Preview: Dido and Aeneas: Recomposed

Dido and Aeneas: Recomposed is a fringe fest style opera brought to BATS by UnstuckOpera.  Directed by long time Wellington creative Frances Moore and re-composed by one of NZ’s leading young composers, Alex Taylor, their re-work of Henry Purcell’s classic includes samples from Stravinsky, Jazz Greats, and even Beyoncé and is performed by singers in over-the-top gowns, crazy make-up […]

Preview: Theatre shows on this week

  It’s all singing and dancing this week at Circa and BATS. (Just what I need to get me through my second to last week at work before the holidays tbh.) Scarlet and Gold continues at Circa Theatre as does Roger Hall’s “Jack and The Beanstalk”. (My review of Scarlet and Gold here. I haven’t […]

Preview: The Better Best Possible Album Party That Anybody Has Ever Been Two

I’m pretty excited that Album Party is the first show to benefit from BATS Theatre and The Basement Theatre (Auckland) working together to support the best new emerging shows to tour to both cities. A concert, a comedy gig and a play all rolled into one, The Better Best Possible Album Party That Anybody Has […]

Review: Making Friends Collective double bill

Stand up love  Freddy is a comedian and has a drinking problem. Ana wants him to stop. Their relationship has problems but they love each other. Isn’t that enough? I find the messy set – a bed with a couch backed on to the bedhead plus living items strewn around – appealing, reflecting as it does the […]

Review: Hart

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 of Hillary Clinton / Young Lover and Discharge goes back to school

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 […]

Review: At the end of my hands

Six performers from integrated company Equal Voices Arts, dressed simply in grey, black, and white, enact stories exploring Deaf culture for Deaf and hearing audiences. Stories such as flirtations at the swimming pool and getting busted for speeding (hilarious!) are contrasted with more touching stories. The performers Kylie Willis, Alex Lodge, Mihailo Ladjevac, Shaun Fahey, […]

Review: Spring Awakening

Seven children are pushed into a world where they fumble their way towards adulthood. Moritz and Thea are worried about their academic records. Wendla wants to know where babies come from. Martha’s not sure if her homelife is normal. Melchior has a lot of questions. Hänschen is trying to keep his head down. Ilse just […]

Reviews of two Christmas themed shows in Wellington

This heading is not totally accurate as one of the shows consists of four different shows. You only need to buy one ticket to see the four shows, so for two tickets you can see five shows. Confused? Welcome to the reviews for Stages of Cheer  and A Christmas Karel Čapek at BATS Theatre! (Bring […]

Review: The last five years

Cathy is an actress. Jamie is a writer. Both of them are at the beginning of their careers when they meet. Five years later after success for both of them they are breaking up. Their individual stories are told from different point of the relationship. Cathy’s story starts at the end of the relationship and […]