Arts and culture in Ōtautahi Christchurch
Creon Upton reviews The Passionate Puritan, devised and directed by Peter Falkenberg, presented by Free Theatre, at The Pumphouse, Thursday 16 October 2025. Every postcolonial people is unhappy in its own way, rent between a present no-one can correct and a past the settlers wouldn’t return to if they could. One feature of the unease… Continue reading Review: The Passionate Puritan – a riveting postcolonial drama unafraid to take risks
Erin Harrington reviews Kitchen Chaos, presented by Rollicking Entertainment, at the Court Theatre, Thursday 2 October 2025. Young audiences are the best to entertain, but they certainly are the toughest to please. No fear: even in the opening minutes of Kitchen Chaos, performers Lizzie Tollemache and David Ladderman clearly have the school holiday audience under… Continue reading Review: Kitchen Chaos – a winning recipe for comedy, clowning, and domestic disaster
Ruth Agnew reviews The Early Early Late Show, presented by the Court Jesters in the Wakefield Family Front Room at the Court Theatre, Tuesday 23 September 2025. The Early Early Late Show (EELS) is something of a school holiday fixture, with the first version performed in 2007 in the Court Theatre at the Christchurch Arts… Continue reading Review: The Early Early Late Show – a beloved, brilliantly executed school holiday fixture
Erin Harrington reviews The King’s Speech, written by David Seidler, directed by Benjamin Kilby-Henson, at the Court Theatre, Saturday 20 September, 2025. The King's Speech is an ideal choice for the Court Theatre, as they look to tempt old and new patrons alike to their new city theatre. David Seidler’s play, an adaptation of his… Continue reading Review: The King’s Speech – an inspirational crowd-pleaser
Erin Harrington reviews Running Into the Sun, presented by a2 Company, written and directed by Ben Ashby, choreographed by Nadiyah Akbar, designed by Asha Barr, composed by Lennox Grootjans and Toby Leman, at the Cloisters Studio at The Arts Centre Te Matatiki Toi Ora, Tuesday 9 September 2025. The story of the terrific multidisplinary work… Continue reading Review: Running Into the Sun – a freewheeling call for hope in the face of crisis
Ruth Agnew reviews Six Characters in Search of an Author, written by Luigi Pirandello, directed by Jeremy Hinman, performed by the Court Theatre Youth Company at the Court Theatre, Tuesday 2 September 2025. "A character, sir, may always ask a man who he is. Because a character has really a life of his own, marked… Continue reading Review: Six Characters in Search of an Author – an absurdist showcase of impressive skills, talent and stagecraft
Sophie Ricketts reviews Chicago, book by Fred Ebb & Bob Fosse, music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, produced by Ben McDonald, directed by Michael Hurst, choreography by Shona McCullagh, musical direction by Paul Barrett, at the Isaac Theatre Royal, Sunday 17 August 2025. It was awesome to see the Isaac Theatre Royal full… Continue reading Review: Chicago – an enthralling, razor-sharp production of an enduring classic
Erin Harrington reviews Twelfth Night, by William Shakespeare, directed by Alison Walls, at the Court Theatre, Saturday 9 August 2025. The Court Theatre’s production of the evergreen romantic comedy Twelfth Night brings the audience into a dreamy ‘elsewhere’ in which mistaken identity, unrequited love and comic nonsense get all muddled up. A young noblewoman Viola… Continue reading Review: Twelfth Night – strong characterisation and comic action anchor a hazy production
Erin Harrington reviews The Ballad of Briar Grant, written by Jack McGee, directed by Lia Kelly, presented by Squash Co Arts Collection, at Little Andromeda, Wednesday 6 August 2025. In Jack McGee’s new play The Ballad of Briar Grant, Hayley (Phoebe Caldeiro) finds herself working in an apple orchard in the south of France after… Continue reading Review: The Ballad of Briar Grant – how do you like them apples?
Lisa Allan reviews Rubber Gloves: The Glad Rags Story, written by Jennifer Currie, at Little Andromeda, Friday 18 July, 2025. The stage at Little Andromeda in Ōtautahi Christchurch is awash with colour in the form of costumes and props and it is not long before the house lights dim and the two-strong cast of Rubber Gloves: The Glad… Continue reading Review: Rubber Gloves – the Glad Rags Story – bold and silly playfulness from the best cleaners around
Flat City Field Notes 