Opening last night at Circa Theatre SolOTHELLO, is a riotous one man retelling of Shakespeare’s Othello. (An unofficial British Council representative described it as the first time he’s seen Othello performed as standup comedy.) The mix of original text, Te Reo Māori, colloquial English, and stylised movement used by the four characters conveys the essence […]
Eight companies perform eight productions over three weeks in the Kia Mau festival of theatre and dance. Matariki is the perfect time of the year to indulge your senses with world class theatre and dance hosted by BATS Theatre, Te Papa, and Circa Theatre. First up (tonight!) is Versions of Allah presented by contemporary indigenous theatre […]
An exuberant onstage cartoon, Indian Ink Theatre Company’s The Elephant Thief begins in a jail cell and ends in… space, or the afterlife, or some other such vague spoiler. It’s an outsized feast of imaginative staging and potential pachyderm puns, anchored by a winning performance by company newcomer Vanessa Kumar. The show’s setting is a […]
The State of Supparath has been at war with the demon lord Krunk for ninety years. Finally they have captured him (it?). The seven states sit in judgement and sentence Krunk to a terrible punishment. In order to enact their decree they send the Seven Sons of Supparath across the seven sections of the state to […]
Perry is the only child of two loving and hard-working parents. She’s inquisitive, enthusiastic and overwhelmed with after-school activities. When an opportunity comes up for her to spend more time in the home with her Gran (instead of tennis) she jumps at it. Over the year as Perry gets to know her Gran and the […]
Three men gather in a room. Detective Inspector Brett is looking for Bruce Mason who has gone missing. Reverend Athol Sedgewick had dinner with Mason the night before last and is possibly the last person to see him before he disappeared. Werihe has an eight o’clock appointment with the playwright. No-one has any idea where he […]
There is a ring of white in the middle of the stage. A man stands inside it, slightly to the side. In the dark we listen to politicians and radio hosts discuss Indigenous Australians. Taken from their families ‘for their own good’, ‘to save them from themselves’. A lone voice offers an apology. The sobering […]
Reviews for three neat shows in the Fringe Festival. Seeing the city: a tasting menu by Ania and Kim Upstill, at 17 Tory street, final showing 19 February 2016 We are greeted at the door by Ania Upstill and invited to wash our hands. She directs us on to Pippiajna Tui who shows us to […]
A bare stage greets us at the Gryphon Theatre. It seems bigger than usual with a soundscape that hints at vast desolate spaces where the only thing alive is the whistling wind. Then noise! Lights! And a tattered creature that stutters out from the wings as if glimpsed by lightning flashes. Vladimir the Crow is […]
Review: Hillary Clinton / Young Lover Richard Meros is back. Older, more travelled, more ambitious in his attempt to bring about a golden age of trans-pacific partnerships. He’s convinced Hillary Clinton needs a young lover to boost her poll ratings so that she can get into the White House. (And be in charge.) (Of the […]