Review Archive
Renee Liang is a poet, playwright, paediatrician, medical researcher and essayist. Renee has collaborated on visual arts works, film, opera and music, produced and directed theatre works, worked as a dramaturge, taught creative writing and organized community-based arts initiatives such as New Kiwi Women Write, a writing workshop series for migrant women, and The Kitchen, a new program nurturing stories in local kitchens. Her work The Bone Feeder, originally a play, later adapted into an opera, was one of the first Asian mainstage works to be performed in NZ. Renee has written, produced and toured eight plays. In 2018 she was appointed a Member of the NZ Order of Merit for services to the arts, and won Next Woman of the Year for Arts and Culture.
Welcome to the review archive.
Theatre and dance reviews since 2006.
A Christmas Carol
Auckland
02/12/2025 - 07/12/2025
"An exceptional production for the whole family, uplifting, magical, and engrossing..
Balloon Dog
Auckland
22/11/2025 - 30/11/2025
"A jewel of a play, brimming with humanity and gentle comedy while not flinching from serious themes...
Life on a Loop
Auckland
11/11/2025 - 15/11/2025
"Beautifully written, performed with love and craft, luminous, and highly recommended...
Liam Cooper's King of the Keys
Christchurch, Wellington, Auckland
29/10/2025 - 31/10/2025
"A wholesome, family friendly and energetic performance..
"A well put together show that does what it says on the label - it’s pure entertainment. ..
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Captain Morrow and the Sands of Time
Auckland
21/10/2025 - 08/11/2025
"With a bonkers salve for tough times, Brodie, Hope-Higginson and Sewell deliver belly laughs aplenty..
BACKWARDS IN HIGH HEELS
Auckland
14/10/2025 - 18/10/2025
"Casts light on the darkness and complexity of human connection..
BIG TIME
"Zingy one-liners and genuine chemistry in this unapologetically feminist work give insight into the nature of friendship..
The Orange Box
Auckland
03/10/2025 - 03/10/2025
"A puppet fantasy with a timeless message about play and transformation...
The Monster in the Maze
Christchurch, Wellington, Auckland
05/09/2025 - 20/09/2025
"A unique story about us given power and heft through the magic of music..
"Many disparate elements triumphantly melded into a breathtaking whole..
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Mother Play
Auckland
05/09/2025 - 20/09/2025
"A directing masterclass, Ludlam is astonishing, live performance at its very best..
"Vogel’s 'ritual of forgiveness' reminds us we can still find hope in the small acts that matter..
A Rich Man
Auckland
05/08/2025 - 09/08/2025
"Mature, thoughtful, engrossing, and a delight to watch. Catch it while you can...
Suitcase Show
Wellington, Nelson, Hamilton, Auckland, Hawea, Dunedin
29/02/2024 - 12/07/2025
"Immensely watchable, intricately crafted, finely honed, a unique mix of unease and innocence...
"Exhilarating, macabre and whizz bang..
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Taniwha
Auckland
26/06/2025 - 13/07/2025
"Bold, of international festival standard, lush in its creative offering..
Saint Joan
Auckland
25/06/2025 - 05/07/2025
"A cracker of a production, relevant and interesting, with many contemporary messages..
Battle Chorus: Disco Inferno
Auckland
14/06/2025 - 14/06/2025
"Sequins, wigs, sparkly glasses, and a fun format that's all singing, all dancing..
Georgia Lines: Under the Stars with Friends
"Carefully planned show, impressive vocalists, marred by a poor production decision..
Wrest
Auckland
06/06/2025 - 14/06/2025
"Love, anger, frustration, and a cry from the heart. An uncomfortable, but worthy watch...
"Real, relatable and moving; The realities of early motherhood... closer to terror than bliss...
Scenes from the Climate Era
Auckland
02/08/2024 - 24/08/2024
"Succeeds in capturing the capriciousness of our response to climate change...
Le comte Ory (The Count Ory)
Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch
30/05/2024 - 29/06/2024
"A production of fizzing vitality and imaginative presentation...
"A comedy of disguises..
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Mansfield Park
Wellington, Auckland
17/04/2024 - 21/04/2024
"A most ingenious contrivance - and Fanny is delightful!..
"In times of job cuts, genocide, and climate change, an adventure into the West is a lovely distraction...
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This Room is an Island
Auckland
02/02/2024 - 04/02/2024
"Unequivocal determined vision..
"Part immersive performance, part remembrance, 'This Room is an Island' invites us to witness and to become vulnerable...
Switzerland
Auckland
19/09/2023 - 07/10/2023
"Tension heightens so we can never relax..
Things That Matter
Auckland
11/08/2023 - 27/08/2023
"Reminds us of the human stories at the heart of our beleaguered healthcare system, and offers a way forward for…..
