Arts and culture in Ōtautahi Christchurch
Erin Harrington reviews Prima Facie, by Suzie Miller, presented by Kavanah Productions, at the Isaac Theatre Royal, Wednesday 6 November 2024. Criminal defence barrister Tess (Mel Dodge) is successful and hard-edged. She’s a working-class girl who’s made it alongside privileged private school boys thanks to grit, brains, and a vicious competitive streak. She proclaims her… Continue reading Review: Prima Facie – an intense legal drama about broken systems
Erin Harrington reviews Richard O'Brien's The Kingdom of Bling, at the Isaac Theatre Royal, Wednesday 16 October 2024. Richard O’Brien’s new fantasy rock musical The Kingdom of Bling is a little like Badjelly the Witch for grownups: a political, satirical one-act radio play, performed live by an impressive emsemble of theatrical A-listers and a pair… Continue reading Review: The Kingdom of Bling – a rocking satirical parable from a living legend
Erin Harrington chats with Lizzie Tollemache through the wonders of the internet about their new performance work, on why sharing (in rehearsals) is caring, and how Creative NZ can learn something from defence lawyers. Lizzie's show The NeuroSpice Girls is particularly interesting for the way that it’s looking to challenge traditional approaches in its creation,… Continue reading Interview: Lizzie Tollemache on making neurospicy theatre
Steph Walker reviews Gioachino Rossini's Le comte Ory, presented by NZ Opera with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, directed by Simon Philips and conducted by Brad Cohen, at the Isaac Theatre Royal, Thursday 27 June, 2024. Rossini’s Le comte Ory. As an arts lover but opera casual I wasn’t super familiar with it, but Rossini’s famous… Continue reading Review: Le Comte Ory – a joyful, very funny localisation that scores big
Erin Harrington reviews Indian Ink's touring production of Dirty Work at the Isaac Theatre Royal, Friday 28 July 2023. Can you make art about the cyclical drudgery of office work – or, perhaps, most work – that isn’t fundamentally dystopian? Indian Ink’s charming production Dirty Work: Ode to Joy, which is set in the New… Continue reading Review: Dirty Work – finding joy in the absurd
