Theatre – 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, ...

10

In Review: Leather Lungs: Yas Queen!

Liz Lauder

February 6, 2020

Culture, Entertainment, Lifestyle, Music, Theatre

I’d never been to a cabaret before, and I found myself sitting quietly in front row of the darkened Loft at Q Theatre on a Wednesday night, eagerly anticipating what was in store. I didn’t have long to wait be...

In Review: Pop Up Globe Farewell Summer Season – Much Ado About Nothing

Liz Lauder

December 24, 2019

Comedy, Culture, Entertainment, Lifestyle, Theatre

If you live in Auckland, there’s a good chance you’ve heard about, over even been to, the iconic Pop-Up Globe Theatre situated in Ellerslie just a minute off the Southern Motorway. For the past 4 years of tenu...

In Review: Stir Fried XI

The Speakeasy

September 28, 2019

Entertainment, Theatre

Sacriligious encounters with the devil, angels, and Cupid. Musical numbers about Nike’s sweatshop labour. The odd subtle dig at Auckland house prices, Hell Pizza, and Lime Scooters.

In Review: I am Rachel Chu

Kirsten Marsh

August 7, 2019

Comedy, Entertainment, Theatre

After a wildly successful run at Auckland Fringe this year, and awards to show for it, I am Rachel Chu has returned to the Basement Theatre to give us another hit of cultural commentary and raucous hilarity. ...

ANNOUNCEMENT: PINAY, The Very First Filipino-NZ Play

The Speakeasy

July 25, 2019

Theatre

2019 Auckland Theatre Awards Outstanding Newcomer winner and all round firecracker, Marianne Infante makes her professional writing debut with PINAY.PINAY merges Marianne’s semi-autobiographical experiences of...

10

In Review: ONCE The Musical

Shawn Moodie

July 2, 2019

Comedy, Entertainment, Lifestyle, Music, Spotlight, Theatre

Musicals these days tend to batter you into submission. Many rely on orchestral bombardment, saccharin smiles, and jazz hands in an attempt to win you over. I say that as unashamed fan of the genre (I took a 2...

In Review: The Wolves

Shawn Moodie

June 24, 2019

Comedy, Culture, Entertainment, Lifestyle, Spotlight, Theatre

There have been very few plays (or films for that matter) that have offered an examination of young women that is as refreshing or eloquent as Sarah DeLappe’s The Wolves. This is not a traditional play ab...

In Review: A Fine Balance

The Speakeasy

June 17, 2019

Culture, Entertainment, Lifestyle, Theatre

Reviewed by Jesse Knight A Fine Balance sees two giants of the Auckland theatre scene - Auckland Theatre Company and Prayas Theatre (New Zealand's biggest South Asian theatre company) - joining forces to ad...

The 2019 Pacific Dance Festival is finally here!

Shawn Moodie

June 7, 2019

Culture, Entertainment, Film, Lifestyle, Spotlight, Theatre

1

Read the full programme below. Acclaimed and accomplished Pacific dance artists take the floor in the fourth rendition of the Pacific Dance Festival bringing a moving feast of entertaining and thought-provo...

In Review: An Iliad

The Speakeasy

May 31, 2019

Culture, Spotlight, Theatre

Words by Gayatri Adi Homer’s ‘An Iliad’, translated by Robert Fagles, was brought to life by Auckland Live and Artsense Production once again in 2019 at the Herald Theatre. A two man grand cl...

Better late than never – The Pacific Dance Festival gets a reboot

Shawn Moodie

May 25, 2019

Culture, Entertainment, Film, Lifestyle, Theatre

In the wake of the cancellation of the Pasifika Festival and the final day of Polyfestfollowing the Christchurch terrorist attack, the Pacific Dance Festival is proud to offer supporte...

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...

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...

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...

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 ...

7.6

In Review: Mrs. Krishnan’s Party

The Speakeasy

September 1, 2018

Culture, Entertainment, Theatre

Review by Gayatri Adi 20 years on from Krishnan’s Dairy, Indian Ink brings back the same feel good comedy looking to push boundaries while touching on some real themes with Mrs. Krishnan’s Party. Directed by...

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...

Interview: Playwright Sam Brooks discusses his latest play ‘Burn Her’

Shawn Moodie

July 27, 2018

Comedy, Culture, Entertainment, Lifestyle, Spotlight, Theatre

Sam Brooks is one of New Zealand's most exciting young contemporary playwrights. Known for his searing wit, snappy dialogue, and incisive commentary, the prolific playwright Brooks has won the Bruce Mason Award...

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...

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...

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