Theatreview: The New Zealand Performing Arts Review & Directory

Photo: Stephen A'Court

CHAPMAN KIP THEATRE AWARDS - People's Choice! [More]
Auckland Theatre Co Summer School [More]
Dec. auditions Ak/Wn/ChCh for May-June show [More]
Workshop | WEATHER | Smythe | Wassenaar [More]
Chapman Tripp Theatre Award nominees [More]
tempo HITS TO WELLINGTON 21-22/11 [More]
AKE AKE Audition 22-23/11 [More]
FRINGE AUDITION, Duet, 23/11 [More]
Production Manager Dunedin Fringe - app by 28/11 [More]
NZ Young Playwrights Competition deadline 1/12 [More]
Ugly Shakespeare male actor audition, Dec [More]
Playmarket New Play Award - deadline 5/12 [More]
THE CAPE by Vivienne Plumb published [More]
For more news click the 'News' link

DOUBLE ‘BILL’: BOTTOM'S TALE + MR & MRS THE SCOTTISH PLAY at Performing Arts Centre, Aranuui High School
reviewed by Lindsay Clark 21 Nov 2008

Wonderfully diverting
On offer, should you need time out to laugh, are two polished bits of buffoonery. [more]

ROGER HALL’S RED RIDING HOOD at Circa One
reviewed by John Smythe 16 Nov 2008

Panto-lite-and-brite
There are two wolves and three generations of Hood women in Roger Hall’s panto version of the ancient ‘rite of passage’ folk tale. The big black furry Wolf (Paul Jenden) has escaped from the Wellington Zoo detention centre and is seeking asylum in the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary, where his ‘non-native species’ status renders him alien, unwelcome and presumably dangerous ... [more]

See also reviews by:
Laurie Atkinson (The Dominion Post);
Jackson Coe (Salient);
Lynn Freeman (Capital Times);

THE TRIAL at Aotea Centre at THE EDGE®
reviewed by Nik Smythe 15 Nov 2008

Dynamically soul crushing inevitability
[Revised 15/11, 1:30pm] Karlos Drinkwater is solidly square in the protagonist role of Josef K, a successful banker who wakes up one morning to discover he is under arrest. No-one can tell him what he’s been arrested for, and he isn’t detained as such. Rather he is able to go about his normal daily business, at least to begin with... [more]

See also reviews by:
Shannon Huse (New Zealand Herald);

THE MYSTERY OF IRMA VEP at Centrepoint
reviewed by John Ross (The Dominion Post) 14 Nov 2008

A wild time had by all
Horror upon horror! A sinister late-Victorian English country house plagued with grotesque retainers, ghouls, vampires, and a gruesome past! The woods around it infested with howling, ravenous wolves and werewolves! Lust! Madness! Murder! [more]

DANSE MACABRE at Channel One
reviewed by Shennifer Jennan 12 Nov 2008

Democracy by Television
I watched a televised dance performance on Saturday evening, 8 November, fairly late on Channel One. The work was offered without a title but I think of it as a danse macabre. It made a powerful impression, although the choreographer was also unidentified. A huge budget had clearly gone in to the production. [more]

THE LITTLE DOG LAUGHED at Downstage Theatre
reviewed by Mary Anne Bourke 9 Nov 2008

Cutting wit: not to be missed
And who wouldn’t laugh to see such fun? This biting New York satire of showbiz hypocrisy has inspired Wassenaar and Co to turn on yet another hugely spunky entertainment. [more]

See also reviews by:
Jackson Coe (Salient);
Laurie Atkinson (The Dominion Post);
Lynn Freeman (Capital Times);

THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE at SKYCITY Theatre
reviewed by Nik Smythe 9 Nov 2008

Jocose euphonious apologue
At the outset there’s a sense of irony that a full scale musical has been produced about an event as altogether trivial as a spelling bee. Then as the characters take us through the iconically American contest, typically the battleground for pubescent geeks, the validity of the concept is made clear somehow through the expression of the distinct characters. [more]

See also reviews by:
Paul Simei-Barton (New Zealand Herald);

HEAT at BATS
reviewed by John Smythe 8 Nov 2008

Intensity on ice
... Apart from Brian Hotter’s stunning performance as Bob the penguin, Heat’s key experimental element (allowing “theatre artists to experiment in a supportive environment” being the cornerstone of the STAB commissions) is that it is powered completely ‘off-Grid’ by solar, wind and generator, to replicate the energy sources used in the kind of Antarctic huts the play is set in and around. [more]

See also reviews by:
Laurie Atkinson (The Dominion Post);
Jackson Coe (Salient);

"That's a great start A M - and then there were all those shows performed at other venues in Wellington, e..." - Editor   [read full forum post]

"I have been wracking my brains trying to remember what has been so here you go:Circa:Streetcar named DesireJac..." - audience member   [read full forum post]

"Best Poster I'd vote for 'Metamorphosis'. Best Accent : Bruce Phillips (various) 'The Man Lovelock etc etc' &..." - Aaron Alexander   [read full forum post]

"Hey Josh I just wanted to say many thanks for the above comment. You were pretty much spot on in terms of de..." - Juliet Shelley   [read full comment]

"My noms - Best Entrance of the Year - The Soldier in 'Blasted' The HACKMAN Award for Best Death of the Year - ..." - Uther Dean   [read full forum post]

"For best costume, you could go with Salesi's shiny short short short shorts in Revenge of the Amazon..." - Michael Wray   [read full forum post]

"My Nominations . . .Best Entrance of the Year.......... Skating Fairies - Revenge of the Amazons*****SPOILER**..." - Brianne Kerr   [read full forum post]

"1. Best Entrance of the Year..........Brian Hotter in Heat. On knees, covered in black body paint, painted whi..." - Michael Wray   [read full forum post]

"Best Use of Prop of the Year.................. I have to nominate the use of  the Merkin as a beard ..." - Nell Williams   [read full forum post]

"How prescient of you Zelda! You're clearly not superstitious ... And here was I wracking my brains for a Shake..." - Welly Watch   [read full forum post]

"The HACKMAN Award for Best Death of the Year........... I nominate Allan Henry as 'Afortunado', the incorrigib..." - Erin Banks   [read full forum post]

"The BATS Award for Best Ass of the Year.............. By "Ass" do you mean "Asshole" ..." - Zelda Edwards   [read full forum post]

21 Nov 2008 - HACKMAN presents..... The 1st ANNUALCHAPMAN KIP THEATRE AWARDS - People's Choice! HACKMAN is delighted to announce the nomination categories for the 1st Annual Chapman Kip Theatre Awards - People's Choice!   [more]

20 Nov 2008 - AUCKLAND THEATRE COMPANY SUMMER SCHOOL Are you 15 - 25? Want to learn more about professional theatre?   [more]

19 Nov 2008 - Rev It Up! a one hour educational musical for primary schools Echelon Productions is a multi award winning production company based in Melbourne Australia, specialising in educational musicals for primary schools as well as producing mainstream professional theatre.   [more]

18 Nov 2008 - 17th ANNUAL CHAPMAN TRIPP THEATRE AWARD NOMINEES Chapman Tripp is delighted to announce the nominees for the 17th annual Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards.   [more]

14 Nov 2008 - WEATHER by JOHN SMYTHE a workshop presentation directed by Willem Wassenaar with Paul McLaughlin, Sophie Hambleton, Kip Chapman and Renee Sheridan at CIRCA TWO, Sunday 23 November, 1.30pm (sharp!)   [more]

13 Nov 2008 - DOWNSTAGE presents a public reading of GERALDINE BROPHY’s new play The Merry Wives of Windsor Avenue See how far we haven’t come!   [more]

13 Nov 2008 - PLAYMARKET NEW PLAY AWARD 2008/9 A reminder that the deadline for your submission is December 5th, 2008. This competition is open to any unproduced play by a NZer. Emailed submissions preferred; please include a synopsis and cast list.   [more]

13 Nov 2008 - FORTUNE THEATRE INVITATION TO POTENTIAL DIRECTORS FOR THE 2009 SEASON The Fortune Theatre invites expressions of interest from qualified and experienced Theatre Directors who are interested in directing one or more productions in our 2009 season.   [more]