July 20, 2007

ROSE RISES TO ROYAL CHALLENGE Veteran film and theatre actor Mick Rose has taken on Shakespeare’s greatest work with the opening night in just two weeks! After Edward Petherbridge, the actor who was to play Lear, had taken ill, director David Lawrence, sought out Rose. “He’s the only actor I…...

July 16, 2007

THE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED SNEAK PREVIEW OF THE 2008 NZ INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL HAS BEEN RELEASED A whirlwind of outstanding theatre, dance, and music has been named in the first release for the 2008 NZ International Arts Festival under the direction of new Artistic Director, Lissa Twomey. Speaking today Ms Twomey…...

July 13, 2007

ADDITIONAL RSC KING LEAR FOR WELLINGTON Due to unprecedented public demand there will be a third performance of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of King Lear in Wellington on Monday 13th August 2007....

July 11, 2007

ROLE OF ARTISTIC DIRECTOR NO LONGER ENDANGERED Auckland Theatre Company is thrilled to announce that with the support of a Creative New Zealand Theatre Internship Fund grant, its Artistic Director Intern Programme (ADIP) will commence in 2008....

July 8, 2007

Producing locally, touring internationally. The following post to the King Lear forum precipitated this one....

July 1, 2007

The ‘Blackbird’ Poster and How Much It Sucks, Because By Gum These People Have to Get the Message. I want to see this show so much, but I don’t know if I can. Posters are important, you know....

June 28, 2007

AUCKLAND UPS THE TEMPO FOR THE ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF DANCE New Zealand’s biggest dance festival is back from September 29 – October 28 when tempo˚ NZ’s Festival of Dance proudly returns to Auckland with an impressive programme of 913 performers dancing up a storm in over 93 performances....

June 27, 2007

Poster and Publicity Design… So… it has been suggested that the quality of theatre publicity material in Wellington often leaves much to be desired...

June 20, 2007

CLASSIC PLAYWRIGHTS COME ALIVE IN CYBERSPACE Beckett and Shakespeare have been the most widely-referenced playwrights in online theatre productions. So it’s not surprising that both feature in the 070707 UpStage Festival – a festival of live performances on Saturday 7 July, online and screened at the New Zealand Film Archive…...

June 18, 2007

HENDRY TO HEAD ACTING AT TOI Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama School is delighted to announce the appointment of Jonathon Hendry, actor, director, teacher, voice artist and all-round artistic entrepreneur as its new Head of Acting...

June 15, 2007

Should An Artist Turn Down Work Because Their Economic Situation Tells Them They Must?...

June 4, 2007

Shakespeare in Schools. Participants in – and observers of – the 2007 UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO SHEILAH WINN NATIONAL FESTIVAL OF SHAKESPEARE IN SCHOOLS competition are invited...

June 4, 2007

Deadly theatre? Deadly reviewing? A duty for critics?...

June 4, 2007

We are indebted to Roger Hall for sending us this quote from Irish writer Julian Gough in Prospect Magazine: The Greeks understood that comedy (the gods’ view of life) is superior to tragedy (the merely human). But since the middle ages, western culture has overvalued the tragic and undervalued the…...

June 4, 2007

REGULAR PHYSICAL THEATRE TRAINING – Monday evenings, Wellington loonesco presents a weekly training session to develop and maintain basic physical and performance skills. These sessions are focused upon building skills as well as playing and working with a group on a regular basis. Areas that will be covered include: Strength,…...

May 28, 2007

OLD MATES TO PLAY LEAR IN DIFFERENT PRODUCTIONS A WEEK APART IN WELLINGTON The Royal Shakespeare Company’s all-reviewers-barred, full frontal Ian McKellen King Lear will not be the only production of the play in New Zealand this August. The week before the RSC production opens in Wellington (at the Westpac…...

May 27, 2007

Blackbird: the forum. This is for those who have seen BLACKBIRD and want to share their thoughts and feelings on any aspect...

May 26, 2007

THUMBS UP FOR FRED CONTENDERS The 2007 International Comedy Festival is delighted to announce Ewen Gilmour, Te Radar and Dai Henwood as this year’s nominees for THE FRED AWARD. Named in honour of ex-pat comedian John Clarke THE FRED AWARD heralds those that have a recognized career in NZ Comedy…...

May 25, 2007

PROMOTING NEW ZEALAND PERFORMING ARTS TO THE WORLD Creative New Zealand is leading a team of producers and agents to attend a major international market for the performing arts of the Asia Pacific region. The Asian Arts Mart, in Singapore from 31 May – 4 June, provides an opportunity for…...

May 23, 2007

Rothwell and Mainstream. Judith Dale writes in her review of Deliver Us that the mainstream theatres arent up to it (ie doing a Rothwell). I would prefer to think “aren’t up for it” would be fairer....

May 21, 2007

A ROYAL GIFT The Royal New Zealand Ballet is giving The New Dowse over 30 costumes and 200 design drawings by internationally acclaimed designer Kristian Fredrikson....

May 17, 2007

DELIVER US: the forum. My review of Deliver Us by Paul Rothwell has provoked 21 Comments from 13 participants (so far)...

May 13, 2007

Tiny type. The Made in New Zealand review includes: “It is a shame that the attractively produced programmes cannot be read by many...