The latest Theatreview Weekly includes reviews of One Day Moko, Vanilla Miraka, Oneone, and The Blind Date Project.

See more recent reviews at theatreview.org, the NZ Performing Arts Review & Directory.

* * *

The latest Theatreview Weekly includes reviews of One Day Moko, Vanilla Miraka, Oneone, and The Blind Date Project.

See more recent reviews at theatreview.org, the NZ Performing Arts Review & Directory.

* * *

ONEONE: Dance Notation of the Universe
Nga Taonga Sound and Vision, Wellington
- reviewed by Jennifer Shennan

I am told it is difficult to programme Belton’s films in dance festivals here. Foxed if I can see why that should be. Buenos Aires, Prague, Copenhagen and Berlin want them. Do we only want what we have seen before?

------------------------------------------------------------------

ONE DAY MOKO: Street from the heart – an affecting take on inner-city lives
BATS Theatre, Wellington
- reviewed by Janet McAllister

This enjoyable, artful jumble starts with a fun stand-up comedy set from a lively homeless guy, Moko, who banters with the audience. He says he wants Jesus to turn up – a reference to Jesus Christ Superstar one floor below. “He’s busy,” shouts a punter. “Tell me about it, bro!” says Moko, quick as a flash.

------------------------------------------------------------------

MUMS: THE WORD: Funny, touching, convincingly accurate
The Dark Room, Cnr Pitt and Church Street Palmerston North, New Plymouth
- reviewed by John Ross

“A career is easy!!!” Sure, being a mum of babies and little kids is quite hard, with too little sleep, trying to settle recalcitrantly yowling brats, skittering from one half-finished task to another, feeding them, cleaning up messes and bottoms, getting masses of little clothes washed, dried and sorted, worrying desperately about whether you’re doing things right, feeling lonely and frustrated, getting too little help from husbands, who either come home late or are not much use when they are around ...

------------------------------------------------------------------

BLUE STOCKINGS: Prejudice at heart of Swale’s play
The Long Hall, Roseneath, Wellington
- reviewed by Laurie Atkinson

Jessica Swale dedicates her first play, Blue Stockings, to Malala Yousafzai, whose campaign for women’s education today makes the problems faced by the women attending Girton College, Cambridge in 1896 seem almost insignificant.

However, the story the playwright has to tell is an interesting one concerning four young women (the playwright describes them as ‘feisty’) who attend Girton College in 1896.

------------------------------------------------------------------

THE BLIND DATE PROJECT: Authenticity, vulnerability, spontaneity, humour
The Basement, Lower Greys Ave, Auckland
- reviewed by Candice Lewis

Anna is waiting and has also just bought her own wine. Her date (Nic Sampson) is late but he shows up with flowers and smiles, eager and nervous. Much of the way the unscripted interaction unfolds is due to Medlock’s increasingly drunk, insecure, sweet and sometimes pretentious Anna. She instigates games, touches her date constantly and uses all her female wiles, sometimes unwittingly.

------------------------------------------------------------------

THE BLIND DATE PROJECT: Humour in search for love
The Basement, Lower Greys Ave, Auckland
- reviewed by Paul Simei-Barton

Natalie Medlock presents an appealing mix of vulnerability and confidence in The Blind Date Project.

------------------------------------------------------------------

VANILLA MIRAKA: Thoughtful, amusing solo show
James Cabaret, Hania Street, Wellington
- reviewed by Ewen Coleman

Having successfully made a name for herself with her solo comedy/cabaret show Miss Fletcher Sings The Blues, Hayley Sproull has now moved on with another similar type of show Vanilla Miraka.

Although original and witty songs are interspersed amongst clever and funny dialogue, it doesn’t hold together as well as her original show with many disconnected strands yet to be woven into the piece successfully.

------------------------------------------------------------------

ONE DAY MOKO: Homeless anti-hero
Q Theatre Loft, 305 Queen St, Auckland
- reviewed by Nik Smythe

I recall the 2011 production being more immersive, drawing us into his world. This time, with the directorial guidance of Leo Gene Peters, Moko’s putting on a show for us, as though he saved up to hire this theatre to be the big star he used to dream about back then. In a way the character is less believable as genuinely homeless; witnessing his evident talent in singing, not to mention his remarkable eloquence, one might wonder why this fellow is out on the street like he is ...

------------------------------------------------------------------

ONE DAY MOKO: It’s all good – a gem
Q Theatre Loft, 305 Queen St, Auckland
- reviewed by Vanessa Byrnes

Darkness descends and from his place sitting on the floor, Tim Carlsen starts the show as he means to go on, as the dispossessed Moko, improvising with the audience and using us as the essential ‘other’ characters. Amidst hope and despair this is a clever tactic to connect with something outside himself; to bring us into the observational and poetic drama that unfolds.

------------------------------------------------------------------

BLACK GRACE PRESENTS XMAS VERSES (2014): Dancers the sparkling stars of Xmas verses
Herald Theatre, Aotea Centre, Auckland LIVE, Auckland
- reviewed by Dr Linda Ashley

The audience are enthusiastic recipients of this youthful and yet erudite Christmas present, and Verses reminds us why Ieremia has long been at the forefront of New Zealand contemporary dance both at home and overseas. Thanks and Manuia le Kiris Black Grace!

------------------------------------------------------------------

See more recent reviews at theatreview.org.nz, the NZ Performing Arts Review & Directory

Further information:

What began as a glorified blog by John Smythe has now become a major organ of communication, interaction and information that has created an online performing arts community by recording, critiquing, celebrating and debating NZ’s professional performing arts activity.

If you value Theatreview, and want to see it survive and grow to further serve the interests and needs of the performing arts community and their audiences, please join the Performing Arts Directory or offer a donation/koha