HE REO AROHA at Soundings - Te Papa, Wellington
reviewed by John Smythe 10 Mar 2010 |
Simple or simplistic?
An enthusiastic opening night audience welcomed He Reo Aroha to Wellington with sustained applause. There is no doubt it is a crowd-pleaser, with its blend of love story, character comedy, songs and music. [more]
See also reviews by:
Laurie Atkinson (The Dominion Post);
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GRUMPY OLD WOMEN at TSB Showplace, New Plymouth
reviewed by Ngaire Riley 10 Mar 2010 |
A good talking to for a laugh
Here is a world for women: the lounge or the boudoir. And when Geraldine, Pinky and Lyndee-Jane arrive in floor length cream Balmoral gabardine coats, scarves tied tightly to the chin and clutching Warehouse red, New World turquoise and Countdown green bags, we are treated to a slick, witty comic romp. [more]
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THE GURU OF CHAI at Shed 13 (MOJO HQ), Wellington Waterfront, Wellington
reviewed by John Smythe 9 Mar 2010 |
Bitter-sweet tale draws universal truths from its very particular blend
According to Kutisar – Jacob Rajan’s latest wondrous creation – the Festival called him in because it realised its audiences felt their lives were meaningless. Apparently we know only “emptiness, loneliness and painful urination” and we need enlightenment. [more]
See also reviews by:
Kate Ward-Smythe
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HOU at MAU Theatre, Corban Estate, Auckland
reviewed by Carol Brown 9 Mar 2010 |
The performance ecology of HOU
HOU is a suite of works that thematically reflect the primordial structures of life through the experiences of birth, nurturance and training, mark-making and lamenting; an itinerary of events mapped and formed within a performance ecology embedded with a Maori worldview. [more]
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HAPPY AS LARRY at TSB Bank Arena, Queens Wharf, Wellington
reviewed by Lyne Pringle 8 Mar 2010 |
Fresh and intoxicating charmer
Nine personality types from a psychological map called the Enneagram model formed the basis for the development of the work. The Perfectionist, the Giver, the Performer, the Tragic Romantic, the Observer, the Devil's Advocate, the Optimist, the Boss and the Mediator seek the notion of happiness, with varying degrees of success, through a dance vocabulary that blends several elements. [more]
See also reviews by:
Jennifer Shennan (The Dominion Post);
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THE LETTER WRITER at Circa One, Wellington
reviewed by John Smythe 8 Mar 2010 |
Powerful socio-political and poetic treat
The Letter Writer aesthetically blends the ordinary and extraordinary, the comical and tragical, petty problems and life-threatening concerns, objective observation and evocations of subjective experience, within the context of an ever-changing world. It is a compelling, confronting and finally deeply moving essay on the nature of exile. [more]
See also reviews by:
Laurie Atkinson (The Dominion Post);
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MACBETH at Nikau Grove, behind the Children’s Playground in Victoria Esplanade, Palmerston North
reviewed by John Ross 8 Mar 2010 |
Paranoia and ruthlessness in theatre of war
Mounting Macbeth with a mainly student cast, in an outside venue (risky in itself, around here), and more-or-less in modern dress, is a huge challenge for a director; and all credit to Paul McLaughlin for making it happen. Quite interesting stuff occurs along the way. [more]
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ANGEL at BATS, Wellington
reviewed by Hannah Smith 7 Mar 2010 |
Fallen angel faces difficult audience
It is hard to think of three things more different than an ethereal floating angel, a flat footed red nosed clown and a suicide bomber, but Angel marries these wildly incongruent concepts into a sweet and delicate comedy that looks at the funny side of spirituality. [more]
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BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA at Pacific Blue Festival Club (Shed 6), Wellington
reviewed by John Smythe 7 Mar 2010 |
Fluffy fun hiding spikes and toxins
My guess is that Suzanne Andrade – writer, director, performer – was raised on a diet of Roald Dahl stories, or she read them by torchlight under her sheets. Her random collection of tales have that sensibility: an apparent childlike innocence that turns twisted and nasty in a terribly British way. [more]
See also reviews by:
Ewen Coleman (The Dominion Post);
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FLIPSIDE at TAPAC Theatre, Western Springs, Auckland
reviewed by Nik Smythe 5 Mar 2010 |
Complexity and adventure in catastrophe
SmackBang Theatre Company have launched their residency of The Auckland Performing Arts Centre (TAPAC) with an epic yarn scripted by Ken Duncum eleven years ago, about the men who survived 119 days adrift on the Pacific Ocean in the capsized trimaran Rose-Noelle, back in 1989.
TAPAC’s versatile auditorium is arranged in traverse ... [more]
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ALFONSINA at Gryphon, Wellington
reviewed by John Smythe 5 Mar 2010 |
Upbeat underdogs in a ruthless world
Yet another Auckland group has endowed the Fringe with comic creativity superbly performed and directed. Hot on the heels of Sunday Roast and Ruby Tuesday comes Alfonsina. I could quip it was so hot on opening night that four fire engines came, twice: an hour before the show then slap in the middle. [more]
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"Very much looking forward to seeing this. " - Paul McLaughlin [read full comment]
"I do not agree that The Flight of the Conchords are "compulsively American when singing". They ..." - John Smythe [read full forum post]
"I too find New Zealanders singing their own songs with American accents distracting, but rather that distract ..." - Michael Smythe [read full comment]
"John's review of He Reo Aroha includes the following question:
(I realise I may be alone in having my delight..." - Michael Smythe [read full forum post]
"Hearing Paul Bushnall on Radio NZ National’s ‘Afternoons’ has given me a handle on a part of..." - John Smythe [read full comment]
"Dear Swivel,
thank goodness one did not fall prey to an absurdly contrary other thing.
Best,
Simon" - Simon Taylor [read full comment]
"I just read all this for the first time, and am left to wonder whether Mr. Smythe may perhaps have been less d..." - swivel-chair critic [read full comment]
"More authoritative than authoritarian. He wasn't overbearing in manner so much as simply having his view..." - nik smythe [read full comment]
"Example: Is Phil Vaughan's John Glennie authoritative or authoritarian?" - Simon Taylor [read full comment]
"I must disagree with you. I loved Sun/Drugs, it had a quality of Performance Art which we rarely see in Wellin..." - Robin Kerr [read full comment]
" No changes were made to the structure of the show during the run. Scenes were played with content and to..." - Uther Dean [read full comment]
"I have to disagree with the comments made regarding the structure of the play. I found the show completely und..." - Robert Hartley [read full comment]
9 Mar 2010 - ‘FOR THE RECORD’
panel discussion
10 OCTOBER 2009
AT TAPAC
- edited transcript .... [more]
7 Mar 2010 - IT'S BEEN ONE HELLUVA FEST! AWARDS NOW NAMED
The last New Zealand Fringe Festival ended with a question mark over its head about whether it would continue. It did, it rocked, and it will continue. Now Fringe 2010 has ended with a glorious bag with the naming of the best of all there is in 2010 and a new inductee for the Fringe Hall of Fame. [more]
5 Mar 2010 - FRESH PRODUCE
IN SEASON AT THE BASEMENT
The words fresh produce may conjure thoughts of DIY veggie gardens or organic wares at the weekend markets. In this case, however, Fresh Produce is the name of an upcoming season of original New Zealand performance works ... [more]
5 Mar 2010 - CREATIVE NEW ZEALAND: The RFO Review
Creative New Zealand has embarked on its scheduled review of the Recurrently Funded Organisations (RFOs). This is the third of three funding programme reviews that Creative New Zealand undertook to complete as part of its 2007-2010 Strategic Plan. [more]
3 Mar 2010 - The New Zealand Fringe Festival 2010
FRINGE AWARDS and CLOSING NIGHT PARTY
6pm March 7
Paramount Theatre, Wellington
It started with the 'Running of the Fringe' and will end with the Toasting of the Fringe. [more]
1 Mar 2010 - A special Wellington preview of Indian Ink’s latest production The Guru of Chai is to be held
on Sunday 7th and Monday 8th March at 6 pm
at Mojo’s Coffee HQ, Shed 13 Wellington Waterfront ... [more]
26 Feb 2010 - A RECORD WEEK FOR THEATREVIEW?
In the week Friday 19 to Thursday 25 February 2010, Theatreview published 39 reviews, covering 29 performing arts productions that opened around New Zealand, 19 of which were part of Fringe 2010 (in Wellington with many participants from elsewhere). [more]
26 Feb 2010 - LOSER, by Thomas Sainsbury, is the latest publication from The Play Press.
With a cast that can expand up to 37, or shrink to 3m and 3w, doubling, it is available from Playmarket ( info@playmarket.org.nz ) or direct from The Play Press, which offers a discount for rehearsal or study sets. Please ask, or check www.playpress.co.nz for all other details. [more]
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