Review: NZSO Baroque Series – Water Music

Telemann: Water Music “Hamburger Ebb und Fluth” (TWV 55:C3) Händel: Water Music (HWV 348-350) St. Paul’s Cathedral, Wellington Friday 1 Feb 2019 Listening to the two “Water Music” suites by Telemann and Handel fill the echoing expanse of St. Paul’s, I wondered how it is we find reverberation so attractive. Is it a cultural association […]

Preview: WHY ARE WE STILL HERE?

You’ll remember Emma from her reviews right here on the ‘ista. Turns out she’s putting her money where her mouth is, so I had a chat with her about it. Why are we still here? February 5-9pm Bats Theatre Emma! You’re doing a play! What’s it all about? Four women break into an abandoned theatre […]

Introducing the House of Boom

When I opened up another branch of Wanda Harland, Joanna interviewed me all about it, so I figured with House of Boom about to launch, it was time for me to return the favour. Okay what’s going on? You’re launching your own clothing label? Yes! I got fed up with the lack of ethically-made options […]

Review: A Slightly Isolated Dog’s Santa Claus

Santa Claus brings A Slightly Isolated Dog’s usual charm, wit and innuendo to BATS’ Random Stage for the telling of a tale about a Santa Claus who is rather tired of putting up with naughty people’s bullshit. I shall not go too far into the plot of this sixty-minute show – to save you all from […]

“Slow down you bastards”

Tom’s been walking again. Follow his latest tramping adventure from traversing the Hutt Valley to Kāpiti via the Akatarawa Road here.

Review: Puss in Boots

Circa Theatre’s Christmas pantomime this year is Puss in Boots. It’s a tale as old as time, if that tale were set in the wilds of Te Aro and Karori and featured many dick jokes, jabs at Gareth Morgan and fantastical dance numbers. It’s 2018. Or there abouts. Camilla Miller – a grieving widow woman – […]

Review: Actual Fact

Reviewed by our fantastic guest reviewer, Shannon Gillies (@dashrightin) on Twitter! The audience arrived warm and willing to be entertained – and they were. Actual Fact explored story telling. Not in a way that is generally celebrated in our society – such as I’m an adventurer, sportsperson, a politician – listen to or read of […]

Review/s: New Zealand Improv Fest Bonanza

I saw four improv shows last night as part of the New Zealand Improv Festival. In the interests of brevity, here’s a joint review of all four. Austen Found  Penny Ashton’s Austen Found is a perambulation into the world of one of Jane Austen’s lost musicals – in this case, the story of one Victoria Sandybottom, who […]

Review: Space Patrol 5 (NZ Improv Festival)

I leaned over to my theatre-going companion just before the start of this show and pointed at one of the audience-made spaceships lying on the floor of BATS’ Random Stage. “That spaceship looks a lot like a dildo,” I remarked, presciently as always, and he agreed. The audience, in an ode to predictability, chose it. […]

Public transport nirvana

<rant> Imagine if you could download an app and tap a few onscreen buttons to create a Tap and Go public transport payment card that lived inside your phone. Then imagine that you could add some dollars to this card with a couple more taps. Now you’re using it on buses, trains, in convenience stores, […]