Arts and culture in Ōtautahi Christchurch
Erin Harrington reviews Ray Shipley's standup hour 50 Shades of Ray at Little Andromeda, 15 April 2023. Hello, nice audience member, are you an anxious person? Probably. If so, Billy T-nominated comedian Ray Shipley’s latest comedy hour, 50 Shades of Ray, is a safe space. If not, keep it to yourself and let your introvert… Continue reading Review: 50 Shades of Ray – a comic safe space for the anxious
Margaret Agnew reviews Cinderella, by Gregory Cooper, directed by Kathleen Burns, at The Court Theatre, Tuesday 11 April 2023, assisted by junior reviewers Felicity and Lilly (both age 10). Overheard in the foyer (as we eat pizza and chips and partake in some colouring-in) before the show – Mum talking to kids wearing plastic tiaras:… Continue reading Review: Cinderella – Stepsisters before misters
Erin Harrington reviews Rēwena and Be Like Billy?, staged as a double bill at The Court Theatre, Saturday 25 March 2023. The moving one woman play Rēwena, from award-winning author and playwright Whiti Hereaka (Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Te Arawa, Ngāti Whakaue, Tuhourangi, Ngāti Tumatawera, Tainui, Pākehā) invites us into the private kitchen of hospitality pro… Continue reading Review: Rēwena and Be Like Billy?- a rewarding double bill about reciprocity and those who came before
Erin Harrington reviews Cancel Santa, directed by Dan Bain and Greg Cooper, at Little Andromeda, Thursday 15 December 2022. Little Andromeda has spent the last few years building up audience buy-in for an annual Christmas production by presenting quality seasons of shows that have originated up north (Toys, Christ! What a Night, The Opening Night… Continue reading Review: Cancel Santa – bawdy holiday chaos
Erin Harrington reviews The Māori Sidesteps at The Court Theatre, Thursday 22 September 2022. The Māori Sidesteps brings us to a party where everyone’s invited. This big-hearted production, presented at The Court Theatre, has been a victim of Covid rescheduling, but it’s been worth waiting for. The five performers – Erroll Anderson, Cohen Holloway, Regan… Continue reading Review: The Māori Sidesteps – a satirical blend of music and mischief
Erin Harrington reviews My NIGHTMARE Wedding by Play Space Productions at The Quarters at Riccarton House and Bush, Monday 18 July 2022. In Play Space Productions’ interactive show My Nightmare Wedding, we’re at the historic Riccarton House for the dream wedding of sweethearts Abigail and Charlie, and anything that can go wrong is honestly going… Continue reading Review: My NIGHTMARE Wedding – a dream immersive comedy
Erin Harrington reviews Shift Your Paradigm (No Chairs Required) at Little Andromeda, Thursday 14 July, 2022. Shift Your Paradigm (No Chairs Required) brings us into the shady world of multi-level marketing. The schtick of this high-energy black comedy, created by Wellington-based artists David Bowers-Mason and Mitchell Botting, is that we are the in-person audience at… Continue reading Review: Shift Your Paradigm (No Chairs Required) – a high-energy deconstruction of a scam
Erin Harrington reviews The Barden Party's touring production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, performed at a private residence in Swannanoa, North Canterbury, 2 April 2022. A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of those rare works that is pretty much smashproof. It doesn’t matter if it’s performed by intermediate school students or the Royal Shakespeare Company,… Continue reading Review: The Barden Party – magical al fresco Shakespeare in a garden near you
Erin Harrington reviews Drop Dead Gorgeous! A Drag Murder Miss-tery, presented by Les Femmes at Little Andromeda, 24 March 2022. The smell of poisoned lip gloss is in the air at the debut of Drop Dead Gorgeous! A Drag Murder Miss-tery. The show features Auckland-based drag cabaret act Les Femmes - Miss Manage (Jeremy Hinman),… Continue reading Review: Drop Dead Gorgeous! A Drag Murder Miss-tery – sequins, shade, and big chaos energy
Erin Harrington reviews Little Shop of Horrors, directed by Benjamin Henson, at The Court Theatre, Saturday 20 November 2021. Cult sci-fi horror musical Little Shop of Horrors is one of those rare works of musical theatre that’s effectively smash-proof: it’s smart, consistently funny, frequently in circulation, worthy of repeat viewings, and desperately enjoyable. The Court… Continue reading Review: Little Shop of Horrors – vibrant, camp escapism
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