Arts and culture in Ōtautahi Christchurch
Naomi van den Broek reviews Colour Me Cecily at Little Andromeda, 20 April 2023. In the 1980s my mother, fresh from the breakup of the parental marriage, did what many women in her situation did. She looked for a career that could work around full-time parenting - particularly something that allowed her control over her… Continue reading Review: Colour Me Cecily – a promising show in need of more colour
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
Erin Harrington reviews Free Theatre’s production of the avant-garde musical Woyzeck, directed by Peter Falkenberg, at The Pump House, 544 Tuam Street, Friday 14 April, 2023. Free Theatre’s production of Woyzeck is an adaptation of Robert Wilson, Kathleen Brennan and Tom Waits’ musical adaptation, first performed in 2000, of Georg Büchner’s fragmentary, unfinished 1836/7 play.… Continue reading Review: Woyzeck – an avant-garde musical about misery
Erin Harrington pokes around at the Off Centre festival, including performances of Requiem and Much Ado About Nothing, at The Arts Centre Te Matatiki Toi Ora, Friday 3 - Sunday 5 March. For other coverage see a review of A Baby Called Sovereignty here. When The Arts Centre Te Matatiki Toi Ora was severely impacted… Continue reading Review: Off Centre – Requiem, Much Ado About Nothing, and being a city
Naomi van den Broek responds to A Baby Called Sovereignty, presented as part of the Off Centre Festival at The Arts Centre Te Matatiki Toi Ora, Saturday 4 March 2023. “We are not invisible, I know you see us” Weaver of stories, people, themes and contemporary concerns, Juanita Hepi, gives us the koha of A… Continue reading Review: A Baby Called Sovereignty – a koha, a wero, a celebration
Erin Harrington reviews Back to the Future: In Concert, presented by the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra under Chief Conductor Benjamin Northey, at the Christchurch Town Hall, Saturday 4 March, 2023. Some incontrovertible facts about the 1985 time travel film Back to the Future: it smashed that year’s box office, it made the DMC DeLeorean a pop… Continue reading Review: Back to the Future In Concert – A 1.21 jigawatt experience
Erin Harrington reviews Sense and Sensibility, adapted by Penny Ashton from Jane Austen's novel, directed and choreographed by Hillary Moulder, at The Court Theatre, Saturday 11 February, 2023. I didn’t come to Jane Austen until quite late – my 30s. When I was assigned to read Pride and Prejudice in third form English I was… Continue reading Review: Sense and Sensibility – a sparking romantic romp
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 Rent, book / music / lyrics by Jonathan Larson, directed by Lara Macgregor, at The Court Theatre, Friday 19 November 2022. The Court Theatre has had a patchy year. Many shows were cancelled, mucked about or rescheduled, and the year’s standout production – The Māori Sidesteps, wonderful – was chronically underattended. But… Continue reading Review: Rent – vital, muscular musical theatre
Erin Harrington reviews A Boy Called Piano, presented by The Conch and directed by Nina Nawalowalo, at The Piano: Centre for Music and the Arts / Pīpīwharauroa: Kui-kui whitiwhiti ora, Friday 21 October 2022. The Conch’s stage production of A Boy Called Piano begins with a voiceover from co-creator Fa’amoana John Luafutu, accompanied by swirling… Continue reading Review: A Boy Called Piano – offering voices to the voiceless
Flat City Field Notes 