In Review – The Speakeasy

In Review: Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

November 14, 2018

Review by Chelsea Pickens Disclaimer: This review is coming unashamedly from the Harry Potter fandom. I’m one of those people. I have horcruxes hanging from my window and an elderwand on proud display on my...

In Review: They Shall Not Grow Old

The Speakeasy

November 6, 2018

Entertainment, Film, Spotlight

Written by Chelsea Pickens Being real for a second, the draw of this documentary film for me was undeniably that 'it was something by Peter Jackson', our very own Kiwi king of film. It’s not that I’m not int...

In Review: Medusa at Loft at Q

The Speakeasy

October 27, 2018

Entertainment, Theatre

Words Alysha Jensen photos Julie Zhu Medusa will attack your senses, your emotions and all views you have on the power structures around us. Be prepared to be challenged on how you think theatre should be st...

In Review: A Star Is Born

Shawn Moodie

October 12, 2018

Entertainment, Film, Spotlight

"A Star is Born" is something of a Hollywood institution, seemingly being remade for every generation. Yes, it seems that the timeless story of the perils of stardom: the rise and fall of a star never ceases to...

In Review: A Simple Favor

The Speakeasy

September 14, 2018

Entertainment, Film

Review by Chelsea Pickens As I think is probably true with a lot people, I only really know Blake Lively as the ‘cool sexy girl’ from Gossip girl and poppy teen-targeted movies like Age of Adeline, and Anna K...

In Review: Me and my sister tell each other everything

The Speakeasy

September 12, 2018

Comedy, Culture, Entertainment, Lifestyle, Theatre

Review by Laura Roberts I was initially hesitant about going along to a show called “Me and my sister tell each other everything” considering that I don’t have a sister or even a sibling that communicate with ...

In Review: Crazy Good Fun in ‘Crazy Rich Asians’

Nahyeon Lee

August 28, 2018

Entertainment, Film

I was terrified I wasn’t going to like this film. As someone who works in the Arts and thinks constantly about Asian representation, its central premise was an unappealing one; a nasty Singaporean mother-in-law...

In Review: Latinaotearoa at Whammy Bar!

The Speakeasy

August 15, 2018

Main, Music, Uncharted

Words by Kim Newton, photos by Jesse Knight. An eclectic mix of sounds streamed through Whammy Bar! on a Friday night. The night, which was a was a celebration of Latinaotearoa's latest album; Influencis Et ...

In Review: HIR

The Speakeasy

August 2, 2018

Comedy, Culture, Entertainment, Lifestyle, Theatre

I began to feel uncomfortable the second I walked into the theatre. The set of HIR looked like a scene from Hoarders, portraying a home so disorganised, I wouldn’t have been surprised to see a rodent scurry acr...

In Review: Quinn XCII at the Tuning Fork (27/6/18)

Shawn Moodie

June 29, 2018

Electronic, Listen, Main, Music, R&B, Watch, Watch and Listen

You may not yet know Quinn XCII by name but having previously after topped the Spotify viral charts with his track “Kings of Summer”, there’s a good chance that he’s the man behind that song that you just can’t...

In Review: Cellfish

The Speakeasy

June 15, 2018

Culture, Entertainment, Lifestyle, Theatre

Review by Emily Joshua and Theo Lee There are a lot of ways that a play centered around a Shakespeare-in-prison narrative could have gone. Cellfish eschews the obvious tropes and instead swings for the fence...

In Review: A Gambler’s Guide to Dying

The Speakeasy

June 14, 2018

Culture, Lifestyle, Theatre

Review by Marie-Claire Taylor There are no certainties in this life. Except that you die. This (bleak) premise is key in the one-man show, A Gambler's Guide to Dying. Though incredibly dark, the story has...

NZ International Comedy Festival Announces 2018 Fred Award Finalists

Oliver Smith

May 19, 2018

Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival

Today the New Zealand International Comedy Festival announced the finalists for the highly coveted Fred Award 2018. The award is named after Fred Dagg, the quintessentially Kiwi character created by comedy ...

And The Winner Is…. Raw Comedy Quest 2018 Crowns Winner

Oliver Smith

May 18, 2018

Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival

Last night, Thursday 18th of 2018, a new winner of the Raw Comedy Quest was crowned, to a packed house and a standing ovation. The humidity level was 71% but there was more than enough aircon for everyone insid...

7.1

NZ Comedy International Festival In Review: Fully Grown Children – Maia Smith and Ruby Esther

Oliver Smith

May 18, 2018

Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival

It was a wet Thursday evening, there was a distinct chill in the air, the temperature sitting at 12C (although it certainly felt like 11C). The humidity had come down since yesterday, sitting at 76%, certain to...

9.2

NZ International Comedy Festival In Review: My Mates Dave – Brendon Green

Oliver Smith

May 17, 2018

Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival

It was late on a Wednesday night as we made our way back into the Vault to see Brendon Green's "My Mates Dave.", the humidity still sitting high, a threat of scattered showers hidden within the clouds as they p...

8.7

NZ International Comedy Festival In Review: Fameless – James Malcolm

Oliver Smith

May 17, 2018

Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival

It was a mild Wednesday night, as I made my way to the Vault at Q Theatre to see another Billy T nominee in the final week of the comedy fest, on this occasion James Malcolm, with his latest show Fameless, whic...

NZ International Comedy Festival In Review: Brynley Stent & Rhiannon McCall – Why Does This Feel So Good?”

The Speakeasy

May 17, 2018

Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival

Review by Wal Reid. Have to say this show made my night, ending it on a pleasurable high. Not that the night was a dud. No, far from it, however Brynley & Rhiannon show “Why Does This Feel So Good” sen...

STRAIGHT OUTTA JAKARTA: Rich Brian at The Powerstation, 16/5/2018

Natalie Crane

May 17, 2018

Main, Music

Close your eyes and listen to a Rich Brian track. Open them and it’s a surprise to see a young Asian guy rapping in a neat polo shirt and bumbag. With rare Asian representation in rap, it’s a case of ‘he looks ...

9

NZ International Comedy Festival In Review: You Do You Babes – Donna Brookbanks

Oliver Smith

May 16, 2018

Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival

Well folks, here we are, in the final week of the NZ International Comedy Festival, a week which for some is a highlight. Traditionally the 3rd and final week of the comedy fest, contains the shows that have be...

Laura Daniel X Joseph Moore: NZ’s Next 100% Serious Pop Duo

The Speakeasy

May 16, 2018

Comedy, Entertainment, Music, NZ International Comedy Festival

Words by Laura Roberts and Jesse Knight Through the beautiful symbolism of personified octopi and squished pink buns Laura Daniel and Joseph Moore taught us about the importance of discussing issues from two...

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