Review Archive

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[Editor’s note: Dr James Wenley is the editor and founder of TheatreScenes, a platform for reviews and commentary on Aotearoa theatre. https://people.wgtn.ac.nz/james.wenley ]

Welcome to the review archive.

Theatre and dance reviews since 2006.

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FALLEN ANGELS

Auckland

15/02/2014 - 09/03/2014

"Divine Inspiration..

"A sexy laugh at hypocrisy. What fun...

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360 - a theatre of recollections

Auckland

16/01/2014 - 25/01/2014

"Coming full circle..

"Theatre in the round from a whimsically surreal perspective..

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A BASEMENT CHRISTMAS CAROL

Auckland

04/12/2013 - 21/12/2013

"Pop culture and corn..

"What the Dickens..

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LIVE AT SIX

Auckland, Nelson, Tauranga, Christchurch, Wellington, New Plymouth

15/08/2013 - 16/11/2013

"A contemporary blast of intelligent and entertaining satire..

"Not the Six O'Clock News... but close enough..

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CAMINO REAL

Auckland

05/11/2013 - 16/11/2013

"Acting on the Camino Real..

"A visceral performance charged with desire, longing and loss..

CHICAGO

Auckland

02/11/2013 - 21/12/2013

"Give ’em the old tit-ill-ation..

"An intoxicating, heady cocktail..

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A MODEL WOMAN

Auckland

23/10/2013 - 02/11/2013

"Complex and fascinating story set in 20s has contemporary feel..

"The Artist's Muse..

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RUDALI – THE MOURNER

Auckland

18/05/2012 - 26/10/2013

"Shared Tears..

"Believable yet stylised world kept in sharp, crisp, snappy focus and rhythm..

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GOLDEN BOYS

Auckland

15/10/2013 - 19/10/2013

"Mother’s big boys..

"Ri-ri-ri-diculous..

LIVE LIVE CINEMA DEMENTIA 13

Auckland

09/10/2013 - 13/10/2013

"Bringing Classic Cinema to Life..

"Forgotten film classic comes to life..

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WICKED the Broadway Musical

Auckland

21/09/2013 - 01/11/2013

"The Emerald City in Auckland City..

"A Wicked Night Out..

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ABIGAIL’S PARTY

Auckland

10/09/2013 - 21/09/2013

"Majestically awful and very funny..

"Underlying tensions and shifting alliances..

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LORD OF THE FLIES

Auckland

07/09/2013 - 28/09/2013

"Action-packed play serves Golding well..

"Careless anarchy of a modern school life sharply depicted..

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ANNE BOLEYN

Auckland

15/06/2013 - 13/07/2013

"The Other Woman..

"Naked self-serving ambition and greed, driven by fear..

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SHORT+SWEET 2013 – SONG

Auckland

11/06/2013 - 15/06/2013

"An eclectic mix of fun, weird, refreshingly original, and thought-provoking..

"Singing makes everything better..

THE ILLUSIONISTS: Witness the Impossible

Auckland

22/05/2013 - 02/06/2013

"Cheesy old tricks get bold new twist..

"The Avengers of Magic..

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JIMEOIN in WHAT?!

Auckland, Wellington

14/05/2013 - 19/05/2013

"Non-threatening, appealing but doesn’t quite spark..

"Passes the smell test..

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GREG ELLIS in VANCE FONTAINE FOR LOVERS

Auckland, Wellington

07/05/2013 - 18/05/2013

"The beauty of improv …..

"Legend..

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IDIOTS OF ANTS: MODEL CITIZENS (UK)

Auckland

30/04/2013 - 04/05/2013

"If they are idiots, what does that make me?..

"A great rapport both with the audience and with each other..

CHRIS PARKER and HAYLEY SPROULL in OUTSIDERS’ GUIDE

Auckland, Wellington

27/04/2013 - 18/05/2013

"Whirlwind of beat poetry, rap, innermost thoughts, song, physical comedy, dance, giveaways and symbolism..

"It’s cooler outside..

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MIDNIGHT IN MOSCOW

Auckland

15/04/2013 - 04/05/2013

"Reds in your Head..

"Resoundingly good..

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QUEEN

Auckland

16/04/2013 - 25/04/2013

"Gay-up Storytelling..

"“I am Queen, and I am here.”..

APOCALYPSE Z

Auckland

12/04/2013 - 27/04/2013

"The Stationary Dead..

"Theatre of Horrors as zombies invade..

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