The latest Theatreview Weekly includes reviews of Dust Palace: With a Stranger, A View From the Bridge, Putorino Hill, and Ache.

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

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The latest Theatreview Weekly includes reviews of Dust Palace: With a Stranger, A View From the Bridge, Putorino Hill, and Ache.

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

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DUST PALACE: WITH A STRANGER: Amazing – but why keep so much secret?
Theatre Royal, Nelson
- reviewed by Gail Tresidder

A programme, a programme, my kingdom for a programme – please, Dust Palace, allow for those amongst the audience who wish to know the names of the cast, what the music was and some hint towards what is doubtless a deep and meaningful evocation of life, love and the whole darn thing!

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A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE: Sterling acting in opera-like drama
Circa One, Wellington
- reviewed by Laurie Atkinson

It comes as no surprise to learn that A View from the Bridge has been made into an opera twice and that Arthur Miller himself wrote the libretto for the 1999 version.

The dramatic final scene of the play has all the ingredients except music of a thrilling operatic finale.

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A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE: The corrosive effects of passions denied
Circa One, Wellington
- reviewed by John Smythe

Everything depends on our being convinced that Eddie Carbone is a hard-working loving husband and uncle – truly loved by his wife and niece – whose inability to acknowledge and understand the passions that curdle his guts, let alone take responsibility for them, set the course for the tragic outcome. Gavin Rutherford embodies the role utterly in a profoundly complex and riveting performance.

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PUTORINO HILL: Period piece a cutting take on realities of modern New Zealand
Q Theatre, 305 Queen St, Auckland
- reviewed by Janet McAllister

Chris Molloy's atmospheric new drama, produced by Taki Rua, is ostensibly a period piece via reminiscence, but it contains clever, cutting commentary about present realities in Aotearoa.

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PUTORINO HILL: A profound work of considerable theatrical dexterity
Q Theatre, 305 Queen St, Auckland
- reviewed by Lexie Matheson

Te Kohe Tuhaka’s excellent production of Chris Malloy’s stunning new play P?t?rino Hill further enriches the legacy of Taki Rua and provides us with a magnificent example of what a top quality theatre experience should be. From the moment we enter the Q Theatre Loft to the instant I nick five grapes from the table of kai in the foyer before descending the stairs to a freezing Queen Street, I am in another world, a world of mystery, enigma, anger and enchantment.

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ACHE: Style and a dash of vinegar to relish
Court Theatre Pub Charity Studio, Christchurch
- reviewed by Lindsay Clark

It is no surprise to read that this neatly crafted romantic comedy won the 2012 Pumphouse Theatre Award for an Auckland playwright in its fledgling stage, before the workshopping and public reading processes which brought it to the current premier production. Its roots are in middle class contemporary urban culture, where bright young professionals can get away with indecision and 'malaise' before the realities of life put the nips in.

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YE JO HAI ZINDAGI – AN INVISIBLE LOVE: Pioneering with well deserved pride
Herald Theatre, Aotea Centre, Auckland LIVE, Auckland
- reviewed by Rahul Gandhi

The festive spirit is palpable as a community gathers around the Herald theatre in Aotea Square, weathering a cold and wet night in stark contrast to their spirits, which aren’t dampened in the least. Familiar faces beam at each other, obviously excited of staging a show in their vernacular tongue.

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WASH YOUR MOUTH OUT: A little more flossing and rinsing required?
Westpoint Performing Arts Centre, Auckland
- reviewed by Bronwyn Elsmore

Knock, knock.
Who’s there?
Arthur.
Arthur who?
Arthur jokes likely to be funny if there’s no crudity?

That’s what I’ve come to find out.

The debut show of Wash Your Mouth Out bills itself as a night of stand-up comedy focussing entirely on clean humour ...

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UNCLE MINOTAUR: Highly imaginative and thought-provoking
BATS Theatre (Out Of Site), Cnr Cuba & Dixon, Wellington
- reviewed by John Smythe

As you may expect from the title, there is more epic struggle afoot (as with Second Afterlife) in Dan Bain’s Uncle Minotaur, directed by Sara Brodie. As with Our Parents’ Children, the ‘lost child’ / young adult is female – Greta (Isabella Woods) – but this time it is her father who has left home and her Mother (Ruby Kemp) who is lost in cyberspace.

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SECOND AFTERLIFE: Insight, wit and wisdom plus plenty to ponder
BATS Theatre (Out Of Site), Cnr Cuba & Dixon, Wellington
- reviewed by John Smythe

Ralph McCubbin Howell cements his status as one of NZ’s best young playwrights with Second Afterlife and director Kerryn Palmer, her designers and crew, and her exemplary cast of six do him proud.

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OUR PARENTS’ CHILDREN: The good bits are excellent
BATS Theatre (Out Of Site), Cnr Cuba & Dixon, Wellington
- reviewed by John Smythe

Alex Lodge’s Sci-fi ‘gothic fairytale’, Our Parents’ Children, set in the very near future, pairs Mary (Angel Faifai) with her Skype-buddy Joe (Kelly Moen) from the USA’s Bible Belt. Whereas under-parented Mary’s mother has left and her workaholic father, John (Owen Baxendale) only comes home to slug a whisky and take to his study, over-parented Joe has been brought up in a crushingly Christian community.

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KISS THE FISH: Vivid
Municipal Theatre, Napier
- reviewed by Karen Beaumont

“Great fun,” “entertaining,” “clever” are just some of the comments to be heard on leaving the theatre. The audience are abuzz, having thanked the performers with enthusiastic applause, foot stomping and a few standing ovations. While I can agree with many of these sentiments, there are elements of the performance that, for me, are not quite so “cool.”

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BORN BEFORE ’74: Short and sweet nostalgic cabaret
Gryphon, Wellington
- reviewed by Jo Hodgson

Born before 74 endeavours to capture the spirit of the music and life of the (mostly) 60s and 70s. The show is made up of amusing pastiches from these eras delivered by glitzy Constance Craving.

Emma Kinane comically supports her with witty repartee of facts for our age groups ...

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GREASE: A fun, toe tappin’ night out
Opera House, Wellington
- reviewed by Jo Hodgson

There is a buzz of anticipation in the audience as we (my mum and I) take our seats for opening night of this iconic musical. A whole range of ages ready to reminisce about either living in the 50s, or remembering the movie which came out in 1978 or a new generation to become addicted to the rock 'n' roll ride that is Grease.

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GREASE: Grease is still the word
Opera House, Wellington
- reviewed by Ewen Coleman

That Grease is still the word, even after 40 years, is testament to the durability of this all-time favourite musical.

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AFFINITY: Cleverly constructed journey of discovery never less than involving
The Dark Room at Te Manawa, Palmerston North
- reviewed by Joy Green

The Affinity of the play’s title, Ian informs us, refers to an algorithm used by social media that matches information with advertisements it determines are relevant to users based on the things they share, the sites they visit, the comments they ‘like’, and it’s important here: Gabe, Ian and Estelle’s actions have somehow given them an affinity for each other, and they need to discover what it is, to find out what connects them if they are to explain how they have come to be here – wherever here is – and how, perhaps, they might get out.

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CAEDMON’S HYMN: Very deserving of large audiences
St Paul’s Cathedral Crypt, The Octagon, Dunedin
- reviewed by Jennifer Aitken

Caedmon’s Hymn is this year’s second offering from Dunedin’s very own Counterpoint Productions. As a student at Otago University Jess Green studied the art of documentary theatre making under the tutelage of genre heavyweights Stuart Young and Hilary Halba. Clearly inspired by her studies, Green has undertaken, single-handedly, the mammoth task of creating, from scratch, a piece of documentary theatre: conducting interviews, editing the material, and directing the final product. To this I say, bravo!

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

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