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A few years ago now we sat down with Ciaran McMeeken, and young songwriter making his way in a market saturated with computers and beeps and boops, committed to his craft, McMeeken has now come out the other end of a debut self-titled album released just today. We decided it was a good time to […]

“Laugh-out-loud funny in a way that’s unexpected for a documentary about a deceitful, dying meth-addict magician on his final fumbling tour.” Fionnuala Halligan, Screendaily It’s the least obscure of scenes. A warm Australian afternoon and a room full of faded 501’s and pilled pastel polo shirts; ‘Hey Hey It’s Saturday’ had been running for some 20-years […]

Introductions to animation have traditionally occurred through a square box television set, a couple of antennae and a crappy connection to an animation channel be it screening Tom and Jerry, Roadrunner, Pokemon or more recently (and likely through a better connection) Spongebob or Rockos Modern Life. These introductions are shifting as animation becomes more accessible, […]

If there’s one thing Auckland’s Basement Theatre is good at, it’s subversive drama. If there’s a second, it just might be Christmas. Opening last week, Santa Claus is the Basement’s 2017 Christmas show. Not only is it a bloody good time, the annual show is the Basement’s only fundraiser, with profits going towards their artistic […]

  New Zealand comedy is pretty damn unique. Generally a particular mix of self-depreciating and awkward, it stands quite separate from the American-brand humour we tend to see in international media. Given that, it was a bold choice from me to bring along two American dudes to the 2018 Billy T Jams show, held at Q Theatre. Would […]

It looks upon your gaze with friendly eyes, a warmth leading your way into the 51st annual NZIFF. La Belle Époque, stylised as films rose tinted wire frames and horn rims, fell out of the Cannes selection into our hands and graced the mighty civic theatre, it’s glossy starry ceiling mirroring the memoriam put before […]

  AUNTY has transformed the Basement Theatre into the classic family BBQ, and everyone’s invited. The boisterous host is everybody’s favourite Aunty, and the audience are her family. Barbeques like this are almost always outrageous affairs, and Johanna Cosgrove’s award winning solo performance channels this outrageousness into an hour of genuine entertainment. Instead of following […]

The product of a series of workshops over the last few months, Alice Canton’s Other [Chinese] opened last week at Auckland’s Q Theatre. Evolving from her solo work White (Other), Canton’s latest show is promoted as a live documentary. Featuring a large cast all of Chinese background; Other [Chinese] is an important look at what […]

  More of a party than a performance, globally acclaimed Velvet is currently showing at Auckland’s Q Theatre. Promoted as a “divine discotheque circus”, Velvet is part of the Auckland Live International Cabaret Season. Directed by Craig Ilott, Velvet has received pretty stellar reviews since its conception in 2015. An international show with an award-winning […]

As you look soul square in the eyes; let it fulfil you and embrace you all at once; a chance to witness one of the most glorious voices to grace this earth In 1972, Aretha Franklin; recently crowned the queen of soul and off the back of a number of top hit albums; returned to […]