commissioned and published 443 reviews plus 48 teasers and links to other reviews: 491 in total – an average of 1.3 per day. And that’s without Auckland Theatre in the mix (dropped, initially at least, due to limits on available funding), although Dance has continued to be reviewed nationwide.
The year began with a fertile flourish. [more]
8 Dec 2020 - Ngā Whakarākei O Whātaitai // Wellington Theatre Awards
On Sunday the 6th of December, the community got together at St peter’s Church, Willis St, to celebrate our achievements with colleagues and friends at the annual Wellington Theatre Awards. The hosts were Hannah Kelly and Sepelini Mua'au.
This has been a tough year for the Theatre industry but we have shown how resilient our community is at adapting to the changing world.
Winner Announcements ... [more]
1 Dec 2020 - DNA – Dance Needs Attention
DNA – Dance Needs Attention, an initiative to encourage and promote Dance Studies, is being launched this week in Wellington.
Situated at The Long Hall, Te Wai Hirere, in Roseneath, DNA will offer ideas and resources towards research, documentation and publication across different aspects of dance in Aotearoa. This encompasses historical and cultural context, including Maori and Pacific performance, heritage repertoire of ballet and contemporary dance theatre, related practices in music & visual arts, as well as dancers' memoirs. [more]
20 Nov 2020 - ADAM NZ PLAY AWARD 2021
A reminder that submissions for the Adam NZ Play Award close on 1 December. We are very grateful for the generosity of the Adam Foundation and other funders who enable us to offer a total of $8,000 in prizes. [more]
18 Nov 2020 - WELLINGTON THEATRE AWARDS NOMINATIONS
Welcome to the nominations for the 2020 Wellington Theatre Awards!
The Theatre Awards will be held at St Peter's on Willis - Sunday the 6th of December at 7pm. [more]
19 Oct 2020 - SGCNZ UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO SHEILAH WINN SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL 2020
National Festival now available on Vimeo!
The Vimeo from the SGCNZ e-National UOSWSF is now available to view!
46 outstanding selected scenes by secondary students from throughout NZ & our allied Competition Winners
Plus hours more viewing including:
SGCNZ e-Regional UOSWSF 2020
2017, 2018 & 2019 award winning scenes from 20 different plays
Performances from the SGCNZ Young Shakespeare Company
Three plays from the 2017 & 2019 SGCNZ National Shakespeare Schools Production
Subscription Costs
To Binge (US$10 a Month*)
Or Not To Binge (US$40 a Year) [more]
14 Oct 2020 - 2021 PANNZ ARTS MARKET APPLICATIONS OPEN MONDAY 19 Oct 2020
Tēnā koutou,
Welcome all to Level 1! What a relief to have restrictions lifted allowing artists and audiences the opportunity to reconnect around the country. Aotearoa is gearing up towards a busy few months of events and festivals heading into summer and 2021, and we trust this renewed energy brings a sense of hope to many of us going forward, especially in light of how privileged we are to be able to support live performance at this time in the world.
PANNZ is excited to reveal our re-imagined arts market for 2021 with applications opening on Monday 19 October at 9am. [more]
13 Oct 2020 - Bookshop lunchtime event - Wellington:
Kristian Fredrikson, Designer - by Michelle Potter
Unity Books , Willis Street, Wellington
Lunchtime panel. 12.30 — 1.15pm. Thurs. 15 October 2020 [more]
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