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Reviews and Victoria University

Just Reviews
    • Review: and the Lochburns
      • The Lochburn family have moved into Circa Theatre from the 5th of October to the 2nd of November, filling the stage with family drama, nostalgia, and lots of music. and the Lochburns, by married couple William Duignan and Andrew Paterson—playwright and director, respectively—presents an authentic depiction of a family moving through grief and change (with an ensemble cast of talented actor-musicians).
      • Accepted from Salient 2024 by tonytw1
      • Tagged as:
      • reviews
      • theatre
      • Circa Theatre, Cable Street, Te Aro, Wellington, Wellington City, Wellington, 6011, New Zealand (OpenStreetMap)


    • Review: Ngā Rorirori
      • After debuting in 2022 with great success, Ngā Rorirori is back and better than ever. Combining contemporary dance, commedia farce, and traditional theatre, this show is like no other Māori lands settlement story you've seen before. Set in the wharekai of a rural marae, Ngā Rorirori centres around a brother and sister's newfound ownership of their rohe as the last two members of their hapū. Pillow, the tungane (Manuel Solomon), is a convicted fraudster recently released from prison looking to sink his teeth into another cash-grab project. Manuela, the pōtiki (Mycah Keall), is a forthright activist trying to keep her whānau from falling apart. As the new owners, they have an incredible responsibility placed on them. And today is the day that the Department of Whakapapa, Whenua and Whatever will come to cement their title as rangatira. Will Pillow give up the whenua to make some big-time mulla? Or will Manuela save the day with mana wāhine?
      • Accepted from Salient 2024 by tonytw1
      • Tagged as:
      • performing-arts
      • reviews

    • Review: First Reserve | "Alice"
      • If you have engaged with the Wellington music scene at all, I’m sure you have heard of First Reserve. Often spotted performing at San Fran, the singer and bassist has just released his latest single, “Alice”. Last week, San Fran hosted a release show featuring a thrilling performance by First Reserve, alongside supporting acts Keira Batten Coogan and Red Necklace. As someone who has seen both the openers multiple times, I can safely say that they never disappoint, successfully building the energy of the crowd and setting the stage perfectly for First Reserve's entrance.
      • Accepted from Salient 2024 by tonytw1
      • Tagged as:
      • music
      • reviews

    • REVIEW: Blunt Dog: Bullet Train to Dunedin
      • In addition to playing an Eyegum Wednesday at San Fran, Blunt Dog spent the weekend recording their upcoming album at the Massey University studio. The album, titled Bullet Train To Dunedin, promises a warm and unpolished sound reminiscent of old home recordings. This album marks a significant departure from their first album, How is a Dog So Honest?. The new tracks, primarily derived from guitarist and vocalist Dom’s demos, are both harder and softer, expanding on the range of their earlier work. The album concept originated from drummer Logan’s whimsical idea of a Japanese bullet train travelling from Britomart station in Auckland to Dunedin, described by the band as “a moment of genius and a passage of jest.”
      • Accepted from Salient 2024 by tonytw1
      • Tagged as:
      • dogs
      • music
      • reviews
      • San Francisco Bath House, Swan Lane, Te Aro, Wellington, Wellington City, Wellington, 6040, New Zealand (OpenStreetMap)


    • Review: Iphigeneia at Aulis
      • Words by: Lyra Caughley (she/her) Victoria Ancient Theatre Society’s first offering this year, Iphigeneia at Aulis, adapted Euripides’s tragedy concerning Agamemnon’s mythic decision to sacrifice his own daughter. As someone who’s been obsessed with classical myth during past studies, I was enchanted by this show’s atmosphere and the chilling clarity of its storytelling.
      • Accepted from Salient 2024 by tonytw1
      • Tagged as:
      • theatre
      • reviews
      • BATS Theatre, 1, Kent Terrace, Mount Victoria, Wellington, Wellington City, Wellington, 6011, New Zealand (OpenStreetMap)


    • Review: Trying to Have a Good Night Out at Willis Lane
      • This article is sponsored by Willis Lane. The unthinkable has happened and Salient has finally gone outside! We haven’t gone so far as to go out into nature or anything—Will would get culture shock. Instead, we bravely ventured where (probably) no student has ever been before: Willis Lane on a Friday night. Opening last year to rave reviews, Wellington’s (relatively) new entertainment venue is home to a number of restaurants, activities, and bars. Thanks to our friends at Willis Lane, the Salient team enjoyed a night on the town, underground: as the trimester wraps up, our honest take is that Willis Lane is a pretty good spot to have a little end-of-tri treat!
      • Accepted from Salient 2024 by tonytw1
      • Tagged as:
      • restaurants
      • reviews

    • Review: Lipstick
      • How do I even begin to describe this band? I’ve been dying to write about Lipstick since I saw them for the first time at Valhalla in April. Without a doubt, Lipstick has become my favorite band to see live, and I’ve been hooked since that very first show. Since their debut as a band at the end of March, they’ve become a prominent presence in the gig scene—and for good reason.
      • Accepted from Salient 2024 by tonytw1
      • Tagged as:
      • music
      • reviews

    • Review: Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812
      • Words by: Ngan Dang (she/they) Picture Credit: WITCH Musical Theatre Dream-like and grandiose; Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 was a memorable experience which thoroughly entertained me. I expected a messy love story, but the melancholy was balanced out with just as much fun and wit—this was truly a show of anticipation and charging emotions. In this classic Broadway musical, co-directors Maya Handa Naff and Nick Lerew take a youthful twist to the lavish 19th-century Moscow from Tolstoy’s War and Peace. Through the stories of “young” Natasha and “warm-hearted” Pierre, the show explores their journey to navigate love, purpose, and pleasure in the heart of emotional turmoil and conflict.
      • Accepted from Salient 2024 by tonytw1
      • Tagged as:
      • theatre
      • reviews
      • Hannah Playhouse, 12, Cambridge Terrace, Mount Victoria, Wellington, Wellington City, Wellington, 6011, New Zealand (OpenStreetMap)


    • Review: Call The Plumber Tour—Frank on Tap and Wet Denim
      • Frank on Tap and Wet Denim concluded their “Call The Plumber” tour in Wellington at San Fran this past Saturday. Co-headlining the tour, the show was nothing if not a striking finale. With supporting artists, First Reserve, Messie, and Swimcap, the venue was packed and brimming with excitement—there wasn’t a single bad spot to watch the show from. Taking the stage as the first headliner, Frank on Tap delivered a vibrant pop-rock performance that raised the energy of the whole room. There wasn’t a single person either fully immersed and dancing or at least nodding their head along to the beat. From captivating vocals to energising drum beats, there wasn’t an uninteresting second of their set.
      • Accepted from Salient 2024 by tonytw1
      • Tagged as:
      • reviews
      • theatre
      • San Francisco Bath House, Swan Lane, Te Aro, Wellington, Wellington City, Wellington, 6040, New Zealand (OpenStreetMap)


    • Review: Sandwich Artist
      • Maybe I’m being subjective here, but a show playing “Man or Muppet” as house music is bound to be good fun. And Sandwich Artist was! A heartwarming and silly musical, that poked fun at the genre conventions while being a genuinely well-put together show, with a lot of love and just a bit more to it than only sliced bread. The story follows Sammy Rye (Phoebe Caldeiro), an unrecognised sandwich genius working for an unnamed sandwich chain, who’s unorthodox, off-menu sandwiches get her fired, despite how good they are. She gambles it all on a bus ride to Wellington, where a fellowship is formed with a despondent carrot farmer (Catherine Gavigan-Binnie), a butcher with attachment issues (Anna Barker), and a strangely shifty baker (Dylan Hutton). Phoebe and Jack McGee worked together on a story that does a lot with very little: only 6 major speaking roles and minimal props or set.
      • Accepted from Salient 2024 by tonytw1
      • Tagged as:
      • reviews
      • theatre
      • Te Auaha, Dixon Street, Te Aro, Wellington, Wellington City, Wellington, 6040, New Zealand (OpenStreetMap)


    • Review: blackpill
      • Content Warning: Misogyny, sexual content Before I watched this show I was warned it would ‘challenge me.' Naturally, a show about incel culture should not be easy to digest. However, as the show unfolded, I found myself facing a different kind of challenge than I had expected—one that tested my empathy and ability to connect with others. As expected from the topic, the show's title, blackpill, is derived from the incel community, and its definition is essentially what the show presents. In short, the ‘blackpill ideology’ maintains that physical attractiveness is the most important factor in attracting women, and that certain physical and social factors are necessary for success.
      • Accepted from Salient 2024 by tonytw1
      • Tagged as:
      • reviews
      • theatre
      • BATS Theatre, 1, Kent Terrace, Mount Victoria, Wellington, Wellington City, Wellington, 6011, New Zealand (OpenStreetMap)


    • Review: An Old-Fashioned Lesbian Love Story
      • Whisking us back to a world of swing jazz and giggle juice, Bars Behind Bars is an immersive experience. From the moment the audience enters, the actors are scattered about, welcoming us, having secret conversations in the hallway, sending us back in time. The show begins with a fourth-wall-breaking introduction to the characters and their lives at The Cat’s Pajamas, an illicit bar in Manhattan during the prohibition. When the bar’s owner is murdered in the back room, his wife Annie is the primary suspect of the interrogation.
      • Accepted from Salient 2024 by tonytw1
      • Tagged as:
      • lgbt
      • reviews
      • theatre
      • Ivy Bar, Cuba Street, Te Aro, Wellington, Wellington City, Wellington, 6011, New Zealand (OpenStreetMap)


    • Review: After the Storm
      • Emma Salzano's After the Storm was originally a project created at Te Auaha, then went through a development season as a Lift-Off piece, and now it's making its world premiere at the New Zealand Fringe Festival. And let me tell you, I'm thrilled that it's back. It's been quite some time since I've seen a play that has genuinely touched me. And I don't say this to be disrespectful, but perhaps to acknowledge my own desensitisation towards such things. After the Storm changed that. Maybe I'm just a sucker for a good love story. But this play is more than just a romance; at its core, it's about grief and how our emotions shape our lives. The story takes place in the 1930s and follows a group of Italian immigrants who leave their volcanic island of Stromboli and start anew on the shores of Island Bay.
      • Accepted from Salient 2024 by tonytw1
      • Tagged as:
      • island-bay
      • reviews
      • theatre
      • Te Auaha, Dixon Street, Te Aro, Wellington, Wellington City, Wellington, 6040, New Zealand (OpenStreetMap)


    • Review: Twenty Minutes to Nine
      • am genuinely lost for words, trying to describe Twenty Minutes to Nine. It was nostalgic, raw, grim and witty, heart-sinking and furious and so painfully wise. Absolutely phenomenal. The show is personal even before it starts. I’m sitting in the front of two rows of seats, so there’s no doubt it’ll be an intimate show. Amanda (Santuccione (They/Her), the show’s writer and performer) asks what we’re up to afterwards, if we’d be alright to wait another 5 minutes for the last few people. In the end it’s me, a mother-and-adult-son duo, three other women and Amanda. We chat back and forth about hills and penguins, public transport and spilt beer. Then suddenly, with only the quieting of the house music, it begins.
      • Accepted from Salient 2024 by tonytw1
      • Tagged as:
      • reviews
      • theatre

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