 reviewed by Kate Ward-Smythe 3 Oct 2010 |
|
The classy ole dame has more style than substance With plenty of pizzazz, and based on a fairy-tale story with a happy ending, 42nd Street captures the customary extravaganza of Broadway’s golden age. [more] |
 reviewed by Kate Ward-Smythe 10 Nov 2010 |
|
Astounding Raw, deliciously outrageous and self-defining, Richard O’Brien’s Rocky Horror Show has churned out the songs that have driven many mild mannered folk insane for 37 years. In Auckland a mix of die-hard fans and ‘Rocky virgins’ came together pumped up in anticipation of a wild opening night. They got one. [more] |
 reviewed by Kate Ward-Smythe 14 Feb 2011 |
|
A cop-incompetence romp True to the genre, director Ben Crowder unashamedly pulls on every aspect of farce to present this new version of Robert Lord’s original kiwi satire, which has been revised by the skilful wit of Stephen Sinclair as script editor.* [more] |
 reviewed by Kate Ward-Smythe 16 Apr 2011 |
|
Inspired creativity Two hours after Boxes, I’m watching 3 girls, aged 6, 7 and 8, turn my lounge into a mini-Auckland, using all the boxes, ribbon, tape, cardboard and crafty bits and pieces they can find. They have been totally motivated and enthused by this wee gem from Capital E National Theatre for Children in association with About Face Productions, presented by Time Out Theatre. [more] |
 reviewed by Kate Ward-Smythe 9 May 2011 |
|
Accessible and neatly stylised Surrounded by conflicting advice, from an army of men, the vast majority with ulterior motives and self-serving agendas, Elizabeth’s decision resonates clearly with today’s Obama-Osama situation: will the execution create martyrdom that will prove a much stronger enemy? [more] |
 reviewed by Kate Ward-Smythe 12 Apr 2012 |
|
Singing takes top honours Sinarella’s cast is big, bright and brimming with vibrancy. Musical Director Tama Waipara’s inspirational musicianship and joyful score is something to be celebrated. This young and hungry cast and chorus, made up of 25 students from Pacific Institute of Performing Arts (PIPA) – who all possess great sets of lungs and natural rhythm and vibe – do exactly that. [more] |
 reviewed by Kate Ward-Smythe 10 Jun 2012 |
|
Opening night shortcomings in journey of discovery for seniors While this production had some issues on opening night, fans of our most prolific playwright’s latest work will be pleased to know his much loved hallmarks are liberally sprinkled throughout the script: accessible circumstances and some recognizable characters plus those classic laugh-out-loud one-line gags. [more] |
 reviewed by Kate Ward-Smythe 11 Jul 2012 |
|
Real, interactive, inviting, creative, engaging, educational and entertaining Louis Pearl is extraordinary. Geek-ish in a good way, low-key and almost shy, he is not your usual energized, over-happy children’s theatre performer. Quite the opposite. Louis doesn’t try to hype up the kids or milk gags or applause. Instead this fascinating and passionate bubble-lover chooses to let the bubbles speak for themselves. [more] |
 reviewed by Kate Ward-Smythe 14 Jul 2012 |
|
Organically articulate, skilful, lyrical, universal and inspirational Red Leap Theatre’s creative co-directors, Julie Nolan and Kate Parker, take their audience to a world of imaginative tactile storytelling, using finely-tuned theatre craft, skilful puppetry, inspirational ensemble physicality and a fictional language. The way they bring Shaun Tan’s vivid graphic novel to life 'speaks' volumes about universal themes such as love, loss, loyalty, risk, striving for a better life, journeys to unknown territories, displacement in a foreign land, identity and belonging. [more] |
 reviewed by Kate Ward-Smythe 19 Oct 2012 |
|
A healthy spoon-full of Poppins could improve our politicians As the Sherman brothers’ timeless tunes wash over us, and the magic created by Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s stunning cast and lavish production takes us to the wondrous world of Mary Poppins, for a couple of hours I forget the stresses and complexities of life and simply enjoy musical theatre and family entertainment at its best. [more] |
| << Prev | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 | 61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 69 | 70 | 71 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 76 | 77 | 78 | 79 | 80 | 81 | 82 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88 | 89 | 90 | 91 | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 100 | 101 | 102 | 103 | 104 | 105 | 106 | 107 | 108 | 109 | 110 | 111 | 112 | 113 | 114 | 115 | 116 | 117 | 118 | 119 | 120 | 121 | 122 | 123 | 124 | 125 | 126 | 127 | 128 | 129 | 130 | 131 | 132 | 133 | 134 | 135 | 136 | 137 | 138 | 139 | 140 | 141 | 142 | 143 | 144 | 145 | 146 | 147 | 148 | 149 | 150 | 151 | 152 | 153 | 154 | 155 | 156 | 157 | 158 | 159 | 160 | 161 | 162 | 163 | 164 | 165 | 166 | 167 | 168 | 169 | 170 | 171 | 172 | 173 | 174 | 175 | 176 | 177 | 178 | 179 | 180 | 181 | 182 | 183 | 184 | 185 | 186 | 187 | 188 | 189 | 190 | 191 | 192 | 193 | 194 | 195 | 196 | 197 | 198 | 199 | 200 | 201 | 202 | 203 | 204 | 205 | 206 | 207 | 208 | 209 | 210 | 211 | 212 | 213 | 214 | 215 | 216 | 217 | 218 | 219 | 220 | 221 | 222 | 223 | 224 | 225 | 226 | 227 | 228 | 229 | 230 | 231 | 232 | 233 | 234 | 235 | 236 | 237 | 238 | 239 | 240 | 241 | 242 | 243 | 244 | 245 | 246 | 247 | 248 | 249 | 250 | 251 | 252 | 253 | 254 | 255 | 256 | 257 | 258 | 259 | 260 | 261 | 262 | 263 | 264 | 265 | 266 | 267 | 268 | 269 | 270 | 271 | 272 | 273 | 274 | 275 | 276 | 277 | 278 | 279 | 280 | 281 | 282 | 283 | 284 | 285 | 286 | 287 | 288 | 289 | 290 | 291 | 292 | 293 | 294 | 295 | 296 | 297 | 298 | 299 | 300 | 301 | 302 | 303 | 304 | 305 | 306 | 307 | 308 | 309 | 310 | 311 | 312 | 313 | 314 | 315 | 316 | 317 | 318 | 319 | 320 | 321 | 322 | 323 | 324 | 325 | 326 | 327 | 328 | 329 | 330 | 331 | 332 | 333 | 334 | 335 | 336 | 337 | 338 | 339 | 340 | 341 | 342 | 343 | 344 | 345 | 346 | 347 | 348 | 349 | 350 | 351 | 352 | 353 | 354 | 355 | 356 | 357 | 358 | 359 | 360 | 361 | 362 | 363 | 364 | 365 | 366 | 367 | 368 | 369 | 370 | 371 | 372 | 373 | 374 | 375 | 376 | 377 | 378 | 379 | 380 | 381 | 382 | 383 | 384 | 385 | 386 | 387 | 388 | 389 | 390 | 391 | 392 | 393 | 394 | 395 | 396 | 397 | 398 | 399 | 400 | 401 | 402 | 403 | 404 | 405 | 406 | 407 | 408 | 409 | 410 | 411 | 412 | 413 | 414 | 415 | 416 | 417 | 418 | 419 | 420 | 421 | 422 | 423 | 424 | 425 | 426 | 427 | 428 | 429 | 430 | 431 | 432 | 433 | 434 | 435 | 436 | 437 | 438 | 439 | 440 | 441 | 442 | 443 | 444 | 445 | 446 | 447 | 448 | 449 | 450 | 451 | 452 | 453 | 454 | 455 | 456 | 457 | 458 | 459 | 460 | 461 | 462 | 463 | 464 | 465 | 466 | 467 | 468 | 469 | 470 | 471 | 472 | 473 | 474 | 475 | 476 | 477 | 478 | 479 | 480 | 481 | 482 | 483 | 484 | 485 | 486 | 487 | 488 | 489 | 490 | 491 | 492 | 493 | 494 | 495 | 496 | 497 | 498 | 499 | 500 | 501 | 502 | 503 | 504 | 505 | 506 | 507 | 508 | 509 | 510 | 511 | 512 | 513 | 514 | 515 | 516 | 517 | 518 | 519 | 520 | 521 | 522 | 523 | 524 | 525 | 526 | 527 | 528 | 529 | 530 | 531 | 532 | 533 | 534 | 535 | 536 | 537 | 538 | 539 | 540 | 541 | 542 | 543 | 544 | 545 | 546 | 547 | 548 | 549 | 550 | 551 | 552 | 553 | 554 | 555 | 556 | 557 | 558 | 559 | 560 | 561 | 562 | 563 | 564 | 565 | 566 | 567 | 568 | 569 | 570 | 571 | 572 | 573 | 574 | 575 | 576 | 577 | 578 | 579 | 580 | 581 | 582 | 583 | 584 | 585 | 586 | 587 | 588 | 589 | 590 | | Next >> |