The Wellingtonista

Random stuff about Wellington since 2005

theatre

Review: Popcorn

by Emma Maguire June 10, 2021

Wellington Repertory Theatre’s newest offering is Popcorn, Ben Elton’s play. The dialogue is witty, the scripting tight and the themes prescient despite being written in 1996. Set in the home of a exploitation cinema director, Bruce Delametri, Popcorn takes place over one night as the legendary Mall Murderers invade Bruce’s house after he wins an […]

Read the full article →

Review: The Look Of Love

by Sophie January 25, 2021

I’ve seen Ali Harper before, at Old St Paul’s in 2012, and I was struck by her humour and professionalism then.  It was a fun night out with my Robot Mum and we both enjoyed hearing songs we knew, and some we didn’t, performed by someone who knew her craft and was super skilled. On […]

Read the full article →

That’s All She Wrote – Review

by Sophie August 13, 2020

I’ve  found myself in a very lovely, very privileged, and deeply uncomfortable space.  I’ve seen three previous Red Scare Theatre Company shows, and I’ve genuinely loved them all.  I will have to enlist one of my ‘Ista comrades to review their shows in future, to preclude claims of bias and shameless fangirling. Each of those […]

Read the full article →

Review – Oddacity

by Sophie March 9, 2020

Oddacity promised an “award-winning, best-of spectacular with a cast of international luminaries performing stylish acts”, under the beautiful skylight in Bats’ Heyday Dome.   I wasn’t sure what to expect, knowing the theatre wouldn’t suit aerials or acrobatics, but I hoped  for clowns.  I was not disappointed in that sense. Oddacity is usually Sachie Mikawa, Trent […]

Read the full article →

Review: DND Live at the Fringe: When Dwarves Cry

by Sophie March 9, 2020

I wouldn’t necessarily say that Dungeons and Dragons has gone mainstream, but it’s become a lot more popular in the last twenty years.  It probably helps that there are so many TV shows these days with a fantasy element, as well as movies like the Lord of the Rings series making sword-and-sorcery stuff cooler. DnD […]

Read the full article →

Review: Dr Drama Makes a Show

by Sophie March 4, 2020

It was weird for me to go to a show at 93 Kelburn Parade, having completed my own humble BA at Vic almost 20 years ago.  In fact, #93 was the site of at least one audition and more than a few rehearsals for me.  It’s had a bit of a facelift, now being an […]

Read the full article →

Four Nights In the Green Barrow Pub – Review

by Sophie November 15, 2019

Four Nights In the Green Barrow Pub is the third of Cassandra Tse’s shows I’ve seen, and each one was wildly different from the others.  M’Lady had me in stitches, The Aliens, in tears.  Four Nights, though, took me down memory lane. Having a hundred noisy musical Irish cousins of my own, I was probably […]

Read the full article →

Review: Hamlet (Summer Shakespeare 2019)

by Emma Maguire February 18, 2019

Summer Shakespeare’s Hamlet has been a show I’ve been looking forward to for a very long time, and I can definitely say that it didn’t let me down. Directed by David O’Donnell, and starring Stevie Hancox-Monk as a female Hamlet, the show brought Hamlet back to life for me in a very good way. Hamlet is a fantastic play but […]

Read the full article →

Review: Actual Fact

by Emma Maguire November 18, 2018

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 […]

Read the full article →

Review: (A Smidge of) Pidge

by Emma Maguire August 29, 2018

I’m not entirely sure how to describe this show. Part costumed-wonder, part avant-garde art piece, (A Smidge of) Pidge is a black comedy about identity and anxiety and pigeons. I think. Sherilee Kahui dances about BATS’ Propeller Stage for an hour dressed in an elaborate pigeon costume. She drinks wine, shares gingernuts, and recreates an iconic scene from Love […]

Read the full article →

← Previous Entries