The Wellingtonista

Random stuff about Wellington since 2005

Emma Maguire

Review: A Midsummer Night’s Dream

by Emma Maguire February 14, 2020

A Midsummer Night’s Dream was the perfect pick for Summer Shakespeare, traditionally held in the Dell in Wellington’s Botanical Gardens at night in the middle of summer, but then the production moved to the basement theatre at Te Whaea in Newtown, and things pivoted from the usual. It was odd not to be sitting on […]

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Review: Alice in Wonderland

by Emma Maguire November 18, 2019

Circa’s panto this year is Alice in Wonderland, and it is a mystical journey down the rabbit hole (Mt Vic tunnel), to discover fun, some quality Kiwi bangers, and utter manicism (in a good way). Written by Circa stalwarts, Gavin Rutherford and Simon Leary (who play the Dame and the Mad Hatter respectively), it’s a […]

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Review: Cock

by Emma Maguire October 13, 2019

Cock is tense. It is beautiful, jarringly intimate, and phenomenally crafted. It’s also completely heartbreaking. Circa One’s set (designed by Sean Lynch) inspires thoughts of a boxing ring, or a fashion show – in the round, with bright lights cast down onto a white floor below. The audience sits on three sides; I view the […]

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Preview: Show Me Shorts 2019 Programme Announced!

by Emma Maguire September 24, 2019

With its largest ever programme, the Show Me Shorts Film Festival opens at cinemas across Aotearoa from the 5th of October. With sixty short films and three music videos – all chosen from a record 2040 entries – this festival is sure to be one to remember. Eight Kiwi films will be making their word […]

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Review: The Pink Hammer

by Emma Maguire September 8, 2019

Circa One has been turned into a man-cave, complete with a nude calendar – permanently set to July – a fridge full of beers and a Ryobi power drill for The Pink Hammer, being performed until early October. The show itself is a critique of Kiwi masculinity (of a sort), a bit of feminist fun […]

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Review: Death Comes To Us All

by Emma Maguire August 28, 2019

Death takes her by the hand, leads her to a pool of light at the apron of the stage and she tells us her last moments. There’s light at the end, she says, and disappears off stage. I sniff, a little, and hold back tears. Death Comes To Us All is a remarkably honest, very […]

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Review: High School Magical: The Reunion

by Emma Maguire July 24, 2019

We all know Harry Potter, right? The lovely folks over at Playshop have turned its basic premise into an improv show called High School Magical, full of hi-jinks and comedy of the wizarding sort. It’s ten years since the Chosen One (who I presume is gifted the title by the audience each show, but was […]

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Review: Cellfish

by Emma Maguire June 13, 2019

As part of the Kia Mau festival this year I got to go and see the opening night of Taki Rua’s show Cellfish, brought to Wellington after a season in Auckland last year. Cellfish is intense. A two person show, featuring Carrie Green and Jason Te Kare, Cellfish is set in a Shakespeare class at […]

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Review: Public Service Announcements – Indignity War

by Emma Maguire May 24, 2019

Judith Collins is on the warpath, Parliament is in chaos, and Simon Bridges is leading choreographed dances in this iteration of PSA – Indignity War. As David Seymour tables a bill to halve the amount of MPs in Parliament, all the major parties are panicking about who they’ll have to let go. Jacinda has the […]

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Review: Uther Dean’s Elevation

by Emma Maguire May 24, 2019

This is a show somewhat about the hit U2 song “Elevation” (which I still haven’t heard) and somewhat not at all about that song. From the Fast and the Furious films to fights in Burger King, new partners and the cinematic classic Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Dean spins a verbose tale of coincidence, ennui and […]

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