Arts and culture in Ōtautahi Christchurch
Jordon Jones reviews SwapRox, presented by PopRox Improv, at Little Andromeda, Thursday 20 August 2026. If you've ever thought that improv comedy just isn't chaotic enough these days, have I got a show for you! SwapRox is an acknowledgement that attention spans are shrinking, and has been specially designed to shake things up just as… Continue reading Review: SwapRox – chaotic improv with miscreant energy for those with short attention spans
Charlotte Thornton reviews Redemption, presented by Ginge and Minge at Little Andromeda, Thursday 20 August 2026. Behind every great idea are a dozen bad ones. Discarding these bad ideas, known as ‘killing your darlings,’ is a painful but important part of the artistic process. They get locked away in the Notes app alongside half-finished to-do… Continue reading Review: Redemption – bad ideas turned chaotic good
Erin Harrington on the lack of South Island investment in Creative New Zealand's Arts Organisations and Groups (AOG) funding round, including the news that South Island organisations collectively received less than 10% of the total funding offered, and that Christchurch theatre Little Andromeda and the Dunedin Arts Festival have been defunded entirely. Hello, world There’s… Continue reading If you don’t look you can’t see, or, the consequences of Southern invisibility in national arts funding
Naomi van den Broek reviews Dear Stalker, written and performed by Harriet Moir, at Little Andromeda, Friday 24 July 2026. Dear Stalker is a tight, frank, and riotously hilarious stand up hour about the trials and tribulations of looking for love, from comedian Harriet Moir. It opens with a David Attenborough-esque voice over introducing us… Continue reading Review: Dear Stalker – a bloody funny show that works the audience like a pleasure device
Erin Harrington reviews Oceania's Eleven, performed, produced and designed by Vincent Andrew-Scammell, at Little Andromeda, Thursday 25 June 2026. A few figures before the review: Creative New Zealand, which “encourages, promotes and supports the arts in New Zealand for the benefit of all New Zealanders through funding, capability building, our international programme and advocacy”, hasn’t… Continue reading Review: Oceania’s Eleven – a terrific one-man caper about the true crime at the heart of the arts
Hannah Harte reviews Stoned N Unfiltered: Pop Divas Unleashed, at Little Andromeda, Friday 12 June 2026. If you want to radiate joy for a few days, go to a drag show. You’ll encounter the most vocal, enthusiastic audiences that an often painfully stoic Ōtautahi crowd is capable of producing, loudly supporting what will always be… Continue reading Review: Stoned N Unfiltered: Pop Divas Unleashed – passionate peformers serve one of the best nights of the year so far
Erin Harrington reviews Friends to the End, created and performed by Wiremu Tuhiwai and Brendon Bennetts with Criss Grueber, at Little Andromeda, Friday 12 June 2026. The award-winning improvised theatre show Friends to the End feels like it needs a graphic novel rather than a written review. There’d be a lot of pow and thwop… Continue reading Review: Friends to the End – not even the apocalypse can bust up this delightful bromance
Charlotte Thornton reviews Paul Ego: Stick, at Little Andromeda, Thursday 11 June 2026. You’ve been hearing Paul Ego’s voice for 17 years. Since 2009 he’s been a regular team captain on 7 Days and the voice of Stickman for PAK’nSAVE, bridging a gap between the underfunded arts field and the lucrative advertising industry that most… Continue reading Review: Paul Ego: Stick – appealing, breezy comedy from the dad behind the stick
Jordon Jones reviews Face/Off: Comedy vs. Poetry presented by Dave Adams and Jor Dansaren, at Little Andromeda, Saturday 6 June 2026. You might think that the question "who is funnier: comedians or poets?" would be fairly self-explanatory. But, then, you probably don't know enough poets. It's certainly a question that has inspired comedian Dave Adams… Continue reading Review: Face/Off: Comedy vs Poetry – quick wit and wordplay make for a quality grudge match
Erin Harrington reviews Babyface, written and performed by Nick Tipa, directed by Sara Georgie, with music and sound design by Zac Nicholls, at Little Andromeda, Thursday 4 June 2026. Kahu’s a Māori kid in a small rural town that can’t tap its ‘r’s. Professional wrestler Whiplash is the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world with… Continue reading Review: Babyface – a total suplex to the heart
Flat City Field Notes 