I’ve been looking forward to experiencing Kōpū since I first saw the ads a few months ago. It just looked extraordinary. Initially, looking at an attractive photograph of the cast, I recognised performers I knew and whose work I have grown to admire and, for me, that’s always the strongest hook. Narratives not so much, though I’d […]
Month: January 2024
Dirty Work: An Ode to Joy ~ a theatre review
The Cambridge Online Dictionary describes work as ‘an activity, such as a job, that a person uses physical or mental effort to do, usually for money’. Maybe this explains why I’m up at 3.30am writing this – because it’s a job. It’s not just a job of course, not many people who are driven to […]
I Want to be Happy ~ a theatre review
On the surface, I Want to be Happy is the simple story of a guinea pig and a laboratory researcher. It’s not, of course, it’s written by Carl Bland so it’s much more. Paul (Joel Tobeck) is doing ‘research’ on Binka the guinea pig (we don’t find out what this involves) while going through a difficult relationship […]
Mike and Virginia ~ a theatre review
Let’s start with a disclaimer and a comparison. Yes, comparisons are odious, and disclaimers often an excuse to hide something else but please indulge me and let’s do it anyway. Mike and Virginia, the two central characters in Mike and Virginia, are academics at an unnamed university. All good, so far. In 1998 I began work […]
Skin Hunger – Solo ~ a theatre review
I’ve experienced ‘Skin Hunger’ twice before. My last review can be found here: SKIN HUNGER – Theatreview/ Then, the show had a larger cast, now it’s a solo work. I call it ‘Skin Hunger – Solo’. The original has been around the block, toured, evolved, changed lives, educated, titillated, provided work for actors and crew, been […]
Moe Miti ~ a theatre review
I will taste the bitter separation and oil my skin with it. I will listen for all that is old and with my ear pressed to the dirt, hear those who sing my name on the wind. In September 1966, Paul Simon released the iconic album ‘Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme’ and buried in the […]
Night of the Living Dead ~ a theatre review
Let’s start by getting this bit out of the way: Night of the Living Dead is outstanding. It is magnificent, wonderful, disturbing, weird, entertaining, moving even, with top-quality performances, great direction, and a concept to absolutely die for. Having read what I’ve just written, I need to add that Night of the Living Dead is actually even better than […]
We’ve Got So Much to Talk About ~ a theatre review
Titirangi Theatre was formed in 1935 by Ethelwynn Geddes and was part of the Country Women’s Institute based in the MacAndrew Hall on Titirangi Road. Called ‘The Drama Circle’, it consisted only of women until about 1951, when gradually, as productions became more ambitious, men were drawn in as well. Why does this matter? Simply […]
Into the Woods ~ a theatre review
This thoroughly enjoyable production could easily be subtitled ‘Summertime Sondheim’ because that’s what it is: Sondheim’s glorious music in a delightful picnic setting, peopled by well-known magical characters in what is, to be honest, a sometimes dark, often mashed-up new fairytale genre. It’s like that because it’s Into the Woods and that’s how Levine and Sondheim […]
Wrestling with Wregret ~ a theatre review
Actor/writer/co-producer Tyler Wilson-Kokiri (Ngati Porou) tells us, via the Te Pou Theatre website, that “this is an exciting first-time presentation of Wrestling with Wregret to be performed for a live audience.” He adds that it’s very early stages of development and that the kaupapa for.the season is to “develop in areas of writing, directing and producing.” It’s […]
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