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Dunedin Fringe 2013
A PLAY ABOUT SPACE at Globe Theatre
reviewed by Jonathan W. Marshall 22 Mar 2013
High energy, rapid-fire, pop-culture melange
It is however the staging itself which is the real attraction. Aside from our killer desk-lamps, Harvey spends much of the play wrangling a series of power-boards scattered about the stage, turning on and off some of the cheapest but most effective theatrical lighting one is likely to see. Props and items are thrown about with gay abandon, and no effect is too cheesy to be employed. [more]

A RENAISSANCE MAN at BATS
reviewed by John Smythe 11 Jan 2008
A succulent banquet of derring-do and intrigue
The Bacchanals launch Wellington theatre 2008 in superb style with a swashbuckling, bodice-ripping yarn inspired by metaphysical poet, politician and preacher John Donne. [more]

A RENAISSANCE MAN at BATS
reviewed by Laurie Atkinson (The Dominion Post) 16 Jan 2008
The funny side of John Donne
... A Renaissance Man doesn’t bother with historical accuracy but very much like Blackadder and the Carry On movies with a soupcon of Monty Python thrown in for good measure it bothers with the principle of anything for a laugh, even though torture, disemboweling, religious belief, and other serious matters such as love, sex and poetry permeate the times - and occasionally the play. [more]

A RENAISSANCE MAN at BATS
reviewed by Helen Sims (The Lumiere Reader) 15 Jan 2008
Mining the depths of despair, hilarity and bawdiness
Blasting the Sex Pistols as pre-show music proved to be an apt warm up for A Renaissance Man – it mostly features sword fighting, anarchy and sex. [more]

A SHORTCUT TO HAPPINESS at Court Theatre, Bernard Street, Addington
reviewed by Tony Ryan 11 Dec 2011
Uplifting and optimistic humour
“WE’RE BACK!” was the theme for the opening night of Roger Hall’s new comedy, the opening night of the Court Theatre’s new (temporary?) home ‘The Shed’, and the opening night of the first Court Theatre season since . . . well, since the intrusion of the even more realistic dramas that have upstaged professional theatre in Christchurch this year. [more]

A SHORTCUT TO HAPPINESS at Fortune Theatre
reviewed by Kimberley Buchan 20 Nov 2011
Heart-warming entertainment
The appreciative and star studded audience is greeted by the sight of every community hall in New Zealand. It comes complete with honours boards, a zip, fire extinguishers and authentic touches of patchy paintwork around the plugs. [more]

A SHORTCUT TO HAPPINESS at Fortune Theatre
reviewed by Barbara Frame (Otago Daily Times) 21 Nov 2011
Audience shows appreciation
The world premiere of Roger Hall’s new comedy concludes a year of stimulating and varied programming at the Fortune. Lighter in tone than many of Hall’s other plays, A Short Cut to Happiness focuses on retired people whose concerns include the lure of discounts, the possibilities of meeting new people on Facebook, and the difficulties of opening jars. [more]

Photo: Stephen A'Court
A SHORTCUT TO HAPPINESS at Circa One
reviewed by John Smythe 15 Apr 2012
Truth wins through
I have often felt that Roger Hall's plays have more depth and integrity than they are sometimes given credit for by those who do them and this Circa production of A Shortcut to Happiness, directed by Ross Jolly, proves it. [more]

Photo: Stephen A'Court
A SHORTCUT TO HAPPINESS at Circa One
reviewed by Lynn Freeman (Capital Times) 18 Apr 2012
Good chemistry
There were ‘ahs’ from the audience numerous times through this Roger Hall comedy-love story. That’s not just because Hall knows his audience extremely well and the right buttons to push. The leads Peter Hayden and Elena Stejko transform what could be an enjoyable night at the theatre, into something special. [more]

Photo: Stephen A'Court
A SHORTCUT TO HAPPINESS at Circa One
reviewed by Ewen Coleman (The Dominion Post) 23 Apr 2012
Latest offering hits spot in search for happiness
The title of Roger Hall’s latest play currently showing at Circa Theatre implies that he has a formula for finding happiness. But as one of the characters says part way through the play “There are very few shortcuts to happiness, but dancing is one of them”. And that is exactly what Hall shows to great effect through his latest offering. [more]
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