Arts and culture in Ōtautahi Christchurch
Lisa Allan reviews The Meeting, by Lola Houghton and Pedro Ilgenfritz, and E Ipo, My Love, by Gisele Proud and Tane Te Pakeke-Patterson, presented together as the inaugural Winter Season, a double bill of new theatre works from the Hagley Theatre School Six-Month Theatre Creation Course, at the Gloucester Room, the Issac Theatre Royal, Friday… Continue reading Review: Winter Season (The Meeting / E Ipo, My Love) – vibrant and relevant new theatre works
Erin Harrington reviews End of Summer Time, written by Sir Roger Hall, directed by Dan Bain, and starring Ross Gumbley, at the Court Theatre, Saturday 21 June 2025. Sir Roger Hall’s latest play End of Summer Time revisits curmudgeon Richard ‘Dickie’ Hart, an ex-cow cockie who finds himself, deep into retirement, living with his wife… Continue reading Review: End of Summer Time – melancholy, funny, and compassionate
Lisa Allan reviews PopRox Improv, at Little Andromeda, Saturday 14 June, 2025. It is Saturday night and the foyer at Little Andromeda is packed with punters who have come out in force to see the Wellington improv comedy troupe, PopRox, perform. It is not surprising to see a cohort from Christchurch’s own professional improv troupe,… Continue reading Review: PopRox Improv – a generous, playful and positive force
Erin Harrington reviews Coro, presented by Mon Platon Productions at Little Andromeda, Friday 13 June, 2025. Coming into the comedy show Coro I’m clearly one of a handful of audience members who’ve never seen a full episode of Coronation Street. Growing up, the woeful wail of the cornet in the show’s opening theme would trigger… Continue reading Review: Coro – a terrific comic homage to the iconic soap opera
Juanita Hepi responds to Black Faggot, written by Victor Rodger, directed by Anapela Polata'ivao, at the Court Theatre, Saturday 17 May, 2025. This is not a review. For a review, go here — and interestingly, the ‘a’ in Faggot is replaced with an ‘*’. Attending the opening night of Black Faggot at the Court Theatre,… Continue reading ‘Cracker wants a Poly’, or, The Adventures of Sione: a response to the power and complexity of Black Faggot
Lisa Allan reviews The Cat Eleonore, by Caren Jess, translated and directed by Peter Falkenberg for Free Theatre, at the Climate Action Campus, Wednesday 7 May 2025. It is a brisk night and Avonside’s Climate Action Campus is mostly dark, creating a sense of adventure as my theatre-mate and I seek out the Free Theatre’s performance space… Continue reading Review: The Cat Eleonore – an elegant meditation on the failures of humanity, and the joy of being a cat
Erin Harrington reviews The Play That Goes Wrong, by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields, directed by Anna Marshall, at the James Hay Theatre, Tuesday 6 May 2025. The multi-award-winning disaster comedy The Play That Goes Wrong has entertained literally millions of people since its London debut in 2014. This Australasian production is directed… Continue reading Review: The Play That Goes Wrong – a chaotic, comic romp that does just about everything right
Erin Harrington reviews The End of the Golden Weather, written by Bruce Mason and in a company version by Raymond Hawthorne, directed by Lara Macgregor, at the Court Theatre, Saturday 3 May 2025. The opening night of The End of the Golden Weather, the first production in The Court Theatre’s new purpose built central city… Continue reading Review: The End of the Golden Weather – engrossing, gentle storytelling that welcomes you to the new theatre
Erin Harrington reviews Grifted and Talented with Jim Fishwick, presented by Jetpack Theatre, at Little Andromeda, Friday 11 April 2025. Multi-hyphenate creative and improvisor Jim Fishwick knows how to get the best out of performers. Their new improv? performance? comedy? humiliation? show format Grifted and Talented (a title both great and triggering) is a clever… Continue reading Review: Grifted and Talented – a hilarious game show that pits talent against treachery
Erin Harrington reviews The Snow, presented by Wintergreen Creative, at Little Andromeda, Friday 11 April 2025. The small village of Kishka is cut off from the world, and its neighbouring rival town, by an impenetrable wall of snow, and things are getting dire. Various committees of blathering adults are unable to find a solution, but… Continue reading Review: The Snow – a charming and absurd family-friendly fable about connection
Flat City Field Notes 