Reviews from theatreview.org.nz from the last week including coverage of the NZ Fringe Festival in Wellington.

Theatreview is the New Zealand Performing Arts Review & Director

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Reviews from theatreview.org.nz from the last week including coverage of the NZ Fringe Festival in Wellington.

Theatreview is the New Zealand Performing Arts Review & Director

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Blarney Stone Room, Molly Malones, Wellington
THIN AIR: Thoroughly developed characters
- reviewed by Priyanka Bhonsule (Hutt News)

The small audience in the small Blarney Stone Room at Molly Malone's were treated to an enthusiastic production, with three teenagers trying to answer difficult questions about love.

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BATS, Wellington
THERE'S SO MUCH TO LIVE FOR: Elusive allusion makes for a riveting hour
- reviewed by John Smythe

New co-op on the block Hungry Mile Theatre . brings a whole new voice to our contemporary theatre scene . a twenty-somethings' existential angst play with a rich vein of humour; a state-of-mind play with an absurdist, somewhat Lewis Carroll-esque, flavour.

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American Modernist Garden, Hamilton
SIMPLICITY: Simplicity itself
- reviewed by Sue Cheesman

Dances in the different gardens within the Hamilton Gardens Annual Arts festival have become a regular feature... with a mixture of ages filling the white seats.

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The Garden Club, 13b Dixon Street, Wellington
DROWNING IN VERONICA LAKE: Playful, provocative and poignant
- reviewed by John Smythe

She's been poured into her frock before the show begins and remains imprisoned in it: a figure-hugging sheath with a huge fanning out circular hem; a swirl that could be pushing her up or dragging her down. Thus she stands - and falls - as an icon of Hollywood stardom.

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Circa Two, Wellington
IMPROV CAGE MATCH: Winning formula
- reviewed by James McKinnon

I have sampled a little of everything at the improv smorgasbord that is the Wellington Fringe this week, most recently the Improv Cage Match at Circa 2. I enjoyed all the entries, but Cage Match is in many ways the strongest of the three ...

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Fortune Theatre, Dunedin
THE WONDER OF SEX: Fun in comical take on sex only lesson learned
- reviewed by Barbara Frame

Rather than go into actual anatomical detail, therapist Desmond ("not professionally trained obviously, but I've taught myself") and sidekick Raymond present a woefully uninstructive history of sex, starting with Oedipus and finishing with a ludicrous vision of the future.

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BATS, Wellington
MOTHERLOCK: One-sided, undramatic and witless story not ready to be told
- reviewed by John Smythe

When people tell stories it is usually for a purpose that constitutes some kind of gift for the listener. Without purpose or value, it's just a narrative; a list of events: this happened then that happened then another thing happened . So what? And why?

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Fringe Bar, Cnr Cuba & Vivian, Wellington
COMEDY UNPLUGGED 2011: An entertaining wander into the pick'n'mix aisle
- reviewed by Robbie Ellis

Tonight's show was a step above [the raw comedy] concept: seven comedians (including no fewer than three Billy T nominees, past and present) tested material for their upcoming New Zealand International Comedy Festival shows in April and May.

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St Andrews on the Terrace, Wellington
SEVEN JEWISH CHILDREN: A PLAY FOR GAZA: Where truth lies in simply powerful performances
- reviewed by John Smythe

Four actors play out seven variations, initiated by the recurring phrase "Tell her ." and mostly including "Don't frighten her" and "Don't tell her that!" Thus Caryl Churchill distils 70-odd years of Jewish history, succinctly showing how the victim becomes the perpetrator.

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The Medici Court, Hamilton Gardens, Hamilton
THE MISER OF MYSTERY CREEK: Madcap pace and flawless timing
- reviewed by Gail Pittaway

Moliere's The Miser has been colonised by this hysterical historical farce set in the swamps around Hamilton in 1867. Moliere's play, L'Avare, literally 'the avaricious one', was written for the court of Louis XIV in France in the 1660s; this version was devised by Stuart Devenie and members of the cast ...

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BATS, Wellington
JOSEPH AND MAHINA: Delicately subtle
- reviewed by Laurie Atkinson

In contrast to Love in the Time of Vampires, the acting in Joseph and Mahina is restrained, subtle and varied. It is a simple love story, told simply and movingly in Hera Dunleavy's straightforward production in which Renee Lyons and Thomas Sainsbury play the title roles and a number of characters ...

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BATS, Wellington
LOVE IN THE TIME OF VAMPIRES: Deliciously coarse
- reviewed by Laurie Atkinson

There are some good jokes, some deliciously surrealistic ones ..., and plenty of action and plot surprises ..., as well as a dryly funny narrator ...

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Court One, Christchurch
MIDNIGHT IN MOSCOW: Parker succeeds with thought-provoking play
- reviewed by Alan Scott

Midnight in Moscow is a new play from Dean Parker; one of his best. What gives it such force is his seamless interweaving of an intriguing plot and interesting personal stories with the politics of one of the great debates of the twentieth century.

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Fringe Bar, Cnr Cuba & Vivian, Wellington
BATTLE OF WITS: Strong female cohort improves improv
- reviewed by James McKinnon

Battle of WITs is probably one of the safest bets for a good time at the Fringe (or any other time, really). This version of improvised theatre pits three teams against each other in five rounds of short-form improv games.

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Court One, Christchurch
MIDNIGHT IN MOSCOW: Lunches, hunches, romance and an occasional whiff of 'home'
- reviewed by Lindsay Clark

Espionage has not figured too often as the raw material of New Zealand drama, but undeniably it furnishes some rich ingredients. The tensions of betrayal fuel Dean Parker's new play all the way, as a fascinating contrast to the relaxed sociable world of New Zealand Legation in post war Moscow, 1947.

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BATS, Wellington
JOSEPH AND MAHINA: Another Sainsbury gem
- reviewed by John Smythe

In the simplest of settings, with handy shelves holding the odd prop and clothing item to help distinguish characters, Dunleavy, Lyons and Sainsbury allow the characters to be and behave as they are and do, leaving us to recognise, empathise and judge.

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Fortune Theatre, Dunedin
THE WONDER OF SEX: Ludicrously mismatched pairings
- reviewed by Terry MacTavish

Well, at least 'the wonder of sexual attraction', given the utter absurdity of the human reproductive method. No discernible message, deeper meaning or insight, but good for a giggle, as they say.

Two bumbling actors fondly imagine they are the experts to enlighten us on this fascinating topic, even to provide a little counselling.

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Maidment, Auckland
WELL HUNG: Excellently timed slapstick
- reviewed by Janet McAllister

The sexy blonde on the promotional poster isn't on stage, but the title says it all: this is shamelessly low brow farce, and no one's pretending otherwise. It's very well produced; whether or not one thinks it's worth the Auckland Theatre Company's substantial effort is a matter of taste.

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The Garden Club, 13b Dixon Street, Wellington
ROBERT HALEY - MIND READER: Refreshing, exciting . and possibly magic
- reviewed by Fiona McNamara

Robert Haley is not psychic, nor does he pretend to be. He can't actually 'read your mind'. He is a mentalist. He can figure out what you are thinking or picturing from all those little smirks, and twitches you don't even realise you are making.

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Frank Kitts Park, Wellington
CAMPGROUND CHAOS: Colourful and playful Kiwiana-infused circus romp
- reviewed by Helen Sims

A camp master wearing a boy scout uniform and a harness welcomes the audience to the campground and tells us we are in for an hour or so of acrobatics, contortion, juggling and general circus frivolity. Over the course of the next hour we do enjoy watching the aforementioned circus feats mixed in with ...

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BATS, Wellington
LOVE IN THE TIME OF VAMPIRES: Absurdist madness relished
- reviewed by John Smythe

Love in the Time of Vampires started as a 12-hour short play writing challenge then two playlet sequels - Love in the Time of Zombies and Love in the Time of Lawyers - were added by writer /director Pachali Brewster. The result is a plot-thick hyper-acted romp, fun for the hour it lasts but leaving us little to chew on.

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Fringe Bar, Cnr Cuba & Vivian, Wellington
THE MOST FUN FUNERAL!: From heartbreaking to zany
- reviewed by James McKinnon

Anne Brashier is a very talented and charismatic performer. Those who aspire to a career in theatre should go, watch, and learn; those who simply seek the pleasures of the spectator will enjoy her engaging style and strong physical work.

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Downstage Theatre, Wellington
LOVE YOU APPROXIMATELY: Screen Links Up Modern Lovers
- reviewed by Laurie Atkinson

While Love makes the world go round even in the digital age, its path still does not run smooth in the Mills and Boonish, light-as-air romance Love You Approximately because Imogen is in Christchurch and Pere is in Barcelona though they had met in Spain when Imogen was there on holiday.

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Zeal (above Bodega), Wellington
CRAZY JOINT LOVE: High Quality Performances
- reviewed by Helen Sims

Crazy Joint Love marks the return to the Fringe Festival of Sarah Delahunty and her 1st Gear Productions drama students. In keeping with the previous shows (2b or not 2b and Medea Songs), Delahunty updates the classics to produce sharp, witty and teen friendly material.

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Fringe Bar, Cnr Cuba & Vivian, Wellington
SQUARE EYE PAIR: Kiwi Couch Comedy in need of Development
- reviewed by Fiona McNamara

Square Eye Pair is a kiwi couch comedy: two guys (Eli Matthewson and Hamish Parkinson) sit in their flat, watching TV, eating pizza and playing wii. Occasionally a girl (Brynley Stent) enters to take on all the other roles. It is the debut production from Chicken Legs Theatre and this comedy trio are certainly talented

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Downstage Theatre, Wellington
LOVE YOU APPROXIMATELY: Simple But Sweet Love Story Featuring Two Beautiful Performances
- reviewed by Hannah Smith

Can you marry the markers of the modern age (emails, texts, Skype) with the classic fare of theatre, a human body performing live in front of others? It is this challenge that has resulted in two creative teams on different sides of the world coming together in an impressive creative collaboration, the performances largely devised via Skype and rehearsed together over the internet.

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Fringe Bar, Cnr Cuba & Vivian, Wellington
MOTIVATIONAL CONVERSATIONALISTS: Excellent Improvisers Answering Life Questions
- reviewed by Fiona McNamara

Motivational Conversationalists is your personal opportunity to have your life questions answered by the most intelligent people in the solar system, who will motivate you to success and a tidy profit; or you could use it as the chance to sit back and watch your friends be embarrassed on stage. Either is a sweet deal for fifteen bucks if you ask me.

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BATS, Wellington
WITSIDE STORY: Hit and Miss
- reviewed by James McKinnon

This performance deserves to be documented as an example of both the rewards and perils of long form, improvised musical theatre (admittedly, a highly refined genre). When performers take big, bold risks, even failure often brings a big payoff: failing at a laughably impossible task is just as funny as nailing it, but the comedy is blended with pathos because we really want them to succeed.

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