Johan Chang – The Speakeasy

IN REVIEW: Have You Ever Been With An Asian Womxn?

March 1, 2020

Let's be very clear here, I am not the intended target audience for this show. Which means you need to take this review with a grain of salt. However, regardless of your ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, ...

IN REVIEW: The Unfolding of Benjamin’s Misery

Johan Chang

February 21, 2020

Theatre

Hideto Ambiguous' solo-performer tragicomedy is a creation that taps into a whole host of modern day issues. The exploitation of a migrant worker, inherent social and institutional racism, political 'wokeness'...

In Review: Ad Astra

Johan Chang

September 20, 2019

Entertainment, Film

Ad Astra is, subjectively speaking, a classical "thinking man's space opera". Directed by James Gray (The Lost City of Z), it's as much science-fiction as it is an excursion into past classics.

NZICF In Review: Instant Broadway – Covert Theatre

Johan Chang

May 16, 2019

Comedy, Entertainment, Music, NZ International Comedy Festival

First of all – let me say – Aotea Center’s Herald Theatre is really hard to find. If it wasn’t for the help of two excellent centre staff, it would’ve taken my date and I far longer to make it there. However, ...

NZICF In Review: Seriousli’i?

Johan Chang

May 4, 2019

Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival

Jesus. Where the fuck do I start? Here's the thing about acts down in the Vault @ Q. It's an intimate space - the seats are slightly cramped, there's the sound of a giant air-con working over time, and the ...

NZICF In Review: Exes

Johan Chang

May 4, 2019

Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival

There's this thing about working alongside your ex - it's somewhat awkward, the tiniest thing rub you the wrong way, and while you try to resist as hard as you may, the two of you will eventually reminisce ove...

8.8

In Review: HeadSand

Johan Chang

April 1, 2019

Culture, Theatre

There's a certain unique charm in going to the theatre blind. Without any foreknowledge of the actors, a synopsis, or even the vaguest understandings of what the hell is going on, it keeps you on edge, ready t...

7.5

In Review: Monster Mash at Q

Johan Chang

November 20, 2018

Culture, Theatre

Here’s the thing about saying yes to something spur of the moment: do it, and it might just end up being one of the weirdest things you experience. Which is a bit of understatement for the titular Monster Ma...

9.3

In Review: Orientation

Johan Chang

September 14, 2018

Culture, Entertainment, Theatre

There’s something legitimately discomforting with the first half of Orientation. It’s certainly not bad theatre; the music is sound, the lighting moody, and the acting … well, the acting. Maybe … no. The act...

9

In Review: First World Problems

Johan Chang

July 24, 2018

Entertainment, Theatre

There’s this quote in Jean Rhys’ novel, ‘Wide Sargasso Sea’, which goes like this: “Justice. I’ve heard that word. I tried it out. I wrote it down. I wrote it down several times and always it looked like a damn...

7.2

NZ International Comedy Festival In Review: Andrew Maxwell – Showtime

Johan Chang

May 6, 2018

Comedy, NZ International Comedy Festival

There’s really no other way to say it. There really isn’t. So I’m just going to go right ahead with this as an opener: Andrew Maxwell is a foul-mouthed, uncouth, and deeply dividing Irishman whose comedy manage...

9

NZ International Comedy Festival In Review: Marcel Lucont Etc. – A Chat Show

Johan Chang

May 3, 2018

Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival

There are stereotypes of the French, and then there are stereotypes of the French. Marcel Lucont manages to embody all of those, and then some, all the whilst having you nearly falling out the chair with laught...

7.6

NZ International Comedy Festival In Review: Bridget Davies – Bridget Davies’ Diary

Johan Chang

April 28, 2018

Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival

There’s just something intrinsically relatable with Bridget Davies’ comedy, as much of it stems from personal anecdotes, observations, and musings on life. Predominantly centered on her dating life or the lack ...

8

NZ International Comedy Festival In Review: Eamonn Marra – ‘Dignity’

Johan Chang

April 28, 2018

Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival

It’s always a little awkward trying to figure out what a comedian’s about from a cold start, but Eamonn Marra’s own awkwardness somehow undercuts the audience’s unease. I mean, he starts with sheep jokes. Okay,...

In Review: WEiRdO

Johan Chang

April 18, 2018

Comedy, Theatre

About twenty-something-odd-years ago, I was a fresh transplant from Taiwan to the distant shores of ... well, the North Shore of Auckland. Considering the darn place is as peak-white-suburbia as possible (sans ...

8.4

In Review: Carbolic Productions presents ‘The Revue 2016’

Johan Chang

November 11, 2016

Comedy, Culture, Entertainment, Lifestyle

It certainly isn't everyday you get to see one of your best friends in drag. Of course, that wasn't the defining feature of how I ended up at the preview night for Carbolic Production's 28 Hours Later, a sho...

9.6

NZIFF: Jim – The James Foley Story

Johan Chang

July 30, 2016

Entertainment, Film

It was one of the largest media events to have happened during 2014. On August 19th of that year, a video, which was quickly taken down but not before it went viral across the internet, was uploaded to YouTu...

World Press Photo Exhibition

Johan Chang

July 7, 2016

Culture, Lifestyle

This year, 5,775 photojournalists from 128 countries submitted a total of 82,951 images to the 59th World Press Photo contest. Located on the sixth floor of Smith and Caughey's in central Auckland, the exhib...

8.8

In Review: “Bachelor of Arts”

Johan Chang

May 11, 2016

Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival

1

I was not in a good mood. Not the fault of anyone particular, but by the time I had finally wound my way to Montecristo Comedy, I had managed to traverse the entire CBD. My fault, really, for not paying more at...

The Return of Jason Bourne

Johan Chang

April 22, 2016

Entertainment, Film, Watch, Watch and Listen

... and he remembers everything. It's been nine years since Matt Damon took up the mantle of Jason Bourne, and it's high time he returns to this iconic franchise. After getting a taste of the teaser a coupl...

The Road to Civil War: Supercut

Johan Chang

March 23, 2016

Entertainment, Film, Geek and Web

For fans of Marvel, the much awaited Captain America: Civil War is going to be one of the biggest highlights of this year. A cinematic re-imagining of the Civil War storyline featured in the comic universe betw...

Author Johan Chang