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RIVERDANCE - THE FAREWELL TOUR 2012 at ASB Theatre, Aotea Centre
reviewed by Margi Vaz 23 May 2012
The original content minus the contagion
The precision, grace, and athleticism of the dancers are phenomenal. Often nothing moves except their legs and feet and those appendages are a blur of precision! As singers they are equally polished and wonderful, and ethereal harmonies abound. The highly talented musicians would be hard to match any where in the world. What am I unsatisfied about I muse? [more]

RITA AND DOUGLAS at Concert Chamber - Town Hall, THE EDGE
reviewed by Aidan-B. Howard 23 Nov 2011
Remarkably deep and revealing
The famous artist Rita Angus (for a short time known also as Rita Cook and Rita McKenzie but actually born as Henrietta) and composer Douglas Lilburn (to some known as Gordon) for decades from the 1940s to 1960s had a relationship which was part friendship, part affair. It had profound effects on the lives and creativity of both of them. [more]

Photo: Corey Boland
A CRIMINAL CHRISTMAS at Herald Theatre, Aotea Centre, The Edge
reviewed by Aidan-B. Howard 7 Dec 2011
Stress-relieving absurdist fun in frenetic spaghetti of activity
Like many people, I hate Christmas. And I particularly hate the flood of schmaltzy, feel-good, same-old stories that this season brings. But the editor of this site urged me to set my cynicism aside. This play, A Criminal Christmas, he assured me, would be different… and he was right. [more]

LEOPARD at The Basement, Lower Greys Ave
reviewed by Aidan-B. Howard 1 Feb 2012
Immensely credible
The vast majority of Leopard is a simple hoot: very funny, pacey and well acted. The final ten minutes are more sedate; more philosophical. [more]

RUDALI – THE MOURNER at TAPAC Theatre, Western Springs
reviewed by Aidan-B. Howard 19 May 2012
Tragi-comic look at the roles and struggles of women in Indian society
While men may control their society in an administrative way, women seem to be the centre of the dynamic life of the society, and Mahasweta Devi [the Bengali writer who wrote the story the play is based on] captures this very well. And like any good writer, she blends the tragic with just the right amount of the comic. [more]

MISS FLETCHER SINGS THE BLUES at The Basement, Lower Greys Ave
reviewed by Aidan-B. Howard 26 Sep 2012
Traditional issues feel fresh and novel
The headline starts “Miss Fletcher… motivator, inspirer, teacher. She’s down, she cares and she is ready to tackle the issues…”. Well, that’s an immediate challenge. This will be either very deep and didactic or very comical. Actually, it is the latter! [more]

THE NZ IMPROV FESTIVAL 2011 at BATS
reviewed by Caoilinn Hughes 2 17 Oct 2011
Energy and enthusiasm beats ineffectual limpness
The highlight of Saturday’s shows in my opinion was Geary’s The Fairytale Cookbook. As the name might suggest, is aimed at children, so I didn’t come prepared with tissues for the tears of laughter that were induced. [more]

RITA AND DOUGLAS at Theatre Royal
reviewed by Michael Monti (Nelson Mail) 17 Oct 2011
Play sheds light on top artists’ lives
This is a dramatisation of the relationship between painter Rita Angus and composer Douglas Lilburn using the letters Angus sent to Lilburn. [more]

BLACK GRACE: VAKA at Theatre Royal
reviewed by Janet Whittington 25 Jul 2012
Waves of movement, waves of emotion
Waka is a beautiful, tight, elegant show. Go. [more]

IN FLAGRANTE at Theatre Royal
reviewed by Janet Whittington 29 Nov 2012
Provocative, contemporary, edgy and scantily clad
Our appreciative audience enjoyed the fun of the titillation, the skill of the physicality of the moves, and the dancer’s skill in expression as they pieced together the story on stage. Facial and body expression is the main feature of the second half. The performers flourished character and opinion throughout. This contrasted sharply with the austere first half where they had deadpan expression or the faces covered with masks or strapped with bridles. I was prepared for the blurred genre and therefore not disturbed, and am still enjoying it the next day. [more]
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