Review: Once we built a tower

The latest Dean Parker play (with songs! and live music!) performed by the Bacchanals follows the lives of Ethel and Gervan McMillan, and Frances and Arnold Nordmeyer. Gervan and Arnold played active roles in the Labour government’s introduction of a welfare scheme in 1938. It looks at circumstances that influenced their thinking on welfare, then the […]

Review: Miss Bronte

As we walk into the theatre a woman sits on stage frantically writing in a tiny book. She wears a plain blue dress made out of different patterned fabrics. Her hair is parted in the middle and tightly pulled back. Every so often she pauses, looks into the distance, then scribbles some more. The furniture […]

New Zealand Festival

The New Zealand Festival starts with this free event tonight in Civic Square. I’ve heard there will be more dancing than sitting so wear your dancing shoes. Also opening tonight – the Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular, Deca Dance, Needles & Opium, and Our Broken Voice, plus the visual art exhibitions. See you there!

Live Leader Board

      Here at the Wellingtonista we’re firm faves of Richard Aindow – former editor of Fish Head magazine, and Quiz Master of Wednesday nights at Mighty Mighty – so we were pleasantly surprised to catch him outside the Rogue & Vagabond last night with a group of lycra-clad lit-up young ladies in incandescent costumes. […]

The New Zealand Fringe Festival

The New Zealand Fringe Festival has been going for a week and it’s got just over two more weeks to run. Sadly, I’ve only made it to two shows so far (because moving house) a pathetic effort really, because there are HEAPS. Cabaret, circus, comedy, dance, music, theatre, visual art – there are a lot of […]

Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards 2013 – Winners!

Congratulations to all the winners at the Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards last night. The awards recognise the best of 2013’s performances and craft in Wellington theatre. The big winners on the night were Trick of the Light Theatre who won Most Promising New Director, Outstanding New New Zealand Play, and Production of the Year for […]

Young & Hungry 2013

The Young and Hungry Festival of New Theatre is on at BATS Theatre. (Happy 19th birthday Y&H!)  It’s an exciting festival that supports young performers and crew in gaining experience in theatre. This year the three plays are…   Dragonlore. Written by Nic Sampson; directed by Richard Dey. Alan, Loren, Dena and Chris are gathering […]

Help Ivy save the dinosaurs!

It’s school holidays again, and if you’re in charge of young people, chances are you’ve already heard that “I’m boooooooooooooooooooooooored”. We’d like to help you out with that (not just because it’s also in the best interests of the non-child-havers to keep kids occupied, honest)! So, we’re giving away a family pass (four people) to […]

Review: A play about space

Captain Florencia Dreggs (war hero) and her right hand man Warner Hornshaw are on a special mission for the mysterious Joy. There’s a piece of kit that he wants them to salvage but something is hinky. What exactly is in the box and why does Joy want it so badly? This is a return season […]

Review: Tu

Rimini and Benedict are visiting their uncle Tu in order to find out about their family history.  Their questions force him to face the reason he has been estranged from the whanau for years.  Tu was first performed at Pipitea Marae as part of the 2012 NZ International Festival of the Arts, and is based […]