Arts and culture in Ōtautahi Christchurch
Charlotte Thornton reviews Sweet William or Born to be Bard, presented by Enchanting Productions, written and composed by Neill Pickard, directed by Louise Glossop, at The Piano, Friday 16 October 2026. William Shakespeare is almost as popular a character as the characters he created. He’s beloved on screen: a romantic lead in the Best Picture-winning… Continue reading Review: Sweet William or Born to Be Bard – strong vocal performances elevate a long-lost local musical
Erin Harrington responds to three rehearsed play readings at the Festival of New Theatre: Ella West's Mrs Parker, Ana Mulipola's My Mum Stitches, and Andrew Todd and Cathasaigh Ó Fiannachta’s The Consummate Professional, presented in partnership with Rollicking Entertainment at the Isaac Theatre Royal, Sunday 11 October 2026.Making theatre is amazing, and it is hard.… Continue reading Rehearsed readings at the Festival of New Theatre: three very different plays, done three ways
Ruth Agnew reviews Heartbreak Hotel, created by EBKM, written by Karin McCracken, directed by Eleanor Bishop, at the Court Theatre, Wednesday 16 October, 2026. There are so many things to love about Heartbreak Hotel, the latest offering from Eleanor Bishop and Karin McCracken’s trailblazing creative partnership, EBKM. Love, loss and scientific factoids are explored in… Continue reading Review: Heartbreak Hotel – must-see, heart-stopping theatre that weaves extraordinary stories out of our ordinary experiences
Creon Upton reviews Da Da Honk Honk The The Dry Cleaning of Père Ubu, presented by Free Theatre, directed by Peter Falkenberg, at The Pump House, Thursday 8 October 2026. One of my most memorable gigs of the past decade was Delaney Davidson playing at St Stephen's Church in Onewhero in 2017. Tickets were available… Continue reading Review: Da Da Honk Honk The The Dry Cleaning of Père Ubu – a witty and wild cabaret that’s whatever you want to make of it (and that’s okay)
Ruth Agnew reviews Invisible to the Naked AI, a work in progress show performed by Nicola Brown, at Little Andromeda, Saturday 3 October 2026. Dunedin has lots of hidden, underrated treasures - The Museum of Natural Mystery, Lan Yuan Chinese Garden, the Dead Souls Bookshop, and my new favourite, comedian Nicola Brown. Luckily for those… Continue reading Review: Invisible to the Naked AI – an unapologetically funny show about not fading away
Moata Tamaira reviews A Court of Horny Roses, presented by Rollicking Entertainment at the Lyttelton Arts Factory, Friday 18 September 2026. What do you get if you bring a theatre full of Romantasy fans (and the Romantasy-curious) together, act out a chaotic, abridged version of a wildly popular Sarah J. Maas novel, and give them… Continue reading Review: A Court of Horny Roses – My Comical Romantasy
Erin Harrington reviews Teenage Dick, by Mike Lew, directed by Pelenakeke Brown, at the Court Theatre, Saturday 12 September 2026. Richard III is one of Shakespeare’s great villains: a “deformed, unfinish’d” noble “not shaped for sportive tricks” who decides that if he can’t be the face then he’ll be the heel, and damn anyone who… Continue reading Review: Teenage Dick – Gen Z zingers meet dirty politics as Richard III goes to high school
Jordon Jones reviews And Then There Were None, by Agatha Christie, directed by Rachel O'Brien Hamilton and Ben Moore, presented by the University of Canterbury Drama Society, at the Ngaio Marsh Theatre, Wednesday 9 September 2026. And Then There Were None is one of Agatha Christie's most enduring mysteries, sitting right up there with Murder… Continue reading Review: And Then There Were None – a creative take on a classic play
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
Daniel Allan reviews Faust on Trial, by Josiah Morgan, Stella Cheersmith and Jonty Coulson, at Cloisters Studio, Te Matatiki Toi Ora Christchurch Arts Centre, Saturday 15 August 2026. Faust on Trial was initially developed as part of Hagley Theatre School’s theatre creation course last year - see the review of that iteration here. Word of… Continue reading Review: Faust on Trial – a restaged cage match offers thought-provoking indie theatre (and no winners)
