Arts and culture in Ōtautahi Christchurch
Erin Harrington reviews Selene, written and created by Alexander Wright and Phil Clive Grainger for Wright&Grainger, made with and told by Megan Drury, in association Theatre@41 Monkgate, with tour assistance from A Mulled Whine Productions, at Little Andromeda, Tuesday 24 March 2026. There are different ways to have a moving and intense theatrical encounter. Sometimes… Continue reading Review: Selene – intense, intimate storytelling balancing darkness and light
Roving FCFN reporter John Armstrong heads south and reflects on some highlights from the Dunedin Fringe Festival, which ran from 12 - 22 March 2026. Dunedin Fringe has sadly come to an end. Yesterday marked the end of an incredible eleven days of stand-up, theatre, sketch comedy and live music, with morethan ninety shows all… Continue reading Wrap up: Dunedin Fringe is a chaotic and ambitious festival with incredible DIY energy
Charlotte Thornton reviews Motion Sickness, presented by a2 Company, at Little Andromeda, Friday 20 March 2026. Aussie-New Zealand production house a2 Company can’t help but blow us away. When I reviewed their multi-award-winning Running Into the Sun for Bad Apple back in September, I said that show had “an apocalyptic vibe because the world has… Continue reading Review: Motion Sickness – the nightclub at the end of the world
Erin Harrington reviews Feeling Afraid as if Something Terrible is Going to Happen, written by Marcelo Dos Santos, directed by Tim Bain, at the Court Theatre, Saturday 14 March 2026. The one-man show Feeling Afraid as if Something Terrible is Going to Happen is a one act black comedy framed as a stand-up set that’s… Continue reading Review: Feeling Afraid as if Something Terrible is Going to Happen – self-loathing, vulnerability, and debasement, but for laughs
Charlotte Thornton reviews The Gigantic Gay Late Night Game Show, at the Court Theatre, Saturday 8 March 2026. The Gigantic Gay Late Night Game Show is the rowdiest entry in the Court Theatre’s 2026 Rainbow Festival calendar. In an interview with Flat City Field Notes back in February, Festival organiser Tim Bain said the 2026… Continue reading Review: The Gigantic Gay Late Night Game Show – a winning format with a winning audience
Ruth Agnew reviews Hugo's Rainbow Show, presented as part of the Rainbow Theatre Festival, at the Court Theatre, Saturday 7 March 2026. Hear me out: let’s bring back a dedicated hour of news at 6pm every night, where entire households gather in their lounge rooms to catch up on the day’s events, except there’s no… Continue reading Review: Hugo’s Rainbow Show – the forecast is magical
Erin Harrington reviews The Importance of Being Earnest, by Oscar Wilde, directed by Kathleen Burns, at the Stewart Family Theatre at the Court Theatre, Saturday 21 February, 2026. The first mainstage show of the Court Theatre’s 2026 season sets a very high bar for the year. Oscar Wilde’s 1895 play The Importance of Being Earnest,… Continue reading Review: The Importance of Being Earnest – a sparkling production that’s very serious about being silly
Ruth Agnew reviews The Merry Wives of Windsor, produced by Top Dog Theatre Company as their annual Open Air Summer Shakespeare production, at Mona Vale, Friday 6 February 2026. While I am a lifelong fangirl of William Shakespeare and his works, I must be honest and admit The Merry Wives of Windsor has never tickled… Continue reading Review: The Merry Wives of Windsor – a smart and funny take on a flawed comedy
Erin Harrington reviews The Feast, directed by Fleur de Thier and Renee Ryan and created with the cast, at Lyttelton Arts Factory, Friday 6 February, 2026. The return season of Fleur de Thier and Renee Ryan’s stunning 75-minute performance work The Feast is set at a long black banquet table, which is backed by a… Continue reading Review: The Feast – sumptuous, emotional storytelling through dance, monologue and music
Erin Harrington cobbles together a bunch of end of / start of year material. Did the performing arts in Ōtautahi survive or thrive in 2025? A little of both perhaps, but either way it was a very big year. There have been some big physical shifts in the local arts ecosystem. Wider changes - such… Continue reading Review / preview: 2025 highlights, and a 2026 wishlist
Flat City Field Notes 