The first part of Whenua closes with the voice of celebrated choreographer Rodney Bell (Ngāti Maniapoto), his words projected in red across a slanting white screen — “Ko au ko koe, ko koe ko au”: I am you, and you are me. Connections to one another and to the land are central themes of this striking double-bill from the New Zealand Dance Company. The show, which won acclaim on its European tour earlier this year, comprises “Imprint”, choreographed by Bell and Malia Johnston; and “Uku — Behind the Canvas”, choreographed by Eddie Elliott (Ngāti Maniapoto). The creative vision underpinning these ..read more

The Road to Leadership is Through Service As soon as O le Pepelo, le Gaoi, ma le Pala’ai (The Liar, the Thief, and the Coward) starts, the audience is immersed in the Samoan language. The opening monologue by Vaofefe (The Village Vale), played by Jesme Fa’auuga, is recited fully in Samoan — no subtitles provided.  A bilingual production requires a great deal of trust in the audience, especially when asking viewers to embrace language through immersion rather than translation. O le Pepelo, le Gaoi, ma le Pala’ai alongside other recent productions (such as last year’s How to Throw a Chines ..read more

Te Tangi a Te Tūī is a ground-breaking collaboration between Te Rēhia Theatre, The Dust Palace and The Cultch, which weaves together elements of Māori pūrakau, circus theatre, spectacular visuals, and stunning choreography to tell the story of the Tūī’s song which becomes an allegory for the beauty and persistence of te reo Māori. The Tūī’s birdsong is complex and unique and has been described as a “colorful mix of musical notes and offbeat sounds” (Birdsong website). Similarly, this production brings together a disparate range of colourful theatrical elements which, despite some offbeat elem ..read more

[The Ballad of Billy Bob and Bobby Bill] Pale pink and white fabric clouds hang in fluffy banks over the Basement Studio stage. On a single mattress are two, improbably still, denim-shorts-clad, cowboys. They lie on top of each other, stacked like flapjacks, with only the flashing of the silver studs on one of their belts giving the impression of movement. A large white sheet is strung between the billowing clouds and the mattress below, bisecting the Studio stage. In the long moments before the audience fills the seats, and the lighting state changes from the preshow setting, we take in this ..read more

Offered as part of Auckland Pride Festival 2024, Sirens of the Silver Screen is a charming and energetic drag cabaret, which pays homage to the plots and songs of popular films.  Miss Demeanour, Miss Givings, and Miss Manage provide renditions of songs which typify the nostalgia of films gone by. These performances were slotted into a loose narrative arc, which borrowed plot points from a vast pool of well-known movies. Sister Act, Notting Hill, James Bond, Star Wars, Titanic, and 10 Things I Hate About You, are but a small selection of the plots intimated. This created a very loose narr ..read more

Presented as part of the Auckland Pride Festival 2024, Arden Ensemble’s Twelfth Night was variously advertised as a lesbian reinterpretation, an LGBTQIA+ retelling, and a queer reimagining. ‘Reimagining’ may best fit the bill. Director Rose Herda and her players have staged a vibrant rendition of Shakespeare’s comedy that delivers the usual laughs and shenanigans — with an unmistakably contemporary feel.  Twelfth Night isn’t a difficult play to cast in a queer light. For those who haven’t seen or studied it, we lay our scene in Illyria, where Viola finds herself shipwrecked. When she dis ..read more

[If you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you] Described as an immersive experience to ‘journey through time, bearing witness to a Taiwanese perspective on legacies of colonialism (1930-1995)’, This Room is an Island sets the stage outside the theatre, beginning in the Te Pou foyer. One by one performers make their way through the audience to the middle of the floor. People instinctively part to make space, the audience pushed against the walls by some invisible force. Standing next to the recycle bin I try to make myself small and out of the way — I feel like the intruder here ..read more

What an absolute treat it was to see Tea For Two Valentine’s Special. I arrived early at the Loft at Q Theatre and found a seat front and centre, only then realising that I was at a Valentine’s show by myself. Theatre goers file in and decide to leave a number of conspicuously empty seats around me. The one woman show begins (well, one woman plus one assistant who hangs back with the audience), as does the audience interaction. The masked character, Anahera, skilfully played by Tamara Gussy (Basket Case), is quick to notice my predicament, and with wide-eyed and endearing enthusiasm she promi ..read more

This year’s commentary is split into two parts. CLICK HERE for 2023 – A Theatrical Year in Review [Part 1 – The Issues]. Theatre Scenes’ recent annual Year in Reviews have focussed on big sector issues, broadening our focus beyond the theatre performed on our stages. But it is always a relief to turn the attention back to the shows, and revisit what our team of reviewers made of them.  So, let’s get back to business. Well, not quite yet. Silo Theatre made the big call that “2023 = cancelled”, meaning we missed out on Silo’s usual agenda-setting productions this year. The company instead ..read more

The good news: For the first time in four years, 2023 was marked by the absence of widespread disruption and cancellations of performing arts events caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Buoyed by Government investment, festivals were back in force up and down the country. There were plenty of sold out shows. Theatre is back, baby! The not-so-good news: Extreme weather events replaced Covid as a major disruptor. Short-term funding injections have failed (surprise, surprise) to lead to long-term sustainability, and public investment is contracting. Some treasured institutions closed this year, whil ..read more