The latest Theatreview Weekly includes reviews of Gifted, The First 7500 Days Of My Life, and Tosca.

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

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BUBBLELANDS: Adrift on the outside looking in
BATS Theatre, 1 Kent Tce, Wellington
- reviewed by John Smythe

These interesting story elements come to the fore almost incidentally, not driven by a quest or any such objective-based imperative. The characters are necessarily adrift in this play. One may argue that this is the way it is in existential absurdist drama and they are not without purpose.

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TRIUMPHS AND OTHER ALTERNATIVES: A brilliant analogy of the artistic creative process
Q Theatre, 305 Queen St, Auckland
- reviewed by Jenny Stevenson

Although the male/female differentiation becomes apparent, androgyny remains dominant in their movement vocabulary. Adams dances an astonishing solo, blazing and almost demented in her determination to gain a form. Pham follows, his pliant body never quite still as he softly bends, spirals and collapses, his body unable or unwilling to support the weight of his own head.

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PREFACE — HOMAGE TO A RISK: Uncompromising exploration of body and space
Q Theatre Loft, Auckland
- reviewed by Jess Probert

Throughout Preface: Homage to a Risk, it feels as though the dancers are going through a discovery of their bodies and the movement that their bodies are capable of. At times this feels tentative and almost animalistic, as though the dancers are experiencing their bodies in the space as something completely new and malleable, through exploring themselves as well as through the manipulation of the movement of other dancers.

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THE FIRST 7500 DAYS OF MY LIFE: A quite exceptional experience
Basement Theatre, Lower Greys Ave, Auckland
- reviewed by Lexie Matheson

There are astonishing examples in this production of the myriad ways in which playwrights can make life problematic for their actors – and their creatives – and it’s almost as though Dean has calculatedly gone out, found them all and crammed the whole kit and caboodle into one 80 minute (or so) script.

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SRINGARAM: Ardent love in dance honoring the devadasis
Hagley Open Stage, Christchurch
- reviewed by Emily Napolitano

The evening is one of juxtapositions. The stage holds a single long scarf suspended from ceiling to floor, yet the dancer is gorgeously costumed and bejewelled. Bharatanatyam is an unhurried, graceful art form for expressing Nayika’s wide range of ardent emotions - from coquetry to jealousy, passion to anger, and tenderness to vicious gossip. The decorous stylized dance form contrasts piquantly with the provocative material.

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BEGINAGAIN: A living construct
Middleton Grange School Performing Arts Centre, Christchurch
- reviewed by Sheree Bright

Carrying the bulk of the performance, Zoe and Ariel are talented and captivating performers. They have a high level of virtuosity, showing exceptional control, superb balance, and precision, including some stunning side-by-side slow motion deep lunges. As they demonstrate their incredible strength, and clarity, there is more tension than ease. For the viewer, there is often a sense of weighted density or oppression. The characters are often being controlled or manipulated by one another or by some unseen force. Zoe and Ariel are successfully complemented by dancer and rehearsal director Kim Lusk and New Zealand dancer Josie Archer.

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STRANGE BEDFELLOWS: Generous collaborations shared
St Saviour's Holy Trinity Church, Lyttelton
- reviewed by Lindsay Clark

The final piece, Communion of Poetry, works well and simply. Lucy Matthews and Ciaran Fox share the reading of a long and charming list of beatitudes, standing each side of a very large cake. It is in fact the 'word made cake' since it is inscribed with the words of the whole poem. The art of cake icing meets the art of declamation most appetisingly, for in a splendid act of generosity, the audience is asked to gather for a slice and the feeling of a community sharing community art is happily celebrated.

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THE 21ST NARCISSUS: ‘Like’ | ‘Like’ | ‘Like’
Basement Theatre, Lower Greys Ave, Auckland
- reviewed by Lexie Matheson

A new play by Sam Brooks is something to anticipate and celebrate. It’s also something to appreciate and enjoy. ‘The 21st Narcissus’ holds a mirror up to modern nature and takes both a gleeful and a sardonic look at the social media habits of Generation Y.

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GIFTED: Evocative gesture to literary treasures
Circa One, Wellington
- reviewed by Lena Fransham

Clearly, Frank and Janet are an unlikely pair, but the difficult relationship is creatively fertile, at least for Janet and for literary posterity. Frank proudly reminds us that he is the father of the nation's fiction, because he pioneered a literature that attempted to reflect New Zealand life.

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TOSCA: Sheer quality, passion and skill
St James Theatre, Wellington
- reviewed by Pepe Becker with Jonathan Kingston-Smith

Post-World War II Italy is the setting for this stunning NZ Opera production of Puccini's Tosca. The late forties and early fifties is a strange and unsettled time in Europe – the Italian Monarchy is shattered and in its place a tenuous Democracy has formed.

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JANUS: Commitment, courage and creativity
DUNEDIN COMMUNITY GALLERY, 20 Princes St, Dunedin
- reviewed by Terry MacTavish

Increasingly, however, collaborative scripting was seen as the most democratic process for radical theatre, with its sincerity and inclusiveness, despite its potential for confusion and chaos. It is into this risky territory Clsterfck has bravely ventured, taking the slogan “We’re queer, we’re here,” and adding, “Now what the hell does that mean?”

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DOUBLE FEATURE: ZOOM / ARBEITSZUFRIEDENHEIT WITH DIETER UBERPFISTER: Serene, blissful, masterful vs Feeling bullied
BATS Theatre, The Dome, 1 Kent Tce, Wellington
- reviewed by Shannon Friday

Just as the title suggests Double Feature: Zoom and Arbeitszufriedenheit with Dieter Uberpfister is two short pieces shown together. The two halves are incredibly different in almost every way: in aim, in pace, in storytelling tactics, in skilfulness and in impact.

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THE FALLEN MYSTERY: Refined movement, pared back and polished
Q Theatre Loft, 305 Queen St, Auckland
- reviewed by Raewyn Whyte

The Fallen Mystery comprises innumerable encounters between a series of highly stylized, recognizably noirish characters presented by a trio of loners dressed in trench coats -- two independent dames (Georgie Goater and Lisa Greenfield) who embody an array of femmes fatales, and a well-dressed bloke on the prowl (Paul Young) who ranges from vigilante man to stoic to cop on the make.

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ROOM: Like going to a friend's party
The Black Box at St Margaret's College, Christchurch
- reviewed by Emily Napolitano

Walking into Room feels like going to a friend’s party. We are greeted with jazzy music, warm smiles, and champagne glasses of punch. The stage is set as a sitting room, adding to the intimate party atmosphere. The venue itself, the small Black Box with chairs on plywood risers, is the ideal setting for this show as it lends itself perfectly to the introspective mood of the performance.

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JAILBIRDS: Dave’s fave
BATS Theatre, The Propeller Stage, 1 Kent Tce, Wellington
- reviewed by Jo Blick

Nelson’s Body in Space Theatre Company knows a meaty format when it sees one and its improv show Jailbirds spills over with opportunities for interesting scenes and great ideas waiting to be explored.

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DO I?: Fast and loose
BATS Theatre, The Propeller Stage, 1 Kent Tce, Wellington
- reviewed by Lena Fransham

Then there's a well dressed, nervous looking man (Doug Brooks) with a ginger beard talking on a phone to the bride-to-be. He's reassuring the bride that all is in order, the guests (that's the audience of course) are present and no, don’t worry, none of them is wearing denim (here he frowns censoriously at a man in jeans in the front row).

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PLAYSHOP LIVE: THE DOME EDITION: Trust, support and willingness to call each other out pays dividends
BATS Theatre, The Dome, 1 Kent Tce, Wellington
- reviewed by Shannon Friday

What I love about watching PlayShop is how smart they are at setting up both transparent challenges for each other and clever supporting structures for themselves as they tackle them. And so it is with the Dome Edition of PlayShop Live!

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SEX, LIES AND IMPROVISE: Enjoyably sex-positive
BATS Theatre, The Propeller Stage, 1 Kent Tce, Wellington
- reviewed by Shannon Friday

In order to encourage openness around the subject matter, the ask-fors are gathered by (mostly) anonymous cards filled out by audience members pre-show. The real-life experiences and details then form the backbone of the games. It's big and fun and a little broad ...

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GRAIN OF TRUTH: LIVE RECORDING: Mostly sparking on all cylinders
BATS Theatre, The Dome, 1 Kent Tce, Wellington
- reviewed by Lena Fransham

This show seems to replicate the Australian model, even down to the dubiousness of the prizes that are offered. In the ‘Sudden Turnips’ round, rather than a prize to strive for, there's a Dickensian booby prize which everyone is working hard not to win (a bite of a raw turnip).

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EX TENEBRIS LUX – A JOURNEY FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT: Slipping between the mythic, the ritual and the local
The Old Theatre - Rangiruru Girls College, Christchurch
- reviewed by Erin Harrington

These slips between the mythic, the ritual and the local are compelling, especially as the piece itself in quite complex, combining voice, dance, movement and live original music. The opening, in particular, is quite beautiful: a canon unfurls slowly and its variations become more complex as the lights (designed up Simeon Hoggan) come up, and it then stops, abruptly, as the actors speak for the first time, boldly declaring a series of humorous psalms about daily irritations. Small details, likewise, speak loudly: the statue’s book of knowledge is transposed as a family album, highlighting the personal nature of memory and reconciliation.

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[INSERT SHOW HERE]: Creative chaos
BATS Theatre, The Propeller Stage, 1 Kent Tce, Wellington
- reviewed by Shannon Friday

[Insert Show Here] is created out of a workshop conducted approximately 48 hours before the show opened. It was cast within a day and then up it goes. It is an incredibly generous idea: make fast, share, do it together.

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ALL THAT....: Jazz-styled spectacle eagerly received
Q Theatre, Rangatira, Auckland
- reviewed by Camelle Pink

There are clear relationships between the movers and their music. Throughout the show performers have energy and attitude, which helps to keep our eye trained on the stage. The choreography by Kayla Paige and her team highlights the dancers' strengths through solos and group configurations. The soloist moments in this show invite our gaze as an audience. Each of these performers playfully interact with us, reminding us that we are not simply sitting and viewing this on television or You Tube, but live.

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TERROR PLANET: Infectious pleasure
Isaac Theatre Royal, Christchurch
- reviewed by Lindsay Clark

Narration is otherwise carried by a voice over, which clarifies each step in the sequence of danced events. It involves, from the beginning, an entertaining send-up of romantic fiction, especially of the robot fantasy kind. Each segment is worked to appropriate popular beat music, underscoring the spoof very cleverly. Beyonce, Daft Punk, Cindi Lauper, Prodigy and Enya are among the airings and movement is matched to their tone as well as keeping up the storyline.

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A FINE BALANCE: Horror, humour, wit and compassion
TAPAC Theatre, Western Springs, Auckland
- reviewed by Lexie Matheson

Prayas Theatre has built an exceptional reputation over the years in Auckland, a reputation that is significantly enhanced by A Fine Balance, their celebratory 10th anniversary production. The programme cover describes the work as “a panorama of the human spirit in an inhuman state” and the production certainly delivers on this promise.

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EATING THE WOLF: Well presented
The Dark Room, Cnr Pitt and Church Street, Palmerston North
- reviewed by Joan Ford

The play is loosely based on the popular Little Red Riding Hood and introduces other female characters from various fairy tales – but the story is not as you know it. It is a brief historical tour of feminism, exploring the internal and at times eternal battle for women seeking to find their place in the world.

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BOOYA: BLOW IT OUT YOUR AHEM: Flotsam and jetsam in a tide of movement
BATS Theatre, The Propeller Stage, 1 Kent Tce, Wellington
- reviewed by John Smythe

In BOOYA, four performers – Laura Irish, Jason Geary, April Seymore and Isaac Thomas – bring an object to our attention and tell us what it means to them. We are shown a ring, a digital voice recorder, a bracelet and a hand-sewn re-usable sandwich bag made by April’s mother, which wins by loud acclaim.

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ALCHEMY: Absorbing from beginning to end
Q Theatre, 305 Queen St, Auckland
- reviewed by Jess Probert

Choreographer Bella Wilson’s ‘Re(encoded)construct’ evokes a strong sense of wanting to push the boundaries of rules and norms, with the very clever use of a torch to enhance this. The fluid and expressive movement performed in the floor solo in the middle of the piece is something I wish I could have on replay, I could continue to watch that section of movement for a long time. This piece really gives you a sense of the pressure in conforming to society’s rules, with a dancer being physically pushed down in one section of the piece.

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AHUA: Refreshing reciprocity, charming co-presentation
Q Theatre Loft, 305 Queen St, Auckland
- reviewed by Raewyn Whyte

As they move deftly through the space, their patterning implies that these two women have many parallels in their lives, having followed the same pathways, perhaps at different times, backtracking now and then or falling down and getting up to start over. There's a strong sense of lives lived at full pace, of rushing from A to B to C and back again, frantically trying to keep track of each other, snatching moments together in passing or waving the other off to travel to some faraway place. There are times alone, flying solo, relishing solitude, trying out new things but missing the other person, and there are social occasions, public events, and quiet domestic moments to be treasured.

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THE TREE OF LIVES: Potential still to be unlocked
BATS Theatre, The Dome, 1 Kent Tce, Wellington
- reviewed by Jo Blick

Gordon is an exceptionally able MC, taking suggestions, moving the actors on when need be and generally keeping things under control. It’s a big concept and the scale of it does cause a few problems.

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DOUBLE FEATURE: SOLO BROWN / I AM RIVERMAN!: Deft comedy/pathos skills + loose goose hilarity
BATS Theatre, The Dome, 1 Kent Tce, Wellington
- reviewed by Jo Blick

Rik Brown’s invitation to “disappear down the rabbit hole that is my mind” is a hard one to resist. The veteran Australian improviser and previous festival favourite is the opening performer in this double header, which gives the audience a taste of two very different improv styles.

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WORDS, WINE AND SONG: Instant classics abound
BATS Theatre, The Propeller Stage, 1 Kent Tce, Wellington
- reviewed by Thomas Aitken

Words, Wine and Song provides a smorgasbord of musical and poetic improvisation, with a constant rotation of characters chopping and changing from the audience and seeking inspiration from a sea of oddly worded Post It notes. MC Cordy Black keeps the show running smoothly as she pulls performers from the audience like clowns from a mini.

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THE BLUE-BEARDED LADY: A fierce re-gendering of a classic tale
The Open Stage, Hagley Community College, Christchurch
- reviewed by Erin Harrington

Evans is an impressive aerial performer, and her work with silks, hoop and rope is graceful and compelling. These portions use balletic and powerfully muscular movement in a manner that expresses and enriches the story; these portions alone, with minimal connecting material, could have made for an outstanding show.

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TALES FROM CAMP HORROR: Complex, involving immediacy
BATS Theatre, The Propeller Stage, 1 Kent Tce, Wellington
- reviewed by Lena Fransham

In 1865, we are told, the land beneath us was home to the ‘Settlers’ Theatre’, which was one night destroyed in a terrible fire that killed everyone inside. The spirits of those killed still haunt the site on which BATS stands. Tonight, 150 years later, we must honour these spirits ...

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FURROW II (MASKS): Surfaces can be deceptive..
St Michael's Church School Hall, 249 Durham Street South, Christchurch
- reviewed by Lindsay Clark

Conceptually bold, the piece is presented with beautiful control and mesmerising restraint. Time is suspended as each tiny movement contributes to the evolving scene and musical suggestion from the violinist. All in all it is outstanding festival fare.

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SEDX SPEECHES: THEORIES OF STUFF: Weird and wacky flexing
BATS Theatre, The Propeller Stage, 1 Kent Tce, Wellington
- reviewed by Thomas Aitken

The premise of the show is that topics are suggested by the audience and a slideshow of images, again contributed by the audience, will serve as visual references for the speaker.

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THE NERD DEGREE: LIVE RECORDING: Nerds fly their freak flags
BATS Theatre, The Dome, 1 Kent Tce, Wellington
- reviewed by Thomas Aitken

The Nerd Degree showcases the seemingly inextricable relationship between the worlds of improv and nerd culture, proving it to be a mostly beautiful yet sometimes disturbing thing.

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MIXTAPE: Strong, non-apologetic, dynamic, recognisable
BATS Theatre, The Dome, 1 Kent Tce, Wellington
- reviewed by Tess Jamieson-Kahara

Yes there are entertaining funny moments and randomness but that is superfluous to the incredible workings and nuances of an hour-long integrated story. If you were to script it, you'd think it was at least at third draft stage.

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LADY FINGERS: Quite delicious
BATS Theatre, The Propeller Stage, 1 Kent Tce, Wellington
- reviewed by Jo Blick

If improv is the theatrical equivalent of walking a tightrope without a net, then the three talented women who make up Lady Fingers have set their rope at just the right level to both thrill and entertain.

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

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