A selection of reviews from Theatreview from the last week including: Urban By Circolombia, One Man Guy: Dirty American Decade, And I Was Like, and The Magic Chicken.

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

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A selection of reviews from Theatreview from the last week including: Urban By Circolombia, One Man Guy: Dirty American Decade, And I Was Like, and The Magic Chicken.

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

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The Civic – THE EDGE, Auckland - URBAN BY CIRCOLOMBIA: Poets of the street explode into the Civic - Street and Circus an exhilirating mix
- reviewed by Jesse Quaid

What really makes this show, however, is the insouciant machismo with which the chiefly male cast launch themselves through every moment. They slide effortlessly between smoothly executed dance, moments of theatre and daredevil acrobatics, drawing laughter and not a few gasps out of the audience. Whether they are dodging or walking ropes, or propelling themselves and each other through the air to the limits of the stage space, it is impossible to look away. Against the vibrating energy of the male acrobats the two women at times struggle to gain attention. Their aerials, while beautifully performed, lack that extra élan right up until a magnificent and euphoric Cloud Swing performance.

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The Basement Studio, Lower Greys Ave, Auckland - ONE MAN GUY: DIRTY AMERICAN DECADE: America Calling

- reviewed by Matt Baker

Pheloung is inarguably a gifted musician. His practical skills are polished and he demonstrates his theoretical mastery of the craft with subtle yet distinct differences in each of his songs. Not one of them sounds the same, which, in addition to the clever and humorous lyrics, prevents the story from becoming stale, which it becomes increasingly in danger of as the show progresses.

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The Basement, Auckland - AND I WAS LIKE: Masterful subtlety in a smart piece of theatre
- reviewed by Joselyn Khor

We are given intimate insight into the turmoil, heartbreak and progressive disintegration of a relationship when verbal communication – the beacon of hope in every shrink’s repertoire of saving graces – fails, or is removed completely.

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Soundings - Te Papa, Wellington - THE MAGIC CHICKEN: Meticulously timed brilliance

- reviewed by John Smythe

The titular chicken, which happens by this restaurant on yet another quiet day, lays golden eggs in good-old folk-tale fashion. But when a customer turns up, and Chicken is there on the menu and that’s what he chooses, what are the Chefs supposed to do?

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The Basement Studio, Lower Greys Ave, Auckland - ONE MAN GUY: DIRTY AMERICAN DECADE: A fun journey

- reviewed by Cherie Moore

ohn Pheloung appears on stage with his guitar and sets the scene with his rendition of the song ‘One Man Guy’. John doesn't appear as a character, but as himself. We who are watching appear not as an audience, but a group of friends to whom he will regale the details of his adventures, his hopes and his failures.

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TAPAC Theatre, Western Springs, Auckland - THALI – A THEATRICAL PLATTER OF SHORT PLAYS: Confident and daring
- reviewed by Shirin Brown

Never easy to manage the expectations of South Asian and non-South Asian audiences, the plays are well chosen to bridge the gaps between different communities and bring a welcome multi-cultural flavour to the New Zealand theatre scene.

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Opera House, Wellington - THE MAN THE SEA SAW: Clowning by numbers

- reviewed by John Smythe

We do get to witness performance talent and ‘production value’ spectacle. He conjures a bit, verges on acrobatic balancing, juggles very well … His unacknowledged puppet assistant animates a Polar Bear’s paw and later a head with a tongue that really licks, and a Seal that seems destined for an important role but it comes to nothing. The big berg centre stage rocks like a see saw.

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TAPAC Theatre, Western Springs, Auckland - BOUND: Bound - a lyrical journey
- reviewed by Jacqui Cesan

“Solo Before “performed by Maria Munkowits and choreographed by Munkowits and Moore, was the most cohesive work in the programme. Set to a beautiful piece of music ,“Tio Sabas” by Paco De Lucia,. Munkowits gave a touching performance with clear technique and lovely floor work and her movement vocabulary and quality of movement fulfilled the promise of femininity as per the programme notes.

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Downstage Theatre, Wellington - THE MAN WHO PLANTED TREES: Abuzz with creative life-force

- reviewed by John Smythe

The Man Who Planted Trees is presented in a wonderfully relaxed yet whimsical style and tone. Pitched, according to the Capital E National Arts Festival brochure, at 7-14 year olds, this is a story, play and production that respects its audience and doesn’t play down to them.

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Opera House, Wellington - FOOTNOTE FORTE SERIES 2013 - WE HAVE BEEN THERE: Dance, but not as we know it

- reviewed by Ann Hunt

The dance style is fairly new to New Zealand, although increasingly common in Europe and Australia. It is minimalist, deconstructed and uses non-virtuosic movement.

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BATS - Out Of Site - Cnr Cuba & Dixon, Wellington - GIZZA HOON: A night out with the YouTube generation

- reviewed by Ann Hunt

Inspired by the YouTube generation and late-night Courtenay Place antics they explore the relationship between commercial pop and young Kiwis' social interaction. It's funny, frenetic and in your face.

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Paramount, Wellington - LIKE IT OR LOOP IT: Dancing with doo-dackies
- reviewed by Moana Ete

In the age of loop pedals and songs arranged entirely in a capella, Adam Page, multi-instrumentalist extraordinaire, is a living Forefather to this mind-boggling musical form. Adam brings to the Capital E National Children’s Theatre Festival a story about his unique learning journey and his lifelong love for music.

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Te Papa Tongarewa, Te Marae, Cable Street, Wellington - TE RAU O TE RANGI: The love, the hardship, the journey
- reviewed by Moana Ete

It’s an important thing, I feel, to be powhiri’d onto a theatre space. I so often tumble into a show as if by moving train – I forget to look forward to what I’m about to see. To wait at the entrance with 150 or so children to be welcomed onto the Marae is an opportunity for me to prepare myself physically and spiritually for what I am about to experience.

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Fringe Bar, Cnr Cuba & Vivian, Wellington - TAKE BACK THE HOOD: Comedy conveys serious content of discontent
- reviewed by Lori Leigh

Underneath the simplistic moral of Little Red Riding Hood’s “don’t talk to strangers” is a cautionary tale about the dangers of seduction. Implicit in such ethics is the assumption that the correction of the crime lies within the victim rather than the perpetrator. Thank you fairy tale morality for unconsciously defining the way we see the world from a very early age.

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Centrepoint, Palmerston North - MANAWA: Vital, intelligent, fluent, funny, gutsy, hard-hitting and impressively realised

- reviewed by Richard Mays

Manawa is a dramatic Kiwi Howl to rival Greg McGee’s Foreskin’s Lament. Significantly, the powerful out-of-left-field climax and its bruising final line come not from a mainstream or educated voice, but from a member of the marginalised underclass.

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Bruce Mason Centre, Auckland - THE BALLAD OF PONDLIFE MCGURK: An unforgettable journey

- reviewed by Lexie Matheson

The Ballad of Pondlife McGurk is the sort of name you’d like to have made up, too. It has an air of something schoolyardy about it; something a bit smelly, a bit confrontational; something us oldies might consider a bit Richmal Crompton.

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The Basement, Lower Greys Ave, Auckland - HUMMINGBIRD: A brittle chamber work of genuine maturity

- reviewed by Lexie Matheson

It’s a chamber work, a work of enormous delicacy and made by people who, it seems, know exactly what they’re doing. The subject matter is equally fragile. It’s about surviving loss and don’t we all know how close to the edge we get in situations like this, how unprepared we are for someone’s passing, how our behaviour must sometimes seem bizarre to others while we can’t see the problem for ourselves.

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BATS - Out Of Site - Cnr Cuba & Dixon, Wellington - MY BOYFRIEND GOT A BEATLE HAIRCUT: Insightful edification

- reviewed by John Smythe

A brief clip of Debbie Reynolds singing the theme song in Tammy establishes the influence of Hollywood musicals but it’s photos of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, and their manifestation from the clothes rack as Rochelle’s mentors that give us access to “goody two-shoes” Rochelle’s aspirations.

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Concert Chamber - Town Hall, THE EDGE, Auckland - THE MAN WHO PLANTED TREES: Blunt messages and delicious silliness

- reviewed by Lexie Matheson

The narrator takes us into some interesting metaphysical areas as he realises that the shepherd isn’t engaged in his project simply for personal pleasure but has a far greater plan and the belief that, whenever you take on a life changing project, there will always be a line-up of people finding reasons why you can’t do it.

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BATS - Out Of Site - Cnr Cuba & Dixon, Wellington - GIZZA HOON: A night out on the town

- reviewed by Virginia Kennard

As it is the premiere of the work and at the Fringe, I assume this was a work in progress, with material having been set aside for now in order to round out the point of this piece. Certainly there is a glimpse of irony from Melissa Phillips’ angsting heartbroken character as her friends ineffectually rally to make her feel better. Her compelling stage presence and the physical energy of Gina Andrews and cool factor of Amber Kimble (despite her manic grinning or because of?) are noteworthy. As are the amazing legs of all performers, if my neighbour’s responses were anything to go by.

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Maidment, Auckland - RHINOCEROS IN LOVE: Cerebral, impassioned, increasingly visual

- reviewed by Nik Smythe

Zhang Wu’s distinctively avant-garde set design is a felicitous platform for accomplished Mandarin playwright Liao Yimei’s first script, written in 1999, now a cult classic. Her script is at first very wordy with mainly static visual elements such as leading love-interest/monomaniacal obsession Ming Ming as she first appears, seated and blindfolded, as protagonist Ma Lu, an earnest and sensitive Rhinoceros keeper at the local zoo, imparts a verbose diatribe of passionate declarations and cerebral philosophising.

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Court Theatre Pub Charity Studio, Christchurch - GROUNDSWELL: STORIES FROM THE QUAKE: Ordinary folk recall that extraordinary day
- reviewed by Lindsay Clark

This collection of quake stories, as told by survivors, may seem a particularly appropriate confirmation that the new Forge, The Court's studio theatre, is back in the business of bringing us new work, especially from New Zealand writers. Without the event, The Forge would probably be wedged in its Arts Centre corner still.

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Town Hall, Wellington - SKY DANCER: Keeping the story secret … Why?

- reviewed by John Smythe

The programme’s “Kia ora” message from Stephen Blackburn, Creative Producer with Capital E National Theatre for Young People, includes this: “The gestation of this project goes back five years to when the then Education Manager at the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and I, discussed over a coffee the idea of creating an orchestral piece that might supplant works such as Peter and the Wolf in the repertoire for New Zealand orchestras to introduce young audiences to the magic that is orchestral music.”

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The Basement, Lower Greys Ave, Auckland - THE GUILT SNIFFER: Enjoyable silliness

- reviewed by Glen Pickering

Mark Prebble and Marion Short have written a witty and wonderfully ridiculous script that plays on all the Detective drama stereotypes and pokes fun at Police clairvoyant reality TV shows. It has all the usual characters, is full of puns, one-liners and never takes itself too seriously.

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ASB Theatre, Aotea Centre, Auckland - MADE TO MOVE - THE ROYAL NZ BALLET: Three different statements
- reviewed by Rosemary Martin

Of Days evokes feelings of quiet melancholy, and has sparks of sublime potential. This work is a montage of fleeting moments, through movement, music and projected text. Some of these moments resonate more than others, and some have such poignancy through the simplest of gestures or a subtle look that speaks of so much more. The eight dancers are entirely committed to the work, offering a sinewy and honest interpretation of the movement language developed.

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The Golden Dawn (Cnr Ponsonby and Richmond Roads), Auckland - THE FINGER FAMILY TENT REVIVAL TOUR: Diverting, even delightful, if somewhat clichéd

- reviewed by Nik Smythe

Di-rect from Turtletown Tennessee, via all round the world, Barefoot Pentecostal Reverend Brother Buddy Finger, his dutiful wife Sister Fanny Finger and band are in Ponsonby this weekend to insert the glorious spirit of the holy lamb deep inside us…

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Rose Centre Belmont, Auckland - SILLY COW: More is too much
- reviewed by Adey Ramsel

How do you review a piece of theatre that, as one its main themes, constantly makes the point that reviewers who give bad reviews simply, “didn’t understand the piece”? Unfortunately it’s the piece wherein lies the fault, though not exclusively.

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Town Hall, Wellington - SKY DANCER: Amazing music and design – but what about the story?
- reviewed by Thomasin McKenzie (age 12)

The music was amazing. I felt like it was taking me on a journey to a musical forest of my imagination. It was exciting from the moment I sat down in my chair and I got pulled in when the orchestra started playing.

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Q Theatre, Rangatira, Auckland - THE FACTORY – A PACIFIC MUSICAL: A sweet and rhythmic ride with pure Samoan soul
- reviewed by Tamati Patuwai

ila Kokonut Krew (KKK), multi media explosion and creative community platform, is up to all good again with the 2013 Auckland Festival season of The Factory.

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Q Theatre, Rangatira, Auckland - THE FACTORY – A PACIFIC MUSICAL: Tale of race, class a triumph

- reviewed by James Wenley

The chance taken on Kila Kokonut’s Krew The Factory- “New Zealand’s first Pacific Musical” - should prove the biggest statement of this year’s Auckland Arts Festival. Dedicated to the parents and grandparents of the creatives and cast who moved to New Zealand from the islands ...

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Q Theatre, Rangatira, Auckland - THE FACTORY – A PACIFIC MUSICAL: Tale of race, class a triumph

- reviewed by Janet McAllister

Last night was a triumph for the Kila Kokonut Krew, their creative supporters and their Factory, overhauled since its first Mangere outing in 2011.

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Q Theatre, Rangatira, Auckland - THE FACTORY – A PACIFIC MUSICAL: Magnificent
- reviewed by Simon Wilson

That show has now been reworked, with the core creative team of director Anapela Polataivao and writer/director Vela Manusaute now joined by a new musical director, Tama Waipara, and a new production crew. The result is magnificent.

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Q, 305 Queen St, Auckland - I HEART ALICE HEART I: Deliciously funny, sublime and political journey – with cake

- reviewed by Lexie Matheson

I Heart Alice Heart I is exclusively about the happiest of relationships and the audience ate up every word, every nuance and every last piece of cake. Happy relationships always, as you know, have cake.

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The Basement -return season, Auckland - DARK STARS: Unpolished but genuine

- reviewed by Heidi North-Bailey

Dark Stars is a deeply personal solo show preformed by Jonathan Council. Although written and directed by Arthur Meek, this is clearly a collaborative effort as it interweaves the tale of Irving Sayles, an African-American performer who one hundred years ago went to Australia and became a star, with the story of Council’s own life.

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Whitireia Performance Centre, 25-27 Vivian Street, Wellington - GOD KNOWS: Short on conceptual evolution

- reviewed by Nancy Catherine Fulford

I can see the attraction in the concept: let’s examine the cave dwelling behaviour of our ancestors and hold this up against the antics of modern ‘man’ specifically as they are played out in the board room; a favourite Petri dish for examining the farcical worst of modern times. And all in all, it is often entertaining, occasionally brave and some of the dialogue very witty.
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The Moorings, 31 Glenbervie Tce, Wellington - NEVERBEFORE: A COLONY FOR URBAN CHANGE: Promising ‘play’ loses its way

- reviewed by John Smythe

Facing the fear of looming global apocalypse in the various guises being predicted has become a recurring theme in the second decade of this new millennium.

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

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