Sacha Lees
Wellington artist Sacha Lees began her career working on The Lord of the Rings trilogy as an illustrator, airbrush artist and creature designer. These days Lees, originally from the West Coast, is a leading artist. She developed her painting technique in Florence and now specialises in the “fantastic” genre — a movement specialising in mythical creatures and […]
Review: The Father
André lives in his flat where Anne, his daughter, visits him. He’d rather his daughter Elise visited but she’s busy with her art work. Or is she? And who is Pierre? And why does Laura keep coming around? This show explores reality and perception in a family situation which is familiar to many people. What […]
Zoom zoom Zoomy?
We wrote about Uber when they first came to Wellington so I’m not here to regurgitate the many cons (though this ‘game’ about the life of an Uber driver is worth a play, similar to Action Station’s Pick A Path). The obvious truth is that for passengers, Uber is super convenient. Now there’s New Zealand-based […]
Review: Kátya Kabanová
Kátya Kabanová was the first opera I ever saw, back in 1996 when it was here for the International Festival. I was 16, and we got $5 tickets to the dress rehersal through drama class. I was overwhelmed by the music and the draaaaama and the rain on stage and the cliff that rose up on hydraulics […]
What’s on this week?
Here’s a round up of what shows are on this week. At Circa Theatre… Anahera, on at Circa Theatre to 7 October 2017 A contemporary domestic thriller (in the style of Broadchurch) about a struggling kiwi family. Liz and Peter Hunter have it all. A great marriage, successful careers, a beautiful house and two wonderful children. Until […]
Review: That Bloody Woman
Kate Sheppard, “the leading light of the New Zealand women’s suffrage movement” tells her story in this rock musical by Luke Di Somma and Gregory Cooper. Directed by Kip Chapman, (with Jennifer Ward-Lealand this season’s Rehearsal Director) the show is terrific. All the elements of the best musicals are here — a well constructed dramatic […]
Preview: Anahera
Anahera is the new play from Emma Kinane. Described as an “enthralling mix of an intense missing child drama and a behind-closed-doors look at New Zealand’s social services” it’s a contemporary domestic thriller about a struggling Kiwi family and how one woman making a stand could make all the difference. A finalist in last year’s Adam […]
Review: The Pickle King
The Pickle King is on now at the Hannah Playhouse and is a colourful, quirky and unique tale of love, death and what is worth preserving. Once the finest hotel in town, the Empire is now as faded as the dreams of the piano player who haunts the lobby. Ammachy runs the Empire with an […]
Preview: The Wholehearted
Massive Company is bringing The Wholehearted to Wellington in September. An honest portrayal of the extreme power of love, it was developed through conversations with their local community, asking them to share their personal stories of affection and dedication. The result is a heart-warming devised theatre work that spans generations, genders and cultures. Massive Company’s […]
In which we solve all traffic problems forever
In purely coincidental timing just before an election, the National Party is handing out new roads in an Oprah-like fashion. You get a road, and you get a road and YOU get a road. How we’re going to get a couple of billion dollars of new roads out of a budget full of holes for […]