A Christmas Carol. Presented by The Forge at The Court Theatre, until 22 December. Written by Dan Bain. Directed by Ross Gumbley. Reviewed by Liam Stretch, Backstage Christchurch.

As we slug it out towards the end of year, a joyous distraction is just what we need.

Following two sold out seasons, The Court has put its festive comedy re-imagined version of A Christmas Carol back on the menu. It's a story we all know so well but prepare to unlearn everything you thought you knew.

Join Ebenezer Scrooge, Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim, and more for an utterly unique journey through the Charles Dickens classic at the Forge at The Court Theatre.

If you have never been to The Forge, it’s intimate, personal, warm, and it lends itself perfectly to this type of show – Verona vibes. Sit down with a glass of pinot, some ready salted crisps, and strap in for the rollercoaster ahead.

Transporting you to Christmas Eve 1843, Kathleen Burns of Scared Scriptless fame and Gregory Cooper a former Court Jester, warn you that it will be "intensely interactive". Fear not though. If ever there was a recipe to break the ice, these two have it.

Burns, the narrator, takes on most of the characters in the story perfectly with Cooper in the lead role as Scrooge.

Writer Dan Bain’s roughly 70-minute show is full of topical jokes, perfect comic timing and impressive rapport between the show’s two stars.

Director Ross Gumbley has achieved a triumphant use of stage with A Christmas Carol – especially when one considers the tour around London that we know from the original tale. The whole room is put into the Tardis and taken back to a cold Industrial Revolution night.

Every audience member becomes positively Victorian with portly English gentlemen appearing, various sound effects, and other integral characters provided by the crowd.

Due to the interactivity of the show, no two sessions of A Christmas Carol will ever truly be the same. The words "audience participation" might send shivers down the spines of some, but Burns and Cooper make it a community affair and do their upmost to spread a bit of Christmas cheer. Bring the kids too – the R-rated jokes are at a minimum.

The show is perfectly accompanied by music from pianist Tom Harris, and even he plays an integral role in the performance with constant breaking of the fourth wall.

I left with a smile, and a little bit of Christmas joy. Take your workmates, your family, or your love. It really will please all.

Jesus Christ Superstar. Presented by The Court Theatre, until January 19 2019. Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Tim Rice. Directed by Stephen Robertson. Musical direction by Richard Marrett. Reviewed by Sophie Ricketts, Backstage Christchurch.

Once declared to be the worst idea in theatrical history, like a phoenix from the ashes (or Christ, if you’re inclined to believe) this show rose from the ground to become one of the most popular and widely performed in the world. If you aren’t already familiar with the concepts contained within the story it can be a hard sell: deemed too religious by some, anti-religion by others, and even sacrilegious for good measure, too. There are few shows which have been steeped in as much controversy as Jesus Christ Superstar. But controversy creates interest, and the ace in the hole here is one of the most progressive rock and roll scores ever created so that even those who “don’t like musicals” often find themselves lured down the rabbit hole which is Jesus Christ Superstar.

When the Court Theatre announced their 2018-2019 season I was initially disappointed that they had chosen JCS as their summer musical. I am not too proud to admit I am well and truly eating my words now: this production is phenomenal. Known for his striking costume design choices as much as his talents as a director, Stephen Robertson took this nearly 50-year-old show in a bold direction. It was refreshing to see that this production was not steeped in nostalgia, but instead it thrust the audience into a new, fresher mindset. The themes of power discovered and power abused never get old, and I felt particular care was given to ensure that we could feel empathy for Judas and Jesus equally. The casting of the ensemble was particularly strong, and I loved seeing the balance of youthful men and women on the stage to truly capture how impressionable and revolutionary Jesus' group of followers were. Here, Jesus is flanked by his contemporaries and it highlighted beautifully that he was “just a man” trying to come to terms with the titles being thrust upon him.

The sound balance was phenomenal and kudos must go to Bounce NZ and Glen Ruske for so thoughtfully and carefully ensuring that no lyrics were lost amid the heavy rock score which was being so magnificently blasted out by the legendary on-stage band. The decision for almost all the microphones to be handheld lent the production the contemporary feel of a rock concert, which suited the style of the music and the aesthetic of the delivery. And with only a minor microphone issue in Act Two, we were treated to a near-seamless sound experience.

I felt the open space was used well, but was a little underwhelmed by the set. Harold Moot has created such immaculate work for Court Theatre productions before, and I found it surprisingly sparse and a bit boring compared to his previous recent work. However, I will concede that this did mean the physical abilities of the cast were certainly front and centre. I don’t think you’ll ever see a fitter group of apostles. The subtle revolve of the stage helped facilitate scene transitions and kept the action from ever feeling static.

Caleb Jago-Ward was a commanding and electrifying Judas. His ethereal singing gave me chills on several occasions throughout the performance and his physical presence was laced with enough energy to power the entire building. This is his Court Theatre debut and I hope, for all our sakes, this is not the last time we see him grace the stage here. Despite the fact Jesus is the title character, it is Judas who represents the beating heart of the story. The conflict and emotional turmoil we witnessed was haunting and felt beautifully intimate, despite the fact it was a full house on opening night.

As Jesus himself, Nic Kyle was raw and vulnerable in ways I have not seen this role portrayed before; so fresh and authentic, his rendition of Gethsemane brought tears to my eyes. And despite the fact I have heard him sing that glorious song in concert before, this time his immaculately controlled vocals were coupled with a heartbreaking and dramatic arc of character which felt new and timeless all at once. This man truly is a superstar.

In what is often seen as the token female role within this show, Monique Clementson was like a rising sun as she brought new life to Mary Magdalene. What I would describe it as her most mature role to date, Clementson displayed a girlish eagerness which then gave way to rich and soulful grief. Despite her character’s very limited time on stage, compared to the men, she well and truly made her mark.

Each of the supporting roles was portrayed with aplomb, and it feels wrong to single anyone out so I simply won’t. The casting decisions made here were very well considered and showcased the wealth of talent on stage. There is absolutely no weak link in this chain.

The show’s final moments were filled with silent reverence, which was powerfully evocative, but I was disappointed this was followed with the decision to have no music underscoring the cast’s curtain call. As a result, it really felt like the momentum was lost within the audience; for although we were quick to rise to our feet to applaud the talents of all involved, had there been some music to accompany our claps and cheers I have no doubt that there would have been an encore of repeat bows, which the cast most certainly deserved. Despite finishing with (spoiler alert) Jesus’ death, I don’t feel we would have lost any of the significance by bringing the mood back up for the bows.

As someone who has never really loved this show before, I take my hat off to the majestic work of this incredible ensemble. I loved this production: the voices, the visuals, the man and the myth.

Amahl and The Night Voices. Presented by Atlas Voices at The Piano. Saturday 17 November. Written by Giancarlo Menotti. Directed and conducted by Ravil Atlas. Reviewed by Sophie Ricketts, Backstage Christchurch.

Under the careful baton and watchful eye of Ravil Atlas, Atlas Voices, combined with a full 18 piece orchestra, delivered Giancario Menotti’s classic Christmas opera, Amahl, as we start the descent into the holiday season.

Being performed in English meant that all of us could follow the plot without the need to refer to our programmes or study the synopsis online before arriving. It did, however, also lose some of the magic and romanticism I associate with a night at the opera but I applaud the selection as this is a great show for families to enjoy together; children of all ages will be able to understand what is going on in this story.

The Piano was a lovely choice for the staging of this show and I was impressed with the beautiful set; an opulent triptych with concealed panels which the ensemble delicately opened like pages in a book to reveal the humble shepherd’s cottage Amahl and his mother share.

The role of the central little boy, Amahl, was sung beautifully by Grant Weihs but unfortunately not brilliantly articulated so while we were all able to enjoy his ethereal tones we missed a lot of his words. Amanda Atlas, in the pivotal role of Amahl’s widowed mother, was the epitome of the professional opera star: in addition to her exquisite and soaring vocal power she also possessed an earnestness and authenticity with her acting which made her the real star of this show.

The three kings and their page were beautifully costumed and vocally superb, if a little wooden in their delivery. The ensemble provided a wonderful depth of sound (both on and off stage) and the scene they shared with the kings inside the cottage brought the entire stage to life. Vocal ability was front and centre and the level of talent on display was palpable. Some of the performers did a better job than others when it came to finding depth within their characters; this was no mean feat, given that there was no subtlety left in the lyrics. I dare say there wasn’t a single piece of subtext to be found, everything was laid out right there on the surface. But since the author has famously said “this is an opera for children because it tries to recapture my own childhood” I see no need to hold this against it. The one-act running time also prevented it from becoming overly indulgent.

The evening performance was followed by a programme of choral song arrangements after the interval. Even for those who are not lovers of traditional choral music the selection was nicely balanced with some very interesting styles and choices which sounded much more contemporary. Glow by Eric Whitacre was a favourite, as well as the finale: the New Zealand premiere of Z Randall Stroop’s Hodie! which featured the Christchurch Girls Choir.

The selection was sure to please both those who aren’t necessarily lovers of the genre as well as those who are. And this seemed, to me, to be the theme of the evening. Opera isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but to find a piece which is easily accessible is great as it will provide more people with the exposure to decide for themselves whether or not they like the taste.

ning. Reviewed by Sophie Ricketts, Backstage Christchurch.

The year is 1984, the place is Whakatāne, and for a teenager on the fringe there is nowhere cooler to be than the Astrocade Game Parlour. So this is where you’ll find Hemi “Jimmy” Te Rehua; he’s not popular, he’s not tough, and his twin brother Sonny is the one with all the footy skills. But inside the Astrocade Jimmy feels safe: for a boy who thinks in numbers and patterns the familiarity of the video games provides ample opportunity to get the high score and become immortalised with initials on top of the scoreboard.

Tola Newbery was utterly delightful as the cheeky, clever, and enthusiastic Jimmy. His abilities to transform his physicality and speech patterns made him utterly believable as a young man on the brink of greatness, but too naive to really recognise it. As his twin brother Sonny Te Rehua, Scotty Cotter was just as believable as a fun loving 14-year-old and his character provided lovely balance to Jimmy’s rip-shit-and-bust approach. Tom Eason was a standout as Mick Jones, the angry young pakeha with nowhere to channel his rage other than at the Te Rehua boys, and Mr Macrae’s Astrocade; his tough actions and demeanour were a lovely front for someone more vulnerable who was surprisingly light on feet. And in the pivotal role of Mr. Macrae, Matt Chamberlain was the steadfast adult influence everyone needed - not just Jimmy. The three female characters provided great colour and depth to the story, but ultimately this was a boy’s world and they took on secondary roles compared to those of the males.

It is always a joy to see New Zealand stories represented on our local stages, and this is peppered with enough nostalgic references to make even the most cynical audience member chortle from their seat. Playwright Albert Belz said he wanted to write a love letter to the 1980s and Astroman was the result; the tone of the play and the arc of the story prove just how deep that love is.

The use of Jimmy’s monologues addressed to the audience by breaking the fourth wall kept us right inside the story, and the technical elements ensured we were seeing things and feeling things just as Jimmy was. Both the lighting and set were a wonderful combination of minimalistic and futuristic, large panels sliding across the stage to portray all of the different locations within the story with flexibility and flair. I particularly liked that the actors were the ones to move the panels, thereby eliminating the need for any crew members on stage and also maintaining connection with the action of each scene. The combination of fantasy and reality in this production is enhanced by the terrific technical design, and I really loved each of the sequences where we were made to feel like we were all inside the arcade game being played.

Unfortunately, I felt the first half was too long, and by contrast the second half felt unnecessarily short. The interval seemed to be oddly placed, especially since both my companion and I felt there were three other more logical points in the action to place the break. I also would have loved to see, or hear, more about Jimmy’s dad. I found it genuinely surprising that he couldn’t find a job in Whakatāne, and kept wondering for the first half of the show if a big secret was going to be revealed in the second half to catch us all by surprise. In the end the only surprise to me was that his character never set foot on stage. But I guess that’s the thing about kids: their memories become clouded, their attention spans wane. And this show keeps its star character at the heart of the story and the structure; when that character is fourteen things are going to be processed differently than if he was a grown man.

I found certain moments reminiscent of two other plays I’ve seen at The Court Theatre in the last year: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime sprang to mind for the similarities in how the central character is also a child and we experience things with him and at his pace; and I also found myself drawing comparisons to The Biggest for the way the topic of whānau was handled, and for portraying so eloquently a middle aged man who struggles to express himself to others. I love that the programming at The Court is finding opportunities to show us stories that go beyond the tip of the iceberg, while still keeping some ties with our own communities.

This play pays tribute to the universal themes of family and what it means to be part of a whānau, even when that is not necessarily the “perfect” nuclear structure portrayed in movies and on TV. I can’t think of a single person, whether a kid now or a kid at heart, who doesn’t benefit from seeing and hearing that message. So thank you Court Theatre, thank you Albert Belz and director Nancy Brunning, and thank you Whakatāne for providing the inspiration for one of our own stories to come to the fore.

Gary Starlight: In Tents. Performed by Jeff Clark at Little Andromeda. Friday, 12 October. Reviewed by Sophie Ricketts, Backstage Christchurch.

Gary Starlight: the man, the myth, the legend. For one night only, he was back in Christchurch to give us a hit parade of his most widely regarded and well-loved songs. But no one had ever heard them before... in fact, he hadn’t actually ever sung them before. Confused? This show was an example of musical improvisation at its best, and Jeff Clark was at the top of his game as he expertly wove his way through Gary’s back catalogue and dealt with some familiar faces back to haunt him from his past.

Good improvisation requires a quick wit, a keen intellect, and a somewhat fearless mentality; and this show had all three in spades. But what is even better about this concept is that Jeff is a truly talented singer. The character of Gary works because for all the side eye regarding his fame and glory, behind the singer/songwriter/massage therapist is a guy who has spent twenty years perfecting his craft and fine tuning his ability to take inane suggestions from the audience and turn them into power ballads, love songs, or party hits. We were all thoroughly impressed as he improvised songs of wildly varying styles and incorporated each of the audience suggestions thrown his way with absolute finesse. I never knew there were so many rhymes with “Christmas” until last night. Credit most certainly must also be given to his heroic performance of “Cowboy Dracula” - a genre invented on the spot but now surely secured as a breakout hit.

This was the third instalment in what Jeff has dubbed the Gary Starlight Trilogy, and although few trilogies can claim equal strength across all three parts he continues to prove with each appearance as Gary Starlight that he is more than capable of recreating the magic time and time again. My companion for the evening had never experienced a Gary Starlight show before, but we were each roaring with equal amounts of laughter throughout - Jeff Clark is genuinely funny and incredibly clever. And I’m sure that if there were any audience members who weren’t sure when they walked into the tent tonight, they left absolutely certain in their fan status as a “Gary Guy” or a “Gary Girl”.

Hansel and Gretel. Presented by The Court Theatre. Written and directed by Dan Bain. Reviewed by Kineta Booker, Backstage Christchurch.

Going by The Court Theatre's promotional material for Hansel and Gretel, you'll be enjoying something similar to the Brothers Grimm fairytale these school holidays. But, folks, you're in for a pleasant twist.

Dan Bain's version is a bit more "Dan Bain" – using clowning, music and sound affects to tell the traditional tale in an untraditional way. The classic story remains, with a boy and girl led into the woods by their father - who can no longer afford to keep them, but all words are taken away and replaced with action and the use of radio announcements.

So, did it work? Ask any 3-7 year old in the audience, and their thunderous, heart-led giggles spoke for themselves. Kids love clowning. They enjoy being able to figure out the story for themselves. And kids love farts.

The audible feast of music and sound effects, along with the lighting, helped tell the story, and worked especially well when transitioning into the forrest. The costumes fit well with the silent theme - Hansel and Gretel dressed as clowns, and their father dressed in a Marcel Marceau-esque way.

Because it was all mime, there was a moment of crowd participation that didn't quite work. John Armstrong (Hansel) worked in earnest to encourage the young audience to copy the tune he'd just played on a glockenspiel. Thank goodness for parents who eventually pulled together to help him out. However, the more experienced Jared Corbin (Dad/Witch/King of Birds) had the audience, almost quite literally, eating (bread) out of his hand when it came to needing audience help. And it was great to see Millie Hanford (Gretel) back on The Court stage – for the second time in a row as a clown, after A Paintbox of Clowns earlier this year.

Dan Bain has done well to keep this once upon a time tale alive, with this fresh twist. Certainly an entertaining way to spend an hour during the spring school holidays.

Heathers: The Musical. Presented by MUSOC. Direction by Nick Cheesebrough. Musical Direction by Charlotte Ensor and Emily McCulloch. Reviewed by Sophie Ricketts, Backstage Christchurch.

I’m sure all of us have a myriad of memories about our own high school experiences, and I imagine almost all of them share a collection of cliques, rumours, pubescent desires, and poor choices. However, hopefully not too many contain a murder. A decidedly dark foray into teen angst, this show pushes everything to the limits while making the themes relatable across the board. For those who haven’t seen the cult 1988 film, don’t bother, the musical is much more engaging and, in my opinion, more accessible. That being said, each performance should probably come with a trigger warning in the foyer given that it wrestles with suicide, date rape, bulimia and peer pressure head on.

On opening night the show suffered some inconsistencies with sound quality, but things dramatically improved in the second half - let’s hope it was merely opening night kinks being worked out and that the rest of the season is more clearly heard so it can be more deeply appreciated. In such a lyric-driven show it is a real crime to miss out on any of the zingy references laced throughout the musical numbers.

Caitlyn O’Rourke as Veronica Sawyer channeled Winona Ryder’s accent perfectly and managed to convey a terrific blend of good girl gone bad combined with innocent gumption. She maintained her energy through the entire performance, which is no mean feat given that she was in practically every scene, and really brought some refreshing depth to the character.

The three Heathers were brought to life (and death) by Hannah Falconer, Ali Diamond, and Georgia Chapple. Hannah played Miss Sarah Brown in MUSOC’s production earlier this year of Guys and Dolls so it was refreshing to see her revel in her first “mean” role; she was so good at it I suspect the innocent ingenue might have been the real act. Ali was a sensational pint sized terrorist, and definitely got my vote for best “resting bitch face”. All three showed off terrific vocal ability, but it was newcomer Georgia who eclipsed the others with her Act Two torch song Lifeboat.

For as strong as the leading ladies all were the creme de la creme was, without a doubt, the Act Two zinger My Dead Gay Son –Matt McMenamin shone bright like a diamond as he delivered the show’s unexpected anthem to tolerance and acceptance. Other notable mentions go to Lawrence Botting (that silky voice!) and Rob Thomson for playing the aforementioned dead gay sons, and Grace Millar as Martha Dunnstock – not only a great character actor but a terrific singer, it is a shame Martha doesn’t get more solo time in the spotlight. The lively ensemble brought the hallways of Westerberg High School to life with their terrific energy and hilarious character choices: I felt like I was looking through an old yearbook seeing each of the stereotypes parade past in the large group scenes. And while some of the hair could be higher, all of the show’s costuming was especially on point.

While this is a show about high school I almost certainly would never want to see actual high schoolers perform, it is great for MUSOC to present the South Island debut of this raucous, raunchy, and all around ridiculous musical. Take the opportunity to see it while you can, shows like this are controversial and don’t get selected very often.

Mum's Choir. Presented by The Court Theatre. 16 September – 6 October. Directed by Ross Gumbley. Reviewed by Sophie Ricketts, Backstage Christchurch.

Family. Sometimes you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.

Mum’s Choir opens on the loss of the O’Reilly matriarch, and we then follow the week leading up to her funeral. This is what I refer to as a “snapshot” play: we are flies on the wall watching a moment in time for an ordinary family. While some would argue that this lacks the sensationalism we come to expect from a lot of our entertainment, I found it heartening to be reminded of the ways in which family members can show up for each other (or piss each other off) when experiencing an emotional roller coaster as intense as grief.

This is the second production of the play I’ve seen, as partway into Act Two I suddenly realised I attended the Court’s 2005 staging. What struck me this time was that I was watching it having fully experienced a family funeral. Back in 2005 I hadn’t, and I think that's why I hadn’t remembered until we hit a specific scene. I had certainly experienced losses, but I had not yet felt the full weight of what it's like to experience the “family hurricane” involved in the planning and completion of a loved ones final rite of passage.

When my grandfather died I recall being in a cloud of grief, and gratitude, slowly watching from the periphery as my father and his siblings banded together to support each other in their time of need. So much of Mum’s Choir pulled at my memories: the naming and claiming of items in the house, the jokes and jabs at each other as they recalled silly memories, the pain of facing the change of him no longer being there. For me, this play was on the nose about how we push and pull on our support network when someone close to us dies. Although I did find it hard to suspend my disbelief in the latter half of Act Two when we never saw the spouses and children of the play’s characters, it was heartwarming to let the story focus on Molly’s five children, her sister and her eldest grandchild.

The casting was sensational and special mention must go to the collaborative effort of the ensemble to create the varied and believable sibling dynamic amongst themselves. It was clear almost immediately who was used to being in charge of decisions, and who avoids them; as well as who is treated like the baby of the family, as opposed to who is actually the youngest.

But the music deserves a special mention all of its own. It was as much of a plot device as the dialogue and it was great fun hearing the songs pour out in almost every scene. Some of them were completely unknown to me, while others brought their own special meaning to the fore. Assembling such a strong collective of actors who are also gifted singers made all the difference as even the unknown songs were a pleasure to enjoy. Hearing Eilish Moran sing Every Time We Say Goodbye was my absolute favourite, both for its stillness and emotional depth as much as her beautiful tone. Matthew Everingham is to be congratulated on his work as musical director.

During the interval, it dawned on me that it was the one year anniversary of the death of a good friend of mine. It seemed fitting to be enjoying my own happy recollections of a loved one simultaneously with the characters of the show, and as a result gave me a deeper appreciation for the subtlety of the action. As such, I think this play is like an empty vessel which can be filled with the emotional responses of all those who see it. As a result, the experience will be unique for each of us - some flooded with sad nostalgia, and others uplifted with happy memories. Probably what “mum” would have wanted, eh?

Les Misérables. Produced by Showbiz Christchurch. 14 Sept - 6 Oct 2018. Isaac Theatre Royal. Directed by Stephen Robertson. Musical Direction by Richard Marrett. Reviewed by Kate Divett, Backstage Christchurch.

Les Misérables is a familiar and well-loved musical for many. I must come clean and declare at the outset that I am not one of those people. I am a huge fan of musical theatre, but there is something about Les Misérables that gets my heckles up. I have good reasons for this, which I have discussed at length with many friends over the years.

I first saw the entire show in 1994 when the former Christchurch Operatic Society (now Showbiz Christchurch) brought the epic stage show to New Zealand. I saw it again from a seat high in the gods in 2001. The 1994 outing had been such an enormous feat, the first time that a group of theatre companies across the country had worked together to bring shows of this scale to our shores. In that sense, it was a visionary production and my young eyes were agog at the grand staging and costuming. My personal views of the material notwithstanding, this is a review about the production and I was intrigued to see what fresh perspective the 2018 version would bring.

There is much to commend Showbiz for here and I must begin with the youngest performers on the night. Arawyn Allan-Griffiths (9 years old), Isla Palmer (8) and Duncan Price (9) are truly delightful and extremely talented. I remember Price from the duet he did with Jackie Clarke in the 2017 Kids 4 Kids concert (mentioned in his bio notes in the programme), and it was clear then that he had star quality. His performance as Gavroche is particularly energetic and clear. Bravo to all these young talents, and best wishes to Ethan Carranceja and Lavinia Sutherland who will share these roles in the next few weeks.

In the lead role of Jean Valjean, Daniel Belle holds the show together. His experience on the stage - and in the role of Valjean in particular - is clear. His voice handles the demands of the role well, and a highlight of the night was his stunning rendition of Bring Him Home. He sang with stunning sensitivity and expression that told the story afresh. This redeemed the entire evening for me. Bravo, sir.

James Foster (Javert) delivers a strong, convincing performance as the determined police officer, and has helped me forget Russell Crowe’s performance from the 2012 film version.

There is strength in other main roles as well. Fergus Inder (Marius), Jack Fraser (Enjolras) and Monique Clementson (Eponine) are strong, with good characterisation and fabulous voices. Jacqueline Doherty (Cosette) brings her remarkably clear soprano voice to this sweet role. Ben Freeth (Thénardier) and Rebecca Malcolm (Madame Thénardier) are a great comic duo and it’s particularly wonderful to see Freeth step into a larger role on the stage. I know Kira Josephson (Fantine) is capable of fabulous performances after seeing her as Nessarose in Wicked earlier this Showbiz season. She delivered a suitably overwrought performance on opening night, but there were pitch issues that were distracting.

Music Director Richard Marrett has a busy night conducting the three hour show. The chorus numbers - particularly Lovely Ladies, Do You Hear the People Sing? and One Day More - are the quality and standard of performance that audiences are accustomed to. There is always something wonderful about the harmonised wall of sound that a strong chorus brings. On opening night, however, there were clear tuning issues in the orchestra and many issues with pitch from performers in smaller roles which were surprising and commented on by audience members around me.

The production team have already set the bar high for themselves, and there are no real surprises with the stage and set design for those who are familiar with either Les Misérables or any Showbiz show in recent memory. The revolving stage and moving set pieces are incredible. The costumes are as sumptuous and dramatic as audience members will expect. The wigs - the wigs! - are numerous and outstanding. There is quality and craftsmanship in every incredible detail. There are some little extras - dates projected onto the stage to emphasise scene changes and the passing of time, for example - that help to enhance the production value. There were some timing issues with microphones, and sometimes an unbalanced sound - particularly when Doherty sang, as I would have liked to have heard her brought up in the mix - however these could be ironed out easily.

Something was missing for me on opening night, and I think it was wow-factor. Perhaps this is where Showbiz Christchurch are victims of their own success? The last few seasons have been creatively awe-inspiring, packed with wow-factor that got the heart racing with anticipation. The 2018 season started with an absolute bang with Wicked. There is no question that there are fans who are in awe of Les Misérables who will be thrilled to see it again, and there is a clearly a lot of work that goes into presenting this show - but I can’t help but feel that it is perhaps an easy, formulaic end to the season. Les Misérables feels like a comfortable, familiar pair of sensible shoes. It will surely be a commercial success and popular at the box office, but the tagline on the back of the programme leaves me wondering - does great drama never get old?

The ACB With Honora Lee. Presented by Top Dog Theatre. 5-15 September. Merivale Lane Theatre, Rangi Ruru School. Directed by Derek Doddington. Reviewed by Sophie Ricketts, Backstage Christchurch.

Do you remember your grandmother? Did you know her well, or was she distant? Do you recall the way she spoke, or sat, or smelled? And if she’s already gone, do you miss her? These are just a few of the questions stirred in me by attending the opening night of Top Dog Theatre’s latest production The ACB with Honora Lee.

This charming story is a snapshot of time in two lives, one young and one old, and the beautiful fragility both characters are encountering in their current worlds. Emma Cusdin’s portrayal of nine-year-old Perry is so spot on it is important to remind yourself that this is a grown woman and not a child actor on stage. As the aunt of a nine-year-old, I found myself chuckling in recognition of so many of the moments which either fascinated or befuddled young Perry; her sense of wonder, intrigue, and delight was joyful. The agility of Perry’s speech and movements is nicely juxtaposed by the portrayal of her much less nimble gran. Honora Lee was brought to life with aplomb by the inimitable Toni Jones. By turns hard then soft, rough then gentle, abrupt then vulnerable she was a pleasure to watch and the two of them created a lovely dynamic as they struggled to get to know one another.

The scenes at the Santa Lucia nursing home facility brought back a sense of nostalgia: I recalled visiting my own grandmother in hers while she was still alive. When I cast my mind back even further I can recall the many times I accompanied her when I was even younger than Perry is, on her weekly visits to the nursing home where she volunteered long before she ever needed to consider moving into one.

So many of the characters from the play stirred my memories: the clutching hands, the odd fixations, the recognition of a loved one arriving, or the lack thereof. And this is both a testament to the creative direction (a most excellent choice to keep all actors visible during the entire show), as well as the strength of the ensemble. With four actors playing 11 roles between them the choreography of entrances, exits and subtle costume changes never overwhelmed the action in front of us and kept the timeline logical. I was most impressed with the physical transformations each of these actors underwent to ensure they had strong contrast between their younger characters and those who were residents of the nursing home. Annette Thomson, Sylvia Barnes, Tom Trevella and Jonathan Broom demonstrated impeccable timing and lovely character work.

The set was fluid and functional while remaining visually stunning; clearly very careful consideration went into all of the design work Tony Geddes has done for this show, and his work elevated the production beautifully. The chalk board map at the rear of the stage was a lovely way to help us keep track of each scene’s location, particularly as some of them are so short.

My only critique is the ending. The show seemed to pass a logical stop point to enter a new chapter, which was then over so abruptly I was hesitant to clap - and not because it wasn’t wonderful, but simply because I thought there might be more to come.

With a strong focus on language and vocabulary, the grammar lessons in this play are worth the ticket price alone. As someone who abhors the incorrect use of “brought” and “bought” the excellently adapted script from the clearly wonderful book pulled at my heart strings right away.

September is New Zealand Theatre Month and Top Dog Theatre have made a wonderful choice to have this play as their offering. Do make the effort to see it before the run is over; even better, why not take a family member?

Catch Me If You Can. Blackboard Theatre Collective. 24-26 August. The Piano. Directed and choreographer Jeremy Hinman. Musical director Matthew Everingham. Reviewed by Sophie Ricketts, Backstage Christchurch.

Blackboard Theatre Collective burst onto the Christchurch creative scene just over two weeks ago with their smash fundraising concert He Says, She Says and over this most recent weekend they delivered their very first musical theatre show: Catch Me If You Can.

The young and hungry production team were clearly champing at the bit to bring us a “story experience” and selected the fun and frivolous 2011 Broadway musical based on the 2002 film, based on the 1980 autobiography detailing the exploits of Frank Abagnale Jnr in the 1960’s. Caught up?

Even if you never saw the film, read the book or knew anything about what was going to happen all you really needed to be aware of was that Frank was the real deal. And by that I mean he was a total fake; but he was 100 percent committed. Confused?

One of the things which frequently unites my favourite entertainment choices (whether they be film, television, or stage show) is that they often contain characters which you love despite their flaws or terrible choices. A real sense of rooting for the “underdog” or hoping they catch a break which helps them re-evaluate their life choices; yet they almost never do. Hank Moody in Californication, Walter White in Breaking Bad, Sweeney Todd of Fleet Street, and Frank William Abagnale Jr. The joy of this show is seeing how this young man delicately begins to unravel as he desperately tries to stay one step ahead, yet can’t quite figure out how to hop off the bullet train of bad decisions.

This was marketed as a show in concert version but, to be honest, they sold themselves short as it was only a few stripes short of being a full-blown production. The choreography (Jeremy Hinman) was sharp and expertly executed. The lighting transitions and minimal props forgave the absence of any set as the storytelling took front and centre. The accompaniment of the 16-piece orchestra was superb, and it was an exciting lineup of some of Christchurch's finest players. The talented company of performers ranged from one of the city’s newest graduates to some of our country’s most seasoned and recognisable professionals. The mix of talent and skill on stage was superb and everyone associated with the production should be very, very proud.

But let's get real, the star of this story was Frank Abagnale Jnr and he was most excellently brought to life by the incredible Fergus Inder. His cheeky grin and magnetic charisma were as endearing as his silky voice – charming not only the female members of the ensemble but also damn near every member of the audience. For those of us who have had the privilege of seeing Fergus perform before (he was Fiyero in the Showbiz Christchurch production of Wicked earlier this year) his charms were as radiant as ever, and his execution was as close to perfect as I could ever hope to see.

I realise this will be published after the exceptionally short season (only three performances) has concluded its run, so all I can say is I hope you caught it while you could.

He Says, She Says. Blackboard Theatre Collective. August 12. The Court Theatre. Reviewed by Sophie Ricketts, Backstage Christchurch.

On Sunday night the Blackboard Theatre Collective, Christchurch’s newest creative initiative, launched into the public sphere. Their inaugural concert event was a fundraiser to both unveil their first season of planned works, and to financially line the coffers to make it all happen. The enthusiastic crowd of over 300 almost filled The Court Theatre’s mainstage to capacity, and judging by the comments heard at interval, and in the foyer afterwards, the general consensus was that it was a shame the show was a “one night only” kind of deal.

The Collective lovingly assembled 40+ talented local performers to dazzle us with a gender-bending tribute to some of the most loved, and some lesser known, musical theatre songs. The unique twist: each song was sung by someone of the opposite gender for whom it was written. And the result? A lot of fun, for those in the audience and those on stage, as actors were given free range to play with material from roles they will never be cast in.

Some were performed in a campy send up of their original context, and some were completely stripped back in a more formal style. Overall, the show was a complete triumph and stood as a testament to the cumulative abilities of all involved. It was a joy to see some of our most established local stars on stage side-by-side with up-and-coming fresh graduates from the National Academy of Singing and Dramatic Art (NASDA). The show, and the producing company, seem to have a lot to owe to NASDA. Four of the five founding members of Blackboard are all graduates and the majority of those gracing the stage last night were too. One of the things I love about Christchurch is how the school seems to have infiltrated the city in spreading a love of musical theatre across a wide demographic.

Act One was laden with 20th century staples, including the absolutely dynamite “Moses Supposes” from Singin’ In The Rain; Kira Josephson and Hillary Moulder were a truly dynamic duo and their frenetic footwork would give Gene Kelly and Donald O’Connor a real run for their money. As difficult as it is to pick a favourite bloom out of a beautiful bouquet, for me the highlight of Act One was witnessing Jane Leonard and Nomi Cohen bring to life their sensational rendition of “Agony” from Stephen Sondheim’s Into The Woods. The two of them paired faultless vocal delivery with spotless comedic timing, making the entire song look and sound effortless and leaving us all in stitches.

Act Two was heavily contemporary - featuring songs from more recent stage hits. The opener was the terrifically slick “Schuyler Sisters” from Hamilton and was deftly brought to life by Blackboard Theatre Collective co-founders Nomi Cohen, Ben Freeth, Jack Marshall and Jeremy Hinman; proving they can all well and truly walk-the-walk as well as talk-the-talk. But the supreme spotlight stealer of the night was Fergus Inder who absolutely brought the house down with his sensational rendition of “Model Behaviour” from David Yazbek’s Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown; for those of us wondering what a time lapse of self-destruction looks like, we witnessed him execute it with aplomb.

The true heroes of the show were the impressive four piece band: Michael Story on bass, Tim Sellars on Drums, Heather Webb shredding on guitar, and musical director Matthew Everingham on keys. The four of them sounded incredibly polished and tight which is no mean feat given how little rehearsal time is provided for projects like these. It is a true testament to their professional skills and extreme talents that they could make it all look and sound so easy. The cherry on top was Kathleen Burns tying it all together in her role as MC.

As a launch event, the concert was a smashing success and something I hope they will revisit again in their future seasons. I anticipate this high bar will continue to be raised with their upcoming offerings; if you missed out this time make sure you buy your tickets NOW for their concert production of Catch Me If You Can at the Piano, August 24-26. My tickets are already booked.

E Toru - Au Ko Tuvalu. Written and directed by Tavita Nielsen-Mamea. August 10. The Court Theatre. Reviewed by Sophie Ricketts, Backstage Christchurch.

Tuvalu is sinking beneath the waves. Its people will be the first environmental refugees of the 21st century. Three siblings plan their departure to the place that will be their new home: Aotearoa, New Zealand.

This heartwarming snapshot of a family navigating rising tides, both emotional and physical, tugged at my heart strings and brought tears to my eyes. Waves of nostalgia flowed over me like an ocean breeze and I could feel the pull of my own homeland calling to me. Watching this story unfold I was caught by surprise as I noticed the parallels to my own narrative; three siblings, leaving the place which has always been home, navigating a culture shock, and preparing for a whole new way of life. But while my family’s upheaval was the fortunate and privileged result of having the power to choose where we wanted to live, this beautiful play shed light on those who must choose based on survival. Themes of heritage and cultural identity were beautifully woven through the story as we laughed together and watched the three siblings share the final moments in their home.

The cast did a superb job of welcoming us into the intimate space with their open and accessible performances. The heartbeat of this show was provided by the Tuvalu Choir of Christchurch - seated on the stage area behind the actors, they created striking rhythms and stirring harmonies as they sang traditional Tuvaluan songs and danced traditional fatele. With most of the audience joining in it was impossible not to feel immersed in the warm hug-like atmosphere of inclusion.

Tavita Nielsen-Mamea has written a charming and delicate love letter to Tuvalu, and it was celebrated as the cast bowed before us and it was acknowledged as the first piece of theatre exclusively about Tuvalu.

In theatre, we witness ourselves and our communities painted before us. When we are truly lucky a piece like this comes along to remind us that despite our differences, whether they be language, culture, or the colour of our skin, that it is a universal truth: home is where the heart is, and no matter the physical distance one’s homeland is forever in one’s heart.

Stephen King’s Misery. Written by William Goldman. August 4 - 25. The Court Theatre. Directed by Dan Bain. Reviewed by Kate Divett, Backstage Christchurch.

You’re going to need to bring someone whose hand you are comfortable holding, and you may need to book a shoulder massage for the next day - Stephen King’s Misery at The Court Theatre is a tension-filled thriller that does not disappoint.

The story is well-known: famous writer Paul Sheldon crashes his car and is taken in by Annie Wilkes, who begins nursing him back to health. She is his “number one fan” and things take several turns for the worse as it becomes apparent she is completely bonkers.

Fans of the movie may be nervous that a live version of this story won’t meet expectations. They need not worry. Dan Bain’s direction pays homage to both the original text and the film version. It hits all the right notes, and Bain adds a few of his own tricks as well.

First praise goes to the three actors who make up the cast, each of whom are compelling in their roles. Lara Macgregor (Annie Wilkes) makes all memories of Kathy Bates - from the film version - disappear. As the unhinged captor, Macgregor’s delivery is faultless and convincing in both comedic and dramatic moments. She also brings a well devised physicality that accentuates the savage violence and unraveling mental state of the character. Bravo!

Gavin Rutherford (Paul Sheldon) provides an equally strong counterpoint to Macgregor’s performance, and their partnership is central to the performance’s success. He plays a tremendously physical role - including a lack of mobility - but resists the risk there must be to overact the pain his character is in. He does so with such authenticity that audience members wince when he puts weight on his ‘broken’ legs. Once again - bravo!

Adam Brookfield (Buster) brings some relief to the intense exchanges between Macgregor and Rutherford. While it is a smaller role by comparison, it is no less important and indeed an important plot device. Brookfield’s performance is on point in that it neither detracts from, nor overshadows, the main action or characters.

Alongside this fine trio of actors, the production elements of this show are a veritable masterclass of set, sound, lighting, and costume design collaboration. Harold Moot (set designer) and his team have completely outdone themselves. The rotating stage is the centrepiece upon which the action is set, and provides a platform for all other contributors to do their work. The movement of the set offers a rather cinematic feel to the way the audience tracks the action throughout the play - we can watch characters transition seamlessly from room to room, as well as wait anxiously for characters to return home.

Giles Tanner (lighting designer) creates lightning storms and power outages that allow spooky silhouettes and shadows to amplify the terror. Andy Manning’s sound design is quite superb. There is an interplay between the sounds that help to set the scene (music on the radio, for example) and sounds that heighten the fear (eg the motif of ascending, discordant violins). This adds to the surprisingly cinematic feel of this live performance, which is impressive. The interplay between all these elements essentially act as a megaphone for the action that mirrors the story as it evolves - like a broken record, the stage spins, and the characters unravel.

The final word of praise goes to director Dan Bain. Bain clearly gets his kicks out of putting the audience on edge, demanding a response to the visceral experience of the performance. We are spectators who are participating via spontaneous whoops, gasps, hollers or applause throughout - even though most will even know what is about to happen - rather than just consuming passively. Similar to Bain’s other recent directorial outings, his work leaves the audience thinking about the play long after we leave our seats. For this reviewer, the image of Lara MacGregor staring, poltergeist-like, at the television static - kitchen lights flickering, soundtrack buzzing, rubbish piled all around - will haunt me for some time. Super, super, super creepy and horrifying. Very well done.

Stephen King’s Misery is good. It’s actually very, very good, and the enthusiastic standing ovation at the end of this opening night performance was entirely well-deserved by all. This is theatre that will make you nervously giggle, recoil in horror and will likely disrupt your sleep. There is nothing more certain - it is a brilliant show that people should not miss. And who knows - you may be The Court Theatre’s next “Number One Fan”.

Nic Kyle: An Evening of Talking, Singing, and (not) Dancing, and Coffin written by Eliot Langsdon. July 27-29. NASDA Theatre. Reviewed by Kate Divett, Backstage Christchurch.

I saw Nic Kyle sing in another show earlier this month, and at the time I thought to myself, “Gosh he has a incredible voice - I could definitely listen to him sing again”. What a treat to have another opportunity so soon, and in such a great setting where the audience can experience his theatrical versatility.

It is a show of two different but complementary halves - the first a solo performance of musical numbers accompanied by Richard Marrett on piano. The evening belongs to the star of the show - Nic Kyle commands the stage and engages the audience from the first note of his opening number. The performance unfolds as he interweaves stories of his life amongst well-chosen songs from a wide range of musicals.

He begins in the days following the Christchurch Earthquakes where meaningful work as an actor was difficult to find, through his first break performing with Elaine Paige, and into his life in London competing for auditions and roles at the famous Pineapple Dance Studios with Broadway and West End bigwigs. Kyle delivers comedic banter and heart-wrenching sentiment with as much ease as he delivers the smooth-as-silk songs that punctuate his narrative. It’s as if he is catching up with friends and letting us know what he’s been up to - the show is relaxed and Kyle engages and interacts with the audience with the confidence of a performer who is at the top of his game. Highlights include a very funny performance of You and Me (But Mostly Me) from The Book of Mormon - when he is joined by (local Real Estate Agent) Jack Marshall - a hilarious Cats audition reenactment, and an improvised rendition of Sunset Boulevard with the help of some audience members. There are also many moments of gentle beauty and reflection in his singing, but none more so than the final song of the act, which he dedicates to his first drama teacher who was the catalyst for his life in the theatre.

After a short break, the second half is a one-act play - Coffin - where Kyle is joined by Matt Hudson and Jack Marshall. Three brothers are waiting in a room with a coffin, considering how to best remember their father - the cremation is at 4:30pm, but it is only 9 o’clock and patience is wearing thin. The play is a perfect accompaniment to the first act. It is extremely funny - dare I say, it is among the funniest plays I have seen - and much like the first half, the humour is heightened by some very punctuated moments of pathos and drama. Brilliant!

Bigger and brighter stages than the NASDA Theatre will undoubtedly continue to feature in the next chapter of Nic Kyle’s career. With just two more evenings to go, audiences should make sure they don’t miss an opportunity to see this incredibly talented performer share his craft in such an intimate setting.

Broadway Hitmen: A Concert of Cole Porter and Andrew Lloyd Webber Hits. Showbiz Christchurch. July 13–15. Isaac Theatre Royal. Music director Ravil Atlas. Director Nickie Wellbourne. Reviewed by Kate Divett, Backstage Christchurch.

Broadway Hitmen is a show of two glorious halves, celebrating the iconic songbooks of two musical theatre legends - Cole Porter and Andrew Lloyd Webber. In the words of the latter: “there is so much to say here, not just today, but always” (from As If We Never Said Goodbye, Sunset Boulevard). These are indeed enduring songs from enduring talents, and Showbiz has taken the opportunity to remind us of just that.

What is special about these concert performances - similar to the Rodgers & Hammerstein concert presented by Showbiz in 2017 - is that it is a veritable lolly scramble of the best bits of some of the greatest musicals in history. Without the distractions of such things as scenery, costumes, or choreography, the strength of the song and its ability to ‘stand alone’ is placed under magnification. It is also, equally, an opportunity for the singers to cut loose and flaunt their vocal abilities without the hinderance (or aid) of those same distractions. For most songs and performers in this Showbiz iteration, audiences will enjoy the result.

In the first Act, Porter’s music reflects the glossy opulence of his own life in the early twentieth century in Europe, from musicals such as Kiss Me Kate, Anything Goes, and Can Can. Highlights from the first act included Jacqueline Doherty’s solo So In Love, which beautifully showcased the pure, ethereal tone in her voice. Also, the jazz medley of hits such as Night and Day, Begin the Beguine and I’ve Got You Under My Skin showcased the smooth-as-silk jazz-stylings of Leigh Wilson and Kate Taylor. Blair McHugh and Matt McMenamin added fabulous characterisation to their performances in Brush Up your Shakespeare, providing some welcome comedy as well. Anne-Marie Cotton and Warwick Shillito offered Let’s Do It in a charming, endearing performance, and Kira Josephson rounded out the first act with high-energy, terrific narrative, and a tap-dancing chorus line. What’s not to love about that?

The second second act brings us the tip of the iceberg of musical smash-hits contributed to musical theatre history by Andrew Lloyd Webber. His talent and work has shaped the course of musical productions over almost 60 years. He holds records for the number of musicals simultaneously being performed on Broadway. But what becomes clear during the course of the second act is that Lloyd Webber’s music connects with, and expresses, the dynamic, complex, subtleties of the human experience. In these glimpses of some of the greatest musicals of all time, we hear songs of regret, memory, hope, farewell, grief, loss, joy, desperation, confusion, and mockery. We hear from such diverse characters as a cat, an Argentinian political leader, a disfigured musician, a diva, a woman from New York, and Jesus Christ. Jacqueline Doherty is a highlight once again, in her stunning performance of Memory from Cats. Charlotte Taylor shines in the challenging Think of Me from The Phantom of the Opera. Catherine Hay delivered heartbreaking emotion in Tell Me On a Sunday.

There are three stand out performers from the second act, however, that may well have stolen the entire show. The first is Oscar Stove, who sings the boy soprano part in Pie Jesu. Joined by Amanda Atlas, there was surely not a dry eye in the house. Amanda Atlas is also the second highlight. Her phenomenal performances in both Pie Jesu and As If We Never Said Goodbye demonstrated power and expression in her voice that was only matched during the evening by Nic Kyle. Kyle commanded the stage in each of his outings, and also when supporting other performers. His performance of Gethsemane was jaw-dropping, and the emotional climax of the evening.

Another enjoyable aspect of the concert format is that the orchestra joins the vocal performers on-stage. Music director Ravil Atlas led this excellent on-stage orchestra and chorus of over 50 additional voices to support the brilliant solo vocal performances, and even had some humorous interactions with the soloists in one or two of the pieces. I would just question the tempo of the finale Superstar, and wonder if a slower pace would have supported the singers to get a better command of the piece rather than clearly struggling to spit out their words - and thus a stronger ending to the concert. Two musicians stood out for their contributions - Georgina Rees-Stevenson for some fine recorder-playing, and Sarah McCracken on violin for some stunning, supportive solos and leadership in the string section. The whole group of musicians are quite phenomenal, and it is a treat to see them working their magic more closely - a point I find myself wanting to emphasise towards audience members who decide to leave before the orchestra have finished playing at the end! How outrageous and disrespectful! Bravo and thank you to Atlas and the orchestra for a fine evening.

Praise should also be offered to the sound technicians, for managing what is clearly a complicated and changeable aspect of the production, particularly in the opening number with so many singers requiring cues on different microphones. Well done also to Nickie Wellbourne for devising a staging plan that allowed performers to move freely around and through the orchestra, which added interest in such a static performance.

Showbiz Christchurch’s Broadway Hitmen is, at once, both enchanting and emotionally charged, featuring performances that could easily be at home on Broadway or the West End. It is a reminder, once again, that our local talent pool is - in the words of Lloyd Webber - “bigger and brighter than we knew it”. There is definitely magic in the making here, and audiences should make sure they don’t overlook this gem in the 2018 season.

[Image credit: Wendy Riley]

The Littlest Ninja. Written by Javier Jarquin. 7–21 July. The Court Theatre. Directed by Kathleen Burns. Reviewed by Kineta Booker, Backstage Christchurch.

From The Biggest for the big people on The Court Theatre's Main Stage at night, to The Littlest (Ninja) for the little ones by day – the theatre continues to produce something for everyone.

I always find it interesting that so few actors can engage such a large group of 3–7-year-olds, in such a big space for an entire 50 minutes. But it can't be just any show: children are smart, and the show has to entertain. The LIttlest Ninja, written by the Card Ninja himself – Javier Jarquin, is just that – captivating, entertaining and fun.

Jarquin wove plenty of laughs into the script – which had the young audience giggling loudly in their seats, and it had a lovely storyline, with a decent moral, without being too soppy or melodramatic.

The direction (Kathleen Burns) was physical and constantly interesting, the actors (Reylene Hilaga, Cameron Douglas, Bianca Seinafo) were energetic and a pleasure to watch, and the music and sound effects wove nicely into this piece of theatre.

Although there were plenty of opportunities for the little ones to participate from their seats, my 3-year-old companion was nonchalant about it all: "But I really don't need to learn how to be a ninja." However, on the drive home he said: "Watch this, watch my new ninja moves!" This was a good lesson for me, and perhaps for other parents who find themselves in that situation, too: just because he didn't want to stand up and get involved doesn't mean he wasn't learning and engaging. In fact, his little brain was actively taking it all in and he was super excited to repeatedly show me his new moves throughout the day.

The Court's dedication to the little theatre-goers is worth a mention. From the moment the children walk in the door, it's a place of welcoming: from the crayons and colouring-in pictures on the tables, to the smiling, friendly ushers who show them into the theatre and to their seats for this opportunity to see professional theatre – made especially for them – on the main stage. It should also be noted that The Court's $10 for all tickets is a welcome change, as is their starting the season on a Saturday – rather than a Monday, meaning more children have a chance to see children's theatre at its finest.

Bites of Opera. Christchurch City Choir. June 30. Christchurch Transitional Cathedral. Music Director Dr John Linker. Reviewed by Kineta Booker, Backstage Christchurch.

Morsels of food, served alongside bites of opera made for an entertaining winter’s evening.

The Christchurch City Choir, together with soloists Margot Button (mezzo-soprano) and Malcolm Leitch (baritone) took us on an adventure through several languages, with staff from Moveable Feasts serving bite-sized portions of food to compliment the country from which the operas came.

Each piece was introduced with knowledge and humour by the choir’s former conductor of 22 years, Brian Law. As the master of ceremonies, Law brought his vast experience and knowledge of the operatic canon to bear in each of his snippets, which helped the audience understand the context for each song, the featured operas, and their composers. Not to mention the odd joke or two, which attracted some giggles and guffaws from both audience members and performers.

The laughter continued after the opening monologue from Law, in Anvil Chorus from Il Trovatore (Verdi), where one of the chorus members played an actual anvil - with a hammer, evoking memories of Christopher Walken’s classic comedic line, “More cowbell”. It was a great set up to what was to become an entertaining evening.

The selection of “opera bites” was an opportunity to see the full range and versatility of the Christchurch City Choir, a programme crafted with wonderful thought and care by music director (and conductor) Dr John Linker. Linker should be praised for the vocal tone and blend that was shared by the choir on this occasion. A choir is perhaps best measured by their ability to sing quietly, as much as loudly - the subtlety and restraint in Christchurch City Choir’s performance of Puccini’s Hummingbird Chorus (from Madame Butterfly) was divine, contrasting with the rich fullness of sound in pieces such as Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves (Verdi), Toreador Song (Bizet), and Polovtsian Dances (Rimsky-Korsakov). The audience was treated to pieces which accentuated various sections of the choir: the soprano and alto sections in the Spinning Chorus from Wagner’s Der Fliegende Holländer; the basses and tenors in Mozart’s Priests’ Chorus from Die Zauberflöte. The sopranos should be complimented for their soaring tone where it counted, and the gentlemen for their vocal strength - and a delightful quartet in Berlioz’s Roman Carnival to open the second half.

The soloists provided a necessary counterbalance to the operatic narrative throughout the evening. Malcolm Leitch had to win back the audience’s confidence after struggling with words and tempo in Rossini’s Largo al Factotum from The Barber of Seville. He made good in his next solo, Wagner’s O du mein holder Abendstern, which was deep, rich, and moving. Margot Button’s solos were each stunning and expressive. She was saucy and vivacious as Bizet’s Carmen in the well-known Habanera, and deeply moving in Dido’s Lament & Final Chorus from Dido & Aeneas by Purcell, joined in both by the Christchurch City Choir. The latter was perhaps the highlight of the whole evening.

Special mention should be made of Christchurch City Choir’s regular accompanist, Sarah Youngran Kang. Kang’s virtuoso piano performance throughout the evening was incredible, offering a condensed - but no-less intricate - version of what would otherwise be provided by full orchestra. Joined by Harry Meehan on organ, they provided a faultless foundation upon which the choir and soloists could base their work. Bravo!

Christchurch City Choir’s Bites of Opera was a wonderful, sensory experience - a treat for both ears and taste buds.

The Biggest. Written by Jamie McCaskill. June 16 – July 14. The Court Theatre. Directed by Ross Gumbley. Reviewed by Sophie Ricketts, Backstage Christchurch.

The Biggest is a quintessentially Kiwi comedy centred around four middle-aged mates: Walter, Pat, Mick and Stu. It’s been a while since these old fellas have seen Stu. He’s been absent from their social circle at the local working men’s club since he wrote off the new boat he spent his life savings on and landed himself in a wheelchair. Reunited, the men seize the opportunity to absolve themselves of their guilt over not being more present for their injured friend and decide to enter the local fishing competition to win Stu a replacement boat. All they have to do is catch the biggest fish. Easy, right? Well, not if you have no fishing skills whatsoever, nor the actual means to catch the fish! The whole show played out like a delightful combination of a sitcom, a soap opera, and Outdoors With Geoff.

Juxtaposing some very physical (and damn near slapstick) comedy with some heavier topics we watched these four friends navigate their way through trying to express how much these friendships mean to them, owning their cultural identities, and facing their own mortality. Initially awkward to watch, these men struggled to tell each other how they really feel yet almost never shut up while they are together. Something, I’m sure, the majority of the ageing men in the audience on opening night could possibly relate to, and something I know I’ve witnessed between my dad and some of his older mates.

The first act was laced with an incredible amount of anger, some of which did not seem entirely justified until we got further into the piece and some vital context was revealed. It then became cathartic to watch these staunch, Kiwi men open up a bit more in the second half as their anger gave way to a greater depth of emotions and secrets were revealed.

I found each of the characters to be integral to the story and I commend playwright Jamie McCaskill on his thoughtful use of character dynamics to maximise the arc of the story through such a small cast. In what could be argued is the lynchpin role, Mark Hadlow was sensational as Stu. He held a commanding presence on the stage among the others and it was wonderful to watch his transformation from embittered to contented.

Phil Grieve as Pat was a lovely foil to Stu, showcasing a softer side and a more relaxed attitude than most of the others. Robert Lloyd as Walter and Apirana Taylor as Mick were an exceptionally dynamic duo, offering us most of the biggest laughs as well as some of the most poignant moments of the whole play. As the sole female character, Juanita Hepi held her own on stage as Walter’s daughter Cassie - proving that not only could she drink alongside, as one of the boys, but that when it came time to push towards action and resolution she was the strongest contender for the job, creating ripples with her determination which would ultimately affect everyone else. But the standout role for me was Nick Dunbar as Jan; Nick’s witty and fluid presentation of a character who could have become dangerously two dimensional was fantastic. Absolutely believable as the biggest arsehole in the community, it was a real pleasure to walk a tightrope between loving and hating him as the fishing competition got fierce, when we realised he had more on the line than just his reputation as the best fisherman.

McCaskill has said that he hopes audiences have a good laugh and come away feeling empowered to be a New Zealander - with The Biggest I think he’s managed exactly that.

Dancing With Mozart. George Balanchine’s Divertimento 15, staged by Francia Russell; Jiří Kylián’s Petite Mort and Sechs Tänze staged by Stefan Zeromski; World Premiere of The Last Dance created by Corey Baker. Presented by The Royal New Zealand Ballet. Touring nationally May 31 – July 8, 2018. Christchurch June 8 – 9. Isaac Theatre Royal. Artistic director Patricia Barker. Reviewed by Kate Divett, Backstage Christchurch.

We are spoiled for high-quality arts in this country. The Royal New Zealand Ballet is both internationally renowned and a national treasure. The opportunity to see our preeminent dance company in action is both a treat and a must-do experience – audiences must support these artists in order for the organisation, and the art-form, to survive into the next century. It was great to see a packed house for this performance, an audience that seemed to include the full range of ballet fans: young ballet dancers seeing their superstars in action; regular supporters and members of the dance community; and some ‘green’ audience members, like this reviewer, seeking to appreciate an unfamiliar art-form.

The Royal New Zealand are touring Dancing With Mozart around eight centres from Auckland to Invercargill until July. The mixed programme of the evening covers the full gamut of interpretations and applications of Mozart’s compositions, which are the common thread woven through the evening.

To begin, Balanchine’s Divertimento 15 is traditional, classical ballet in full force and is surely every aspiring ballerinas’ dream – pretty tutus, sparkly ribbons and pointe shoes. It is everything you might expect in a ballet concert – a predictable opening. To their credit, the dancers perform with the remarkable athletic precision and grace we would expect – incredibly disguising the extent of the physicality required of them. Their blankly smiling faces, however, became unsettling as the piece wore on. My companion and I agreed; we were left with the impression of “a group of vacuous characters having a politely lovely time” and were yearning for something – anything – edgy that would punctuate the niceties. The stark stage setting – blue backdrop under five chandeliers – does not help to add warmth or comfort. Programme notes alert the non-ballet-aficionado to the fact that Balanchine is a very important figure in the classical ballet community. Notes also suggest that this piece holds sentimental value for artistic director Patricia Barker, a piece that she danced herself as a young ballerina under the tutelage of the stager (Francia Russell) she has brought to New Zealand for this work. As an opening piece, it gives little indication of the innovation and creativity that will come in the pieces to follow. While its connection to, and place in the evening, is understandable, it does seem dated and lacks the emotional depth of the pieces it precedes. In short, this piece was hard-going for a newbie who has never found a way to connect to ballet.

How refreshing, then to experience a brand new piece composed by an award-winning New Zealand-born, Christchurch-raised choreographer. Fortunately, Corey Baker’s new creation The Last Dance offers a compelling communicative statement, inspired by his lifelong interest in Antarctica and concern regarding the negative, oblivious impact humans are having on climate change. It is a black and white message, delivered in black and white. Smart interference with costume, staging and physical movements are the visual partner to a deconstructed, experimental score. Mozart’s Requiem Mass is manipulated, chopped, reduced – breaking down until it is almost unrecognisable at points – which amplifies the metaphor. This commissioned piece is visionary, relevant, and engages the audience in a conversation that demands increasing urgency. Bravo!

The third and fourth pieces are renderings of Czech choreographer Jiří Kylián’s work, staged by Stefan Žeromski. The monochromatic colour scheme provides a visual link that complements Baker’s work and contrasts with the cold aloofness of the Balanchine piece. Petite Mort is stunning, evocative and sublime. Referencing death, life, and the most ecstatic bits in between, the piece is sensuous, graceful, and brings subtle humour to lighten the mood. The humour is not so subtle in Sechs Tänze, a lively and comedic group of dances that had the Isaac Theatre Royal audience laughing out loud. They serve as a loose, cheeky, satirical counterpoint to the comparatively stuffy, formal, straight-as-an-arrow Balanchine opening. It provides an opportunity for us to see the true artistry of the cast of extraordinary dancers. Once again – bravo!

Viewed as a whole, the selections and performances of the works included in this offering do make sense. They evolve into and out of each other, their contrasting qualities heightening the positive aspects of each other. My overall impression? This is “ballet for the people” – tutus and pointe-shoes to uphold tradition, and smart, envelope-pushing choreography to boldly push us towards the 22nd Century. Dancing With Mozart is a wonderful opportunity to be reminded of – or introduced to – the glorious talent, athletic strength, and commanding versatility of our national ballet company.

A Picasso. Produced by NO Productions. June 8 – 9. Christchurch Art Gallery. Directed by Michael Adams. Reviewed by Sophie Ricketts, Backstage Christchurch.

The Christchurch Art Gallery is the perfect venue for a play all about one of the most famous artists of all time, and the Philip Carter Family Auditorium was a brilliant and intimate setting. From the moment the doors were closed we were given an immersive welcome to the space, and it became clear we were going back in time to World War II. The live announcements by our German usher were a nice touch and really set the scene for us all even before the play began.

In occupied Paris, 1941, Pablo Picasso has been summoned from his favourite cafe and taken to a storage vault for an interrogation by Miss Fischer, a cultural attache from Berlin. The play is a one-scene wonder, and the entire course of action takes place inside the interrogation room. Fischer has been ordered to authenticate three Picasso paintings recently confiscated by the Nazis from their Jewish owners. The Nazi Ministry of Propaganda has planned an exhibition where they will burn what they deem to be degenerate art. Picasso engages Fischer in a desperate negotiation to save his work while the pair discuss art, politics, sex, and truth.

Natalia Oryshchuk as Miss Fischer is clearly in the driver’s seat here and she handles the terrain with complete composure. Giving her character a hint of softness to balance out her steely reserve makes for a lovely, three-dimensional performance and it is a delight to watch.

As the master artist, David Allen presents a layered performance which is tremendously forthright and surprisingly vulnerable. It is a great contrast from other roles I have seen him in previously when he has played much meeker men. Seeing him wrestle with his ego is wonderful and his diction is splendid throughout the rapid wordplay of his monologues.

The two of them are valiant in their delivery of this marvellous script; playing a verbal tennis match, handling Jeffrey Hatcher’s exceptional words with care and certainty. Michael Adams’ direction is delicate and direct, nicely playing with the dynamic of tension on stage, both sexual and political.

As NO Theatre Productions continue to push creative boundaries in Christchurch I delight in seeing what stories they will bring to us next. Their use of multiple venues across the city is engaging and A Picasso is a perfect example of utilising the performance location to its maximum effect. All in all, it was a great night out at the art gallery, watching the art quite literally come to life.

Ideation. Written by Aaron Loeb. June 2 - 23 2018. The Forge at The Court Theatre. Directed by Dan Bain. Reviewed by Kate Divett, Backstage Christchurch.

Ideation is a quietly satirical, loquacious descent into paranoia and mistrust. The context: a moral and ethical worst-case scenario being improbably solved in the setting of a corporate world with corporate players who will pat each other on the back as quickly as they will turn on each other.

I enjoy seeing theatre at The Forge – there’s a sense that you’re about to experience something unexpected and new. It’s a flexible space, so there’s an increased sense of anticipation prior to entering through the doors, and it can take a moment to orient yourself once you step inside. For Ideation, director Dan Bain and set designer Nigel Kerr have the audience seated intimately around a brightly-lit office conference room, set in the centre much like a boxing ring. With spinning chairs and a long boardroom table on the stage-platform, bathed in harsh fluorescent lighting, the space is at once both familiar and clinically aloof. The pre-show soundtrack of background office noises and futuristically-voiced trigger warnings help to set – and unsettle – the scene.

The fully mirrored back wall of the stage is almost a character in itself – doubling as the 'whiteboard' upon which the actors annotate their increasingly complex and paranoid discussions. It also enables the audience to fully engage with the action from all sides, and the actors can move more naturally around the performance space. Having watched too many criminal dramas on Netflix recently, I’m also reminded of the potential for unknown third-parties to be observing from behind mirrored two-way glass – a thought that crosses my mind more than once during the course of the evening.

And thus, the drama unfolds, the games begin, and the paranoia escalates. High level logistics experts are designing what starts out as a hypothetical solution to a viral disease outbreak, but increasingly appears to be a genocide. The abstract, dissociated analysis of a ‘potential event’ – punctuated by hastily drawn graphs, tables, models and diagrams –becomes disquietingly plausible. It is a morally and ethically ambiguous conundrum being conceptualised by a team of ‘suits’ in a comedically corporate world. Business banter flows back and forth between the players as they objectively discuss the pros and cons of various methods of “disposal” and “liquidation”. How to discreetly and efficiently manage the deaths of thousands of people? Or millions? All solutions must be scaleable, of course. Senior team member Hannah (Laura Hill) is tasked with keeping everyone on track, conscious of the impending deadline for presentation that will need to be made to the unseen “J.D.” their superior. Brock (Roy Snow), Ted (Adam Brookfield) and Sandeep (Shaan Kesha) are clearly an experienced and familiar team who have worked together to solve big logistical problems before, but probably not of this nature. Scooter (John Armstrong) is the overconfident and inexperienced intern and son of a board member, who irritates everyone from the outset.

This is a stellar cast and the heavy workload of dialogue is carried and delivered impressively. Playwright Aaron Loeb draws from his game-play experience in video game design, and the dialogue bears a resemblance to tricks from Aaron Sorkin’s (of TV’s The West Wing fame) playbook – the text is smart, logical, and fast-paced, with complex arguments and concepts explained quickly and supported by note-taking on the ‘whiteboard’. Praise, therefore, should be heaped upon Dan Bain’s direction as well as all cast members – as an audience member my head was spinning afterwards, and my companion and I were both in awe of the skill of all players.

Hill and Snow embody their characters’ corporate egos, at ease with handling the verbosity required of them. Kesha and Armstrong offer strong first outings for The Court Theatre, having opportunities to deliver both nicely timed humour and sinister intrigue amid the narrative tension. Among a terrific cast, Brookfield is particularly convincing that he is truly at work in an office meeting, doing his normal job and moving about the space with marvelously complete stage presence. Dan Bain’s direction carries his typically bold and punchy imprint, keeping the pace of the narrative flowing as well as ensuring there is physical movement on stage that makes use of the entire set.

Ideation is edgy, relevant, and rewarding – a worthy adversary of Netflix equivalents that might tempt audiences to stay on the couch. It is thought-provoking, conversation-starting, unsettling contemporary theatre that, for this reviewer, is the current highlight of the season at The Court Theatre.

In The Next Room, Or The Vibrator Play. Presented by The Court Theatre. 12 May – 2 June. Directed by Melanie Luckman. Reviewed by Sophie Ricketts, Backstage Christchurch.

This show was, and forgive the pun, positively electric. In turns the play had us absolutely howling with laughter and stunned into silence. Near the climax of Act Two I was caught by surprise as tears welled in my eyes and escaped at the seams. The remarkable cast of seven didn’t put a foot wrong. The beautifully choreographed entrances and exits kept the pace steady and the tension high as we watched characters take it in turns to remain steadfast or unravel at the seams.

Amy Straker was utterly mesmerising as Catherine Givings. On stage for almost the entire performance she commands the room with her every breath, every sigh. Her expressive face served to narrate the subtext of the show beautifully, and her portrayal of the lonely and forgotten wife was painfully real. Watching her youthful eagerness wear off as she became more and more ignored was like watching a timelapse of a flower bloom and wilt over the course of its season.

Hannah Wheeler as Sabrina Daldry was poised and polished, and a joy to watch as we witnessed her transformation from a ball of nerves to a woman in the midst of a personal awakening. The warm dynamic between her and Eilish Moran as Annie was achingly tender, and both women were equally brilliant in letting the momentum build to their fateful climax. Bianca Seinafo as Elizabeth created a lovely counter balance to the ladies of privilege, serving to remind us how women of a lower class or ethnic minority have even less of a voice than the rest.

The gentlemen of the cast (Jonathan Martin, Matt Hudson and Fergus Inder) served the ladies well, presenting juxtaposing viewpoints on why the women act the way they do and how they feel without ever thinking to consult them in the very next room. As much a commentary on marriage in the nineteenth century as it is on modern relationships now, it was both hilarious and heart-breaking to see the communication between them so strained by social conventions and misunderstandings.

The design elements of the production are positively heavenly. The set, designed by Julian Southgate, is beautifully ornate and the attention to detail was superb, right down to the wallpaper motif. The colour choices and tailoring of the costumes was divine, again attention to detail shone through in the delicate fabric covered buttons and exquisite hats. Sound and lighting ably aided the progression of the story, with light in particular taking on its own role in the show. As head technician and lighting designer Giles Tanner is to be commended.

I was taken aback as the vulnerable and surprising moments emerged from this comedy. I hadn’t expected the play to take such a sharp turn and despite it making me feel rather exposed it also felt liberating. In fact, everything about this production felt organic; nothing felt forced. From the accents which were consistent and accurate to the emotional arcs within the storytelling everything we watched felt as though it was happening for exactly the first time. And while it might seem obvious to state since theatre is meant to be transporting us into another place and another era, it was still refreshing to experience it done so well. Melanie Luckman has given us the most wonderful gift in bringing Sarah Ruhl’s script to life and she clearly cultivated an exceptional amount of trust with her actors.

This show is an absolute love letter to women; our thoughts, our fears, and our feelings. Ladies and gentlemen of Canterbury, I urge you to get your tickets. And whether you attend with your mum, with your girlfriends, with your spouse or by yourself, I wager you’ll think it is one of the best things you’ve ever seen at The Court. I know I do.

The Vicar of Dibley. A stage play by Ian Gower and Paul Carpenter. Presented by Canterbury Repertory Theatre. 9 – 19 May. Elmwood Auditorium. Directed by Dimitri Gibara. Reviewed by Kate Divett, Backstage Christchurch.

On a chilly autumn evening, Elmwood Auditorium was the place to be if you needed your heart warmed right through to the cockles.

It’s a tricky thing to do – pulling off a stage-show version of a very popular television show. Especially when the characters are such, well – characters! And also when the telly version is led by the inimitable Dawn French. Could they do it justice, I wondered?

Well, they have done it justice. And they’re going to keep doing it until May 19th, so audiences should hurry to get their tickets before the season ends.

The play begins with the first of many humorous Dibley Parish Council meetings. The parish are mourning the loss of their long-serving vicar, and are due to meet his replacement – surely it will all go as expected and nothing can possibly go wrong? As long as it’s not a woman… eek!

The Repertory’s cast have done a fabulous job of bringing the light-hearted, slice-of-life comedy to life. Julian Anderson (David Horton), Russell Haigh (Frank Pickle), John Ashton (Owen Nesbitt) and Ian Lester (Jim Trott) bring their formidable stage experience to the fore – their comedic timing and consistent characterisation are without fault and they seem to genuinely be having a good time in the role. Against these masters, Stephen Dew’s (Hugo Horton) relative lack of experience is clear – his lone Kiwi accent is especially jarring – however his enthusiasm and commitment to certain scenes can’t be questioned!

It all hinged, of course, on the titular role and how that was handled. Celia Breen (Geraldine Granger) was heavenly. From the moment she burst onto stage and introduced herself to each of the socially awkward, male-chauvinist members of the parish, she won them – and the audience – over. Breen could easily have been a warm-hearted, pastoral, real-life vicar sitting on the couch and I would have happily sat beside her and sought her counsel. She adopted many of the recognisable characteristics of the Vicar that Dawn French inhabited, as well as bringing her own flavour to the role too. Jenny Hargreaves (Alice Tinker) did the same with her role – just the right amount of loveable idiocy to make her heartwarmingly naive, instead of turning Alice into a clown. Breen and Hargreaves form a believable partnership that make their shared moments a joy to watch and a solid foil to the dour, misogynistic forces they are up against. We are reminded in the programme of the recent passing of Emma Chambers – “the First Alice of Dibley” – which makes the quality of Hargreaves’ performance all the more touching.

The stage setting is simple, largely alternating between discussions around the parish table and discussions at the vicar’s house. There is a lot of static, dialogue-driven scenes a-la the TV show. This can largely be forgiven due to the nature of the source-material, and is saved by the comedic abilities of key actors. Extra special mention should be given to Ian Lester and John Ashton, who had me throwing my head back with laughter at many points with the extra subtleties in their physical performances. These points of relief helped to mitigate the long running time, punctuated by blackout scene changes.

As has already been mentioned, there is a largely stellar cast handling the acting so I am left thinking about what more director Dmitri Gibara could have done to sharpen the running of the production around them. Some subtle moments are lost due to the context of the performance – small picture frames are not explained and are too small to see from the other side of the auditorium, or some costume elements are hard to see, for example. The semi-circular stage/audience relationship is a tricky space to negotiate but, by and large, this is successful and once again handled well by the experienced cast members.

The Vicar of Dibley–the stage show – is definitely something that Christchurch devotees of the TV show shouldn’t hesitate to attend. The audience on the night I attended enjoyed it immensely, with many deep laughs and chuckles. Prepare to have your heart warmed and your face stretched joyfully. And as Hugo Horton might have said – “It’s a ‘ducking’ good laugh”.

Jekyll and Hyde. Produced by North Canterbury Musicals. Directed by Paul Johnson. Musical director Leanne O'Mahony. Choreographed by Holly Diepraam. 10-26 May. Rangiora Town Hall. Reviewed by Sophie Ricketts, Backstage Christchurch.

Last night I had the supreme treat of being able to watch a full production of a musical which I am very familiar with but have never seen staged before.

Jekyll and Hyde: The Musical burst onto Broadway in 1997 and was a fantastic success, with a nearly four-year run and a triumphant catalogue of songs showcasing tremendous staying power over the last two decades. Frank Wildhorn filled the show with ominous chords, despondent intervals, and surprisingly tender melodies which juxtaposed the dark subject material in a way which captivated audiences then and still does now.

But despite the strength of the music and the power of the storyline, the show will absolutely flourish or die at the hands of the actor cast in the dual role of the tortured doctor and the madman inside him, and thankfully Lance McBride was a terrific fit. This tragic and brooding piece of theatre was brought to life by the magnetic performance of the leading man. His energy and presence on the stage were magnificent and ultimately made each of his own scenes far more interesting than any of those which did not feature him (fortunately, there were very few of those). What I appreciated most was his commitment to altering both his vocal delivery and physicality as he dramatically changed from gentleman to gargoyle, from man to madman before our very eyes. His initial transformation in Act One and the confrontation between the two sides of his tortured soul in Act Two were particularly arresting. His singing was outstanding.

Supporting performances by Angus Howat as Utterson, Briar Patrick as Emma, and Catherine Hay as Lucy were all vocally superb. But the secondary characters fade in comparison to the rise and fall of Jekyll/Hyde; this is his show and Leslie Bricusse clearly wrote it with the aim of capturing the relentless momentum of the power he feels in his new persona, and the helplessness he falls into as one side of his personality takes over the other completely. The way this show is constructed, it showcases the talents of the lead actor in a way which tends to eclipse all others on the stage.

The lighting was simple, yet effective. Particularly with the murderous moments playing out before us highlighted by a striking red spotlight. A stunning programme is available which was produced to a wonderfully high standard – I highly recommend you purchase one to guide you through the story of the show, and to enjoy the photography of all the characters in their costumes. Special mention to the costume and design team, as the Victorian Era is a challenging one to convey well on a community theatre budget but the overall look and feel of the production was very cohesive.

The choreography left a lot to be desired, it was the weakest element of the show which was such a shame as there were some large ensemble numbers just begging to have more movement incorporated. The issue was that most of the movement which was set had seemingly no relationship to the story of the show or even the song at the time. The small glimmer of integration we did see was the use of newspapers and umbrellas in Act Two’s Murder, Murder; it would have been nice to see more of that and less arm sweeping. While there were microphone issues, especially in the first scenes, these appeared to clear up by the time we entered Act Two so let’s hope they don’t resurface beyond opening night.

This is an ambitious and notable effort from North Canterbury Musicals, and a terrific opportunity to see a show which otherwise might not be produced for local audiences. I applaud NCMS for their desire to bring something different to the Rangiora Town Hall stage, and for their efforts in executing this macabre beast of a show.

[Image credit: Trevor White Photography]

A Paintbox of Clowns. Produced by The Court Theatre. Written and directed by Dan Bain. Music by Hamish Oliver and Dan Bain. 16 – 28 April. Reviewed by Kineta Booker, Backstage Christchurch.

Coulrophobia, the fear of clowns, is a serious issue with the phobia often starting in childhood. But if the opening performance of A Paintbox of Clowns was anything to go by, there wasn't a terrified child in the house.

In fact, beautiful laughter rang through the air as Red, Blue and Green faced a series of problem solving missions, helped along through interaction from their young audience. Maybe creator and director Dan Bain's clowns are the ones every child should be introduced to at such an impressionable age. Red, Blue and Green were approachable, friendly, and funny, without a scrap of gaudy make-up but still wore the classic red clown nose.

A Paintbox of Clowns was a feast for a young imagination. It was captivating physical theatre, played along to an interesting musical score coupled with zanily perfect sound effects.

It was great to see Nicky Marshall make his professional acting debut as Red, Court Jester Millie Hanford as Blue, and Monique Clementson as Green – following her performance as Jackie Paper in last holiday's Puff the Magic Dragon.

My three-year-old is in a fortunate position that he's already seen scores of shows, big and small, but I've never heard him giggle so loudly or his face light up so much in any other show than throughout A Paintbox of Clowns. As I looked around the theatre, every single child had the same happy look.

Dan Bain, his trio of clowns, and the production team have certainly turned up the magic these school holidays.

Witch's Cat Wanted. Produced by Canterbury Children's Theatre. 14 – 29 April. Malthouse Theatre. Adapted and directed by Nickie Wellbourn. Reviewed by Kineta Booker, Backstage Christchurch.

Rilla the witch's cat has retired and she's searching for a new companion, meeting several kitties before finding her perfect match.

She's looking for one that can ride a broomstick, stir the cauldron, learn all the spells, enjoy eating gizzards, and be Rilla's friend. Through several interesting interviews (one is too food fussy, another gets broom sick), a musical interlude, and a few giggles, Rilla magics up an idea of where to find her forever friend.

Nickie Wellbourn has adapted the story into a sweet little play, and directed it well within the intimate confines of the Malthouse cushion-theatre space.

The production team puts on a fine show, and the feline make-up was superb thanks to the professional brushes of Margaret Ackroyd and her large team.

It's this kind of theatre that introduces little ones to performance art in a welcoming, non-restrictive, non-invasive space. A line of black duct tape separates the audience from the action. It's a fun, entertaining experience for children on the cushions (which are provided), and an affordable, comfortable time for parents (chairs provided). Total win-win for all.

Wicked: The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz. Produced by Showbiz Christchurch. 6 – 21 April. Isaac Theatre Royal. Director and Musical Staging by Stephen Robertson. Musical Director Richard Marrett. Choreographer Glen Harris. Reviewed by Kate Divett, Backstage Christchurch.

Showbiz has crafted something wickedly wonderful for Christchurch theatre audiences.

Wicked is the hotly anticipated show of the Saunders & Co Showbiz 2018 Season. It is a musical theatre juggernaut, wowing millions of people worldwide and becoming one of only a small number of shows to have generated over $US1billion worldwide. Christchurch – it is a truly wicked treat to be able to see this show in our city.

The story is described as a prequel, or backstory, to the L. Frank Baum tale of the Wizard of Oz. We are reminded that there are always two sides to every story, and we shouldn’t be too quick to judge – even if someone is the so-called “Wicked Witch of the West”. There are an extraordinary number of subtexts and themes blended into the storyline. It’s a romantic comedy with strong political undertones, a commentary on animal rights with a talking goat and flying monkeys, a warning regarding the pitfalls of getting what you want, a celebration of friendship, and a homage to a classic film. It is a story that connects with the heart and challenges perceptions.

Wicked is an ambitious production, and one that will draw inevitable comparisons to other productions many people will have seen over the last 15 years on Broadway and the West End. Showbiz Christchurch, the cast, and crew deserve the standing ovation they received on opening night. People who are expecting to see powerhouse vocals and music, sumptuous costumes, a dancing ensemble group, and incredible stage sets will not be disappointed.

The lead roles of Elphaba and Glinda are shared throughout the season, and opening night performances were from Heather Lee Wilcock (Elphaba) and Rebekah Head (Glinda). Wilcock delivers a phenomenal performance as the green-skinned “Wicked Witch” – her opening song The Wizard and I attracted a rapturous applause from the audience, and the climax of Act 1 Defying Gravity nearly tore the roof down. Rebekah Head balanced the amiable, comic and earnest tones of the Glinda character with great effect, while also delivering a powerful soprano vocal performance. Bravo to both! The heartwarming duet For Good drew tears from audience members around me, and was a testament to the strength of their performing relationship.

Other main roles are delivered with fabulous vocals and consistent characterisation. Sarah Greenwood Buchanan did double duty in this production – a fabulous performance onstage as Madame Morrible, as well as a complex off-stage role as wig and hair manager. Fergus Inder (Fiyero) and Tom Worthington (Boq) were fabulous as the roguish prince and young munchkin. Kira Josephson (Nessarose), Jack Fraser (Dr Dillamond, Father), and Chris Goodyear (The Wonderful Wizard of Oz) all gave terrific supporting performances, with solo moments helping to elevate the show’s high-quality.

The ensemble were also incredible and provided impact with both grace and power. Dance pieces – clearly influenced by choreographer Glen Harris’ ballet experience and background – were elegant and sophisticated. Costumes and makeup were dynamic, and a visual feast particularly when the ensemble appeared on stage in tableau.

Bravo therefore to Stephen Robertson (Director), Richard Marrett (Musical Director) and Harris for their clearly successful partnership in bringing all aspects of Wicked together coherently and with such extraordinarily high standards and professionalism. These gentlemen are an institution in the Christchurch theatre scene – our expectations of them have been met convincingly in this incredible production. The orchestra is, as we have come to expect, virtuoso, and the group of backing vocalists add depth and energy to the chorus numbers. Bravo also to the supporting production team – stage, set, sound, lighting etc all worked well together, without any aspect detracting or distracting from another.

With Showbiz Christchurch’s talent and vision clearly being unlimited, this season of Wicked is sure to leave audience spirits ‘defying gravity’.

Easy Money. Presented by The Court Theatre. A play by Roger Hall. Directed by Ross Gumbley. Until April 21. Reviewed by Sophie Ricketts, Backstage Christchurch.

Everyone who goes to the theatre is likely to know the name Roger Hall. Undoubtedly New Zealand’s most well known playwright, his prolific career has spanned over four decades. The latest production at the Court Theatre makes it easy to see why his work has remained so popular, while at the same time represents a shift away from some of his previous themes.

With most of his previous works centred on 'ordinary' New Zealanders it was refreshing to see him branch out into more outlandish and desperate characters. Psychologically it probably helps us out a bit if we feel like everyone on stage is really different to ourselves; an eager reminder that if we see ourselves in them, it might imply that we could be conned too. No stranger to sarcasm and satire, I’m sure he had a lot of fun adapting this story from the Victorian story The Alchemist by Ben Jonson and setting it in modern day Auckland.

The functional set was dressed very well and the ever present projection of the “money counter” helped remind us all to keep the eye on the prize for our protagonists. The open plan apartment was well used and lent itself to some very physical, and very farcical, comedy moments. Costumes and styling for the show were equally well executed. The scene changes were many, but were handled well by shifting props around the apartment to signify the passing of time - though I did wonder at the length of some of these transitions, were they to cover costume changes off stage?

Roy Snow and Luanne Gordon as Stephen and Trudi play off each other with good rapport and manage to give some genuine heart to otherwise wily and ruthless characters. The rest of the cast in turn keep up the pace of the banter and all make compelling candidates for “which character in this show is the worst person?”. My money is on Bruce Phillips as Sir Robert Kingswood, a disgustingly deceptive misogynist who definitely reminded me of a few real people.

Ultimately, the show plays out like a TV sitcom. Parts of it were a bit contrived, some of the threads a bit tenuous, and there were a few holes in the plot... but it was entertaining. We laughed, we sighed and we even collectively gasped when a shocking plot twist was revealed! The most cynical among us (me) still got caught up in the mayhem and magic of the moment, giving in to the suspension of belief and waiting right up until the finale to see if our protagonists could really get away with it.

Easy Money is the dramatic equivalent of a chicken nugget: it may not be the most substantial choice, and it won’t fulfil everyone’s taste, but it is so satisfying when the craving is there. This show was a bit like a guilty pleasure that is a lot of fun to indulge every now and then.

The Piano. Presented by Royal New Zealand Ballet. Choreography Jiří Bubeníček. Staging Jiří Bubeníček and Otto Bubeníček. Music arrangement and composition Otto Bubeníček. Isaac Theatre Royal until March 23. Reviewed by Sophie Ricketts, Backstage Christchurch.

The Piano: The Ballet is a masterwork of contemporary movement, a celebration of visual storytelling, and a truly remarkable representation of our finest dancers.

Nadia Yanowsky was hypnotic in her representation of Ada McGrath. She had me on my feet at the curtain call, so achingly beautiful was her portrayal of this frustrated and fractured woman. Massimo Margaria as George Baines and Loughlan Prior as Alistair Stewart were in turns tough and tender, cold and closed, fierce and fluid; the two of them creating a beautifully balanced set of bookends for Ada’s story. In particular, the eruption of Stewart’s rage in the second half took my breath away, so thrilling was it to see his emotional escalation following her betrayal.

The tension of Ada’s predicament matched so perfectly with the well-executed selection of music that Otto Bubeniček deserves his own round of applause. His care and attention to detail was very evident and I thoroughly enjoyed reading through the musical listings in the programme. But what really stood out for me, above and beyond the mesmerising dancing and the comprehensive score, was the way New Zealand was represented as such a central character in the story. The lush and uncharted landscape was all at once portrayed as fresh, vibrant, and somewhat terrifying - a mirror to Ada’s own emotional journey. The minimal set and use of projected images to portray the changes of scenes and to create the sense of both open and restricted spaces was breathtaking. The wild and natural movement of the ocean’s tide was particularly captivating and made a terrific reoccurring theme in the story.

And just as the 1993 debut of Jane Campion’s film catapulted a uniquely New Zealand story onto the international screen, so too could this 2018 debut season of this stunning ballet. It is thrilling to see our stories being put front and centre, across all artistic mediums.

While seeing the film is not a prerequisite for being able to enjoy this wonderful production, I definitely felt my enjoyment was enhanced by already being familiar with the story. And for those who are avid fans of the film, I do not think you will be disappointed.

Lastly, I appeal to anyone who has never been to a ballet before, thinking they are all fairy stories full of tutus: this is the ballet you should see. We are lucky enough to have the RNZB performing this magnificent piece twice more in Christchurch, Thursday 22 March and Friday 23 March. I urge you to go.

Medea, The Mother. Director Vanessa Wells. Orange Studios until March 13. Reviewed by Sophie Ricketts, Backstage Christchurch.

Tonight Laura Irish was a force of nature – all at once she was Medea, she was herself, and she was a piece of every woman. She coaxed us in gently with her warmth and honesty, and left us reeling with the carefully-crafted execution of what was no doubt a highly challenging piece of work. Her own struggles with personal identity were juxtaposed with the ancient text of one of Euripides’ oldest and most famous plays; the selected passages of the classic myth combined with her sincere and honest monologues showcased a delicate balance of how layered women can be. Both fragile and hardened, courageous and vulnerable, the warrior and the defeated; she spoke from the heart and hit us all right in the gut.

The play was both confessional and confrontational: outlining the ways women get hurt, not just by other people but also by ourselves. By the time the show finished, with her proudly displaying a photograph of her children, I was raw from the emotional journey we’d all been on together and felt no need to hide the tear sliding down my face. The entire audience was so enthralled by her magnetic storytelling we quite literally heard a pin drop from the set behind her.

I walked out grateful. Grateful to see a strong and compelling woman being so brave with her art. Grateful to see an all-female collaboration doing a tour of the South Island. Grateful that Laura was pushing past her fears to initiate a powerful conversation about motherhood and how this role shapes us. Grateful for the acknowledgement that putting each other into boxes isn’t helping any of us. Grateful for the feeling of belonging to a community. Grateful for the empowered and supportive friendships I have with other women. And most of all, grateful that the men in the audience appeared just as moved as the women.

This robust piece of theatre truly exposed that the way women feel today is the way they felt yesterday, last month, a year ago, a decade ago, and even thousands of years ago.

Christchurch: whether you are a mother, a father, a daughter or a son I encourage you to see this show. I wager that you’ll take away something far more valuable than the cost of the ticket.

Tonight is the final performance, 7:30pm at Orange Studios in Ferrymead.

Tosca. Presented by NZ Opera. Conductor Marco Guidarini. Director Stuart Maunder. Isaac Theatre Royal until March 16. Reviewed by Sophie Ricketts, Backstage Christchurch.

NZ Opera was coming to town and I’d been looking forward to it all week. Their production of Tosca was being advertised with a dramatic image of a woman’s lips, slightly parted, and paired with a jewel-encrusted cross. It was suggestive and opulent - very fitting for a plot full of lust, revenge and faith. Arriving at the Isaac Theatre Royal I was giddy with excitement. And while the sets were extravagant, the costumes were beautifully lavish, and the singing was superb, it was such a shame the story itself was such a slow burner.

Tosca is an extremely popular opera, widely regarded as one of the most triumphant worldwide since its debut in 1900. The title role is coveted by leading sopranos around the world and greatly acknowledged to be a powerful example of a woman wrestling with vulnerability and jealousy, courage and passion. Unfortunately, I struggled to empathise with her due to Orla Boylan’s two-dimensional portrayal and the largely flat dynamic of the rest of the cast. Don’t misinterpret me, the singing was incredibly impressive but the calibre of acting throughout the whole production was more wooden than the gargantuan panels which lined the stage creating the striking Church of Sant’Andrea della Valle. However this was clearly not the opinion of the majority of the crowd, or if it was it simply didn’t deter them from finding great enjoyment from the other aspects of the production, as so many people rose up from their seats at the curtain call to applaud the show in a standing ovation.

I must widely praise one aspect though: I thought Teddy Tohu Rhodes gave a tremendous vocal performance as Scarpia. His deep and trembling tones made him an excellent bad guy and when coupled with his domineering physical presence I genuinely found him threatening. Unfortunately, his character played out much like a villain in a Bond film: a little bit silly and you know he’s going to end up dead.

It wasn’t all bad, but truth be told it wasn’t all good either. I love to feel things when I go to a performance, and despite the heightened sense of urgency with the subject material and the soaring score the overwhelming feeling was boredom. I simply couldn’t genuinely engage with the characters because they all played out like cartoons. Everything was so over the top or lacking in depth that it was a struggle to find threads of sympathy or empathy. And while I loved the design of the production and thought the orchestra were outstanding, the flat story telling meant I left wanting so much more. The sum of its parts were almost all wonderful when examined individually, but the overall impact was that I’d just watched a terrific concert rather than a full theatrical experience.

Guys & Dolls. Presented by MUSOC. Directed by Megan Connolly and Daniel Brown. Musical Direction by Luke Longworth. Choreographed by Monique Nixon. Until March 10. Jack Mann Auditorium. Reviewed by Sophie Ricketts, Backstage Christchurch.

Guys And Dolls first premiered on Broadway in 1950 during a period lovingly referred to as Broadway’s “Golden Years”, and this show is a great indication of why that label is so apt. I was excited to arrive at the the Jack Mann Auditorium to see MUSOC’s production of this classic show as it has so many fun elements woven into the story: an unlikely romantic pairing, an underdog, a plethora of comedic characters (who enrich and enliven every scene they are in), and big dance numbers. Having thoroughly enjoyed previous MUSOC shows I was confident we’d be in safe hands, and I was not wrong.

The entire cast carried the two act show exceptionally well across their many shoulders, but a few magic moments must be named. Logan Pocock as Nathan Detroit demonstrated terrific timing matched with a silver tongue. Hannah Falconer’s polished and poised soprano voice never missed a note and made her representation of Sarah Brown one of the sweetest I’ve seen. Nathan Hunt as Sky Masterson was cool, calm and collected - playing the suave and confident charmer with oodles of charisma.

As Nicely Nicely Johnson, Matt McMenamin was the most lovable gambler of them all and his voice was showcased very nicely across several of the most memorable songs from the entire show; his singing could stop New York City traffic. And Tegan Patrick, as the forever-fiancé Miss Adelaide, was the bees knees! She made the role so entirely her own, it was absolutely refreshing to see such a three dimensional take on a character who is sometimes portrayed as the butt of the joke. She stole every scene she was in and had us all holding our hearts in our hands waiting for her to get the chance to say “I do”!

The group dance numbers were a real highlight, showcasing the abilities of some very talented dancers and filling the stage with energy. The Crapshooters Ballet was simply stunning. The costuming was bright and vibrant, while staying remarkably faithful to the show’s era. The playful combination of patterns and decadent array of fabrics set the bustling New York City tone and created terrific texture and diversity on stage. Hats off to Georgia Caughey and Morgan Lowry for such a great job handling this delicate area of production.

My only criticism of the show was the inconsistent lighting design. There were scenes which felt very dim and some which even showed “holes” in the lighting plot, as characters stepped into dark patches and then returned to light again as they crossed the stage. Ironically, the scenes in the underground sewers were fantastic as the lighting choices were atmospheric and aided the setting, as seeing everyone’s face the entire time would have felt somewhat false. The blackouts were too many and too long, I’m not sure what can be done in future productions to minimise their momentum killing nature but it would be a good idea to address it in future production planning. Sadly, this is not the first time I have found the lighting of a MUSOC show to be the weakest point of the production.

Frank Loesser is a sharp and witty lyricist, who deserves to have his good words heard so my many thanks to those on the sound desk for ensuring we didn’t miss any. My companion for the evening was not familiar with the show at all, so it was a double treat for me to both watch the performance and watch her face as she heard all of the jokes and lyrics for the first time. She turned to me afterwards beaming from ear to ear and said: “This is so good, why aren’t more people here?” A valid question, ladies and gentlemen. This society of musical theatre aficionados has an excellent track record when it comes to providing top quality entertainment. MUSOC continues to knock it out of the park with their great shows and it would be wonderful to give them fuller houses to play to. I’m excited to see what they have in the pipeline for the rest of 2018.

Super Hugh-Man. Written by Rutene Spooner. February 23, 2018. NASDA Theatre. Reviewed by Sophie Ricketts, Backstage Christchurch.

No stranger to Christchurch audiences, Rutene Spooner is a familiar face. Already this year he has given a knockout performance as Amos Hart in the Court Theatre’s summer season of Chicago and deftly manoeuvred his way through multiple characters in Two Production’s summertime run of The Little Prince. There is no doubt: the man is incredibly talented. But what shone through tonight just as bright than his immense talent was his equally immense set of skills.

Between playing the guitar, serenading us with his silky voice, and even turning out a dance routine straight from A Chorus Line, Rutene demonstrated that not only does he have talent in spades but that he is more than capable of holding an audience on his shoulders alone for an entire show. His earnestness and tenacity came pouring out as he shared the story of his very personal journey.

And that is what is at the heart of his show: unashamed, unabashed storytelling. He held us in the palm of his hand as he traced his origin story highlighting important and influential moments from his childhood and teen years; with special attention paid to the hero who influenced his decisions.

This was a musical love letter to Hugh Jackman; it was fan fiction come to life to celebrate Hugh’s versatility as an actor, singer and dancer but ultimately it was also a love letter Rutene wrote to himself. To that funny kid who was embarrassed to let the cool kids in the Kapa Haka group know that he did drama. To that teenager afraid (and excited) of what the future might hold for him, and uncertain of how he was going to get there. And to the young man who decided to get stuck in, work hard, and grab his challenges by the throat.

This show was a celebration of his determination to be fierce and fabulous, to be tough and tender, and to show off his talents and his skills. It was a wonderfully funny, exciting and touching tribute to all that he has achieved so far; while also tipping his hat to the superhero who made him believe he was capable.

Rutene has plans to take this show to other locations to continue to let it evolve and gain exposure with new audiences. It is exciting to think there will be young people out there who will watch Rutene perform and decide that he is their hero, and his story will influence them as they begin to shape their own.

If we are really lucky, Rutene will bring Super HughMan back to Christchurch for an encore season at some point; trust me, you won’t want to miss it!

Titus Andronicus. Written by William Shakespeare. Directed by Dan Bain. February 17 - March 3 2018. The Court Theatre. Reviewed by Kate Divett, Backstage Christchurch.

This is a revenge play. It is brutal. It is sadistic. It is confrontational. If you want to be entertained, you best be prepared – this is visceral theatre at its most thrilling and unapologetic. It is brilliant.

Titus Andronicus is Shakespeare’s bloodiest play, described as “a veritable parade of the Bard’s most inventive and grotesque deaths”, or “all of Game of Thrones in one evening”. The title character returns from 20 years of campaigning against Rome’s enemies to find his home divided by partisan squabbling. His attempts to restore order to the city he loves unleash the very forces that will tear both the city and his family to pieces, setting off a chain reaction of betrayal, murder and revenge that leaves no one unscathed.

Having experienced some of Bain’s prior work in Hamlet - The Video Game (The Stage Show) and Scared Scriptless, it is clear that this production bears his fingerprint. He, through the cast and production team, creates a dystopian world that tightly balances ordered minimalism and wild chaos. The intention seems to be to strip back all elements to the essentials, in order to amplify the action and narrative – this is successful on all counts.

The programme is a poster, with a comic-strip summary of the various scenes in the play on the reverse. As someone who needs a wee while to attune my ear and flex my Shakespeare muscles, this programme design was fabulous. It sets the scene for a production that seeks to meet the needs of both afficionados, and those of us who are not so Shakespeare-savvy.

The stage setting (Chris Reddington) is minimalist and functional, with wee tricks that show a tight collaboration with lighting designer Giles Tanner. Sounds and music designed by Hamish Oliver are also minimalist and evocative. Costume design (Tina Hutchinson-Thomas) complements the set and character development with beautifully considered colours, fabrics, and pieces. The combined effect of all production elements is that of a clearly considered aesthetic (think of epic fantasies such as “300”, “Spartacus”,”Game of Thrones” and “Mad Max”) , which provides a fabulous foundation for the work of the cast. And the blood, and the severed heads, courtesy of Julian Southgate (properties/blood effects). There is a lot of blood. Of all different forms. You have been warned.

The entire cast is exceptional and all fully committed to communicating the text and action as clearly as possible. It is necessary to make mention of some standouts, however. Owen Black plays a loving, vengeful Titus who is ultimately a victim of the chaos he wanted to make right. Tom Trevella (Marcus) is Titus’ dedicated and supportive brother, a voice of reason when the world is maddening. Eilish Moran is captivating as a truly despicable, plotting Tamora. Miriam Qualls has a truly challenging role as Tamora – the long, slow, bloody crawl up the stairs was harrowing to watch, and nearly reduced my companion and me to tears. Bravo! Kathleen Burns shines once more in dual roles (Lucius/Nurse), the latter providing one of the most appalling deaths that drew gasps from the audience. I was relieved for the moments of comedy in Fergus Inder’s second role of the evening (Aemilius).

As the narrative descends further and further into madness, the deaths become more and more gratuitous, and the suspense is heightened to almost screaming, the lighter moments are welcome. The opening warning regarding the play’s content, the music during interval, and comedic moments within the play, all provided moments to release the built-up tension and remind the audience to breathe. It almost seems as though it would not be out of place, however, to see Bain himself enter stage a la Russell-Crowe-in-Gladiator, shouting “ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?!”

Yes we were. We promise we were. Now can I please go home to find something warm and fuzzy to cuddle?

Fire in the Meth Lab. January 18-27, 2018. World Buskers Festival, Christchurch. Reviewed by Sophie Ricketts, Backstage Christchurch.

We’re nearing the end of this year’s World Buskers Festival, so let me be concise: everyone should go see this show. It is one of the funniest pieces of performance I have ever seen and Jon Bennett is utterly charismatic.

Fire in the Meth Lab is a layered story full of nostalgic turns through Jon’s somewhat troubled childhood, which ultimately serves up some pretty meaty morals at the end. But don’t let the heavy subject matter throw you, this autobiographical show is in turns deeply personal, profoundly moving, and outrageously funny. There were so many moments which truly had me gasping over their ridiculousness, and I wiped away tears from both laughter and sadness.

The show spoke to me on a deep and personal level because I, too, have an older sibling with whom my childhood years were at times painful and ridiculous; though neither of us has ended up in jail... yet. The show spoke to me because I, too, have supported and loved someone through addiction. And finally, the show spoke to me because I saw glimmers of my own utterly outrageous family in the fabric of his story. The capacity audience around me looked like it was resonating with them too.

Make sure you are booked in to be a part of the audience for his final performance this Saturday; and take some cash, because if you enjoy it even half as much as I did you will definitely want to put something in his bucket at the end.

A Year of Magical F**king. January 18-27, 2018. World Buskers Festival, Christchurch. Reviewed by Sophie Ricketts, Backstage Christchurch.

Attending this show I was unsure of what to expect. Would it be stand up? Would it be stories? Would it be a Millennial encouraging us to laugh freely about his sexual exploits? It was all of the above, and it was the type of combination that makes you feel a little bit guilty about just how much you loved it.

Eli Matthewson waxed lyrical for the better part of an hour about the guys he’s shagged, the awkward positions he’s found himself in (sexual innuendo intended!), and his musings on the general state of dating and mating in New Zealand. His cute and quirky demeanour combined with his no-holes-barred candour allowed all of us the extreme pleasure of a dirty old gossip session without having to dish on anyone we knew.

It was lovely to listen as his shameless exploits built to a warm and fuzzy no-longer-single ending, especially as he got real over how much he wanted to impress him when they first met. It is easy to see why this young, budding comic has been nominated for the Billy T Award; he’s got charisma, a gift of the gab, and a lot of great material. I’ll be excited to see his future shows as he gets to dive deeper into his emotional range.

Pretending Things Are A Cock. January 18-27, 2018. World Buskers Festival, Christchurch. Reviewed by Sophie Ricketts, Backstage Christchurch.

The name of this show caught my attention because it sounded funny and a tad vulgar, but also because I thought it might be a joke. A tease. Click bait. But nope: lots of pretend cocks!

It was a sort of mash-up of attending a petcha kutcha event and watching your awkward cousin do a slideshow for the family of his holiday travel snaps... But only if every single one of his photos was him posing with something inanimate to represent his sex organ. And if by now you’re reading this and thinking it sounds awful, I’m here to tell you that it was just the opposite!

In turn hilarious, moving, and cringeworthy, this show covered the full spectrum. It was surprisingly deep for something based so heavily on phallic imagery, with Jon Bennett letting us slowly into his warped mind and his fractured heart.

By the end of the show I was completely won over and felt encouraged to jump on the pretend cock bandwagon, even to the point where I was plotting my photographic contribution on the way home! But this show was much more than just a bunch of hokey, pretend dick pics: it was a journey through one man’s love, pain, and embarrassing travel misfortunes. I am desperate not to give anything away as I don’t want to steal his thunder or take away the sense of magic and wonder hearing each of the stories told about his featured “cocks”, so I will simply end with this: Jon is funny, he is real, and he is worthy of the money you will most definitely put in the bucket at the end.

Butt Kapinski. January 18-27, 2018. World Buskers Festival, Christchurch. Reviewed by Scott Koorey, Backstage Christchurch.

I’m not gonna lie to you – this show may contain traces of audience involvement. But what were you expecting – this is a Buskers Festival after all! And in fact, the approach here is much more egalitarian than the usual singled-out audience member routine; so just sit back and relax, comfortable in the knowledge that you (and everyone else in the room) are about to become a part of this great show.

Entering the theatre, you know something’s not quite normal, with chairs for the audience not just in the house but also scattered about filling the stage. The lights go down, and mystery enshrouds the room. Music plays and then, dead centre, a curious figure is suddenly illuminated by an interrogation lamp protruding from the figure’s trenchcoat and dangling angler-fish-like over their head. Our host, Butt Kapinski, a detective with shoes of the gummiest sort, immediately begins darting around the space, randomly selecting audience members to illuminate dramatically with that dangling light. A picture is slowly painted with the detective’s words of a miserable big city full of crime and depravity – we are in the world of film noir.

Although if you’d never come across the term film noir before, you would probably still be unfamiliar with it by the end of the show, because Kapinski possesses a singular combination of accent and speech impediment, essentially converting all l’s and r’s into w’s and demanding that we play a fun game of delayed comprehension, rushing to decipher the phrase just uttered. Even Butt himself sometimes stumbles over this affectation, often to great comedic effect.

But it’s not just the voice; everything about the character is painted in big, bold brushstrokes, and committed to utterly by the performer. And it wouldn’t be much of an exaggeration to say that at its core this show is this character, with even the most banal of plot developments reworked into something strange and oddly beautiful in Kapinski’s hyper-expressive hands. And yes, there is a story, although it’s difficult to delineate where the architecture of the show stops and the improvisation around the circumstances of the particular night’s audience begins. But like any good improv performance, the audience, both in their offers and their involvement, are essential to the show’s success.

Along these lines, possibly the most fascinating aspect of the whole experience was observing the shifting willingness of the audience to be a part of what was happening. In a funny way, the audience had a ‘dramatic arc’ of their own, with an understandable reluctance at the beginning transformed over the course of an hour, to the point where by the end of our journey some individuals were leaping up unprompted to give impassioned character performances and expository monologues.

One big theme in the show is inversion, which Kapinski plays with gleefully in the type of characters painted upon audience members. Thus, a female audience member of small frame is endowed as a bloated male businessman, while the burly guy sitting next to her might become a delicate femme fatale. This gender inversion pops up in unexpected places, and in the performance I saw, I suspect even the performer was surprised when an audience member chosen for a special role turned out to transcend the binary assumptions of gender we usually operate in. You can’t plan such moments, but when they arise, a show like this is perfectly built to embrace and incorporate them into its DNA.

I’ll confess, I was once or twice pulled frustratingly away from the moment to wonder what might have been, had a particular audience member responded differently. But that’s a minor niggle, and in a show like this the bugs and the features are essentially the same things, depending on how you choose to view it. The infinite possibilities are of course the bread-and-butter of improvised theatre, although when you have at least the suggestion of a practiced framework like this show, part of me really wants to go back a few more times, so as to observe other permutations in action. And who am I to discourage such repeat attendances! This show is worth seeing at least once, so head along and, whether it’s the story or the show itself, get involved.

Urzila Carlson - Unacceptable. January 18-27, 2018. World Buskers Festival, Christchurch. Reviewed by Sophie Ricketts, Backstage Christchurch.

I love to laugh in a large group of others. It is one of my favourite things, not only because it feels good but also because it takes you out of yourself momentarily and really connects you to those with whom you’re sharing the laughter. Watching Urzila Carlson at the festival brought the whole damn crowd together in outrageous fits of laughter – a perfect evening!

She was utterly in her element as she picked apart the foibles of modern society – everything from deconstructed food to bikram yoga; if it ranks as unacceptable on her radar she let us know about it. My date and I both agreed that she did not disappoint.

I’ve had the immense pleasure of seeing Urzila perform live quite a few times before, but I can say without any hesitation that this was my favourite of all her shows. In addition to letting us in on her minor gripes and groans, she also managed to use her platform to express concern over real medical and emotional issues. The shift between laugher and tears was handled respectfully, honestly, and carefully; letting us not only laugh at what she was saying, but also to deeply connect with what she was feeling. It was a genuinely funny and poignant performance, which left a wonderfully upbeat sense of belonging before we left the venue. She delivered every punchline as through we were being let in on a private joke, which had the excellent impact of making me feel like I was listening to a close friend tell a story just to me, and not to an entire hall full of other people.

Urzila Carlson: Unacceptable was a total hoot to attend; her wit and wisdom was irreverent. I can’t wait to see what her next show is like – I, for one, will definitely be attending!

Tape Face – Under Construction. January 18-27, 2018. World Buskers Festival, Christchurch. Reviewed by Sophie Ricketts, Backstage Christchurch.

Our local boy is back! Sam Wills was an absolute treat to watch as he brought his brand new show to life in front of a capacity crowd.

His delightfully silly routines were expertly delivered with plenty of help from the audience, and the absolutely show-stopping soundtrack kept it all moving at a fantastic pace. He had a way of making even the most jaded of us regress into child-like wonder as he created scenarios, and even whole worlds, so far removed from our own. This was pure escapism, and it was heaven.

The disclaimer played to the audience before he appeared on stage set the scene for what was a riotous invitation: “Please play along or else you’ll look like a d**k”.

Exceeding all my expectations, every single person plucked from the audience managed to heed this warning and got into the spirit of things! It really felt like it was a team effort up there and Tape Face was the energised maestro conducting traffic and organising the chaos to deliver a punchline every time.

Mime is a delicate and beautiful performance art, and when delivered with such passion and finesse it is hard to think why there isn’t more of it on the local scene. Here’s hoping we might see a resurgence as a new generation of tricksters and clowns take their inspiration from Tape Face and his exciting assortment of props.

It was a real treat to enjoy such a slick and well executed performance, so it was no surprise that he had us all on our feet dancing with him at the end... and all without saying a word!

Ali McGregor – Decadence. January 18-22, 2018. World Buskers Festival, Christchurch. Reviewed by Scott Koorey, Backstage Christchurch.

The term ‘cabaret’ is all too often associated with tacky shows in Vegas or on expensive cruises, but if that’s what you thought it meant, then Ali McGregor: Decadence is here to reclaim the word and show you something unexpected and wonderful.

The performer takes the stage, a classy diva with a quiff of pink hair to clue you in that this isn’t going to be quite business-as-usual. And before a word of explanation is given, the first minute or two of the opening song serves as a perfect primer for what we’re about to experience in the next hour. They start in on Nina Simone’s iconic Feeling Good, but the song gets ‘stuck’, a cute bit of comedy between the singer and the pianist/band leader. A carhorn unexpectedly intrudes from beyond the walls of the lovely Great Hall venue, and our diva responds in character. And then the number kicks in properly, and we are delighted to discover that the music has just casually transformed into a jazzy rendition of Gorillaz’ Feel Good Inc., and proceeds to dance cheekily between the two similarly-titled songs from there.

McGregor is a charismatic presence on the stage and, very tightly supported by her three-piece band, takes us on a bit of a trip through her musical influences, with classical and jazz training forming the platform on which she tackles a smorgasbord of 80s and 90s pop and rock favourites. The fusion is extremely well-crafted, and never pastiche, lending an air of authenticity to these reinventions of well-known songs, to the point where you’ll be convinced that such numbers as a Chicago-style jazz version of Oops! I Did It Again are the originals.

There are plenty more delights in the playlist, from 80s heart-throbs to 90s rock to lady rap, but I don’t want to spoil all the surprises. The first half is perhaps more loaded with style-hopping, while the latter parts of the set are less about genre gymnastics and more focussed on just stripping back some of McGregor’s beloved pop tunes to their emotional core, sometimes exposing new beauty in the writing that the original recordings might have obscured. At one point she ventures out into the crowd, deputising us all as her temporary lighting crew, fumbling to transform our mobile phones into ad hoc follow spots as she gets up close and personal with her audience. At all times the show’s choices are unexpected and playful.

McGregor’s voice is quite simply astonishing, a masterclass in vocal artistry, effortlessly combining technical virtuosity with the flair, humour and heart of a performer not afraid to expose themselves as a real human being on the stage. She slips and slides between genres with ease, at times teasing hints of impersonation, but always these varying styles are filtered through the lens of her generous and slightly-sassy onstage personality. And while we often talk about the voice being an instrument, the sound coming out of her mouth sometimes sounds like she is indeed playing a beautiful, alien musical instrument – her stratospheric, theramin-like falsetto in particular making quite an impression.

This show has an all-too-short run in the Buskers Festival, with the last show on Monday night, so if you have a love for cabaret, jazz or pop music, or just want to see a world-class performer in full command of her craft, then treat yourself and get along to this extraordinary show.

Crossdresser for Christ - The Musical, A Drag Queen Confessional with Ginger Minj. January 18-27, 2018. World Buskers Festival, Christchurch. Reviewed by Kate Divett, Backstage Christchurch.

The World Buskers Festival is celebrating its 25th Anniversary this year. The sensational line-up of local and international performers means audiences are being invited to celebrate this milestone in suitably splendid fashion.

Crossdresser for Christ is described as a "wild and wacky journey" and a "relig-ish experience". My companion and I hadn’t seen RuPaul’s Drag Race (Netflix) at all, so we were feeling slightly unprepared but open for anything that might happen. The impromptu pep-talk from Tim Bain (Artistic Producer of the World Buskers Festival) as we waited in line outside the Old Boys’ Theatre at Christ’s College made us a little nervous about what we might be about to experience – little did we know what a true treat we were in store for.

I won’t go into too much detail, except to say that the show begins with self-effacing, less-than-flattering social media quotes and tweets that cast Ginger Minj as an object of people’s dislike – the antagonist, perhaps. I’m presuming there were some haters out in the Twitterverse as a result of RuPaul's Season 7. From this opening, Ginger Minj – accompanied by her pianist and backing vocalist – takes the audience on a journey through story and song, comedy and heartbreak, heartache and true love.

Ginger is captivating – it is a compelling performance, full of both confidence and vulnerability. Her ‘Southern Charm’ is warm and hilarious, and immediately has the audience on-side – if not a little on-guard, as is the way when these busker performances threaten the possibility of audience participation. Ginger Minj’s show is in the style of a mostly one-sided conversation, but she did ask a few questions of the front-row, to the delight of one superfan in the audience on the first night. Her costume was truly regal: sequins, of course, but a wig and makeup that was truly mesmerising. You may find yourself googling her makeup tutorials when you get home, as I did, in order to gain a true understanding of the transformation Joshua Eads-Brown undertakes before each performance. Stunning!

Crossdresser for Christ is at times outrageously funny and also heartbreakingly tender – an unmissable opportunity for Christchurch to see an international drag superstar work the stage.

A Night At The Musicals with Le Gateau Chocolat and Jonny Woo. January 18-27, 2018. World Buskers Festival, Christchurch. Reviewed by Kate Divett, Backstage Christchurch.

Run - don’t walk - to the incredible shows that are on offer in this year’s edition of the World Buskers Festival. It is the Festival’s 25th Anniversary – Christchurch residents are spoilt for choice with the high quality local and international acts that are on offer. A Night at the Musicals, featuring showtune divas Le Gateau Chocolat and Jonny Woo, is one such show and it did not disappoint.

Having seen Le Gateau’s previous Buskers Festival show three years ago, I had high expectations and was tremendously looking forward to see her perform again. The mood was set as we listened to the pre-show playlist of Barbra Streisand hits, accompanying the simple stage setting of two microphones. Without wanting to spoil the show for people yet to attend, what follows is a fast-paced grab-bag of musical showstoppers, from Phantom through to Princess Elsa. In the true ‘cabaret’ style, we are treated to song, dance, and striptease. Le Gateau Chocolat and Jonny Woo bring all the joy, wigs, sequins, bitchiness, sass, and body-confidence you would expect to see in any high-energy drag cabaret show, delivered in such a way that you are drawn willingly into the world they create together. It ends all too quickly.

There are things to specifically mention. Firstly, the audience laughed almost non-stop from the beginning to the end of the show, pausing only for breath and to figure out how to use the lights on their smartphones (hot tip – be ready for this!). The segues and ‘tenuous links’ between each song are gloriously contrived – Gataeau and Woo are hysterical and will catch you off-guard. Secondly – they can sing. Seriously sing. Gateau’s deep, divine baritone will give you goosebumps at points, and leave you giggling at the juxtaposition at others. Woo has a fabulous voice too, and also has quite exceptional lip-sync skills. Lovers of Les Miserables will be satisfied.

A Night at the Musicals – truly fabulous in every sense of the word.

Jarred Fell - Hack. World Buskers Festival. 18-22 January, 2018. Reviewed by Sophie Ricketts, Backstage Christchurch.

Things you should know about Jarred Fell: he is crass, he is lewd, he is slightly offensive, he is extremely funny and he is one hell of a performer. There was swearing, there was sexual innuendo, and there was magic; three of my favourite things!

While we were on our way to the show my companion for the evening asked me what kind of vibe it was going to be. I managed to give him a slightly vague description of “he’s a comedian, and he does slight-of-hand tricks” which turned out to be all he really needed to know to have a good time. The 55 minute show was thoroughly engaging and our laughter only stopped to be replaced by jaw dropping gasps as Jarred proved to us multiple times that he could indeed 'hack' our brains.

We spent the car ride home debating with each other: “how does he do that??!?” And speculating about whether or not it is all just layers of psychology. I offered that maybe we should go again to see if we can pick up on any of his 'tricks'; the show was so funny and so sharp, going again certainly wouldn’t be a hardship! And with so much of his material influenced by the innocent victims from the audience it certainly wouldn’t feel boring or stale on the second time around.

In my opinion, the best thing about the World Buskers Festival is that you can see performers from all over the world at the peak of their craft. It was awesome to see a Kiwi who is doing something so unique, and so dynamic, on the festival’s opening night. Jarred is only performing for five nights, and that’s one down already. Two days ago Stuff ran a story about how this year it is “make or break” for the festival. It saddens me that we might be on the cusp of losing something which I think is so special and so exciting in the centre of the city. It would be so devastating to have the scale of the festival reduced, or the exciting line of performers restricted. What if it means that guys like Jarred Fell don’t want to come here anymore because they think we are all too tight to support the arts and have a laugh? Christchurch, go see him. Take your wallet and get ready to have your mind read!

Puff the Magic Dragon. By Carl Nixon. 17–27 January, 2018. The Court Theatre. Directed by Elsie Edgerton-Till. Reviewed by Kineta Knight Booker, Backstage Christchurch.

Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee

It's a classic tune from childhood, made famous by Peter, Paul and Mary in 1963. The song was inspired by a poem, written on Peter Yarrow's typewriter by his flatmate's friend Leonard Lipton.

Over the years tales were told that the song was about drugs, but the authors have always insisted it's an incredibly innocent song about children growing up and losing their imaginations.

The first kids show based on the song Puff the Magic Dragon was in Sydney in 1983, but this is Carl Nixon's adaptation, and it's a good one. He's looked closely at the lyrics and added a little of his own imagination.

The opening of the play is exactly as the song lyrics: a dragon by the sea, in misty autumn. And the first line of the song is played by a marimba quietly in the background, setting the scene perfectly for the excited children in the audience.

We meet Crumble (Sophie Peterson) a friendly, bumbling pirate, and narrator, and the children relax around her. But cue the wicked and terrifying pirate Belinda (Bianca Seinafo) and the children (maybe it was just the 3-year-olds) bury their heads and cling tightly to the person closest to them.

While Belinda and Crumble are up to no good, the most beautiful combination of all is the all-too-talented Monique Clementson (Jackie Paper) and Puff (Albany Peseta). Nixon's dialogue between these two was empowering. Such a lovely little friendship.

The story is about Jackie, a newcomer to the neighbourhood and, ignored by her mother, who's on her cellphone, she grabs her backpack and heads outside to explore. She meets Captain Fogarty (Peseta) and sets out on an adventure where she eventually meets Puff.

Moments of note in the show are the storm sequence (especially the music and sound effects), the cave had some great lighting, and the moment of "wow" from the 3-year-old was the pirate ship. The design and props teams worked well in unison to set up a great-looking ship.

On that note, it must be said that the set was a great use of the sliding prison doors of the Chicago set. I often think how clever Harold Moot and his team are to make good use of The Court's mainstage set for the kids; shows.

The only thing in the play I was unsure of was why a big deal was placed on Jackie being asthmatic when that storyline didn't go anywhere. The whole time I thought it was because Puff was going to be asthmatic too, and that's how they'd bond, or perhaps that's even how Puff got his name. But, nothing. However, if there were asthmatics in the audience then they'd have a role model in Jackie, I guess.

Puff is a great show full of pirates, adventure, dragons and a fun, catchy tune! Great for the school holidays.

Chicago. Book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse. Music by John Kander. Lyrics by Fred Ebb. November 25 2017 – January 27, 2018. The Court Theatre. Directed by Stephen Robertson. Musical Direction by Richard Marrett. Reviewed by Kate Divett, Backstage Christchurch.

The Court Theatre’s Chicago is an extraordinary, provocative spectacle that would be at place on the stages of the Westend or Broadway. It is on its final run towards the finish on January 27 - theatre-goers should make sure they don’t miss it!

I’ve seen Chicago a number of times - twice in the last year - but there was something about this Court Theatre production that somehow ‘popped’ more than it has for me in previous outings, even including the 2002 film.

The source material for Chicago came from the experiences of a reporter in the 1920s who covered the trials of two women accused of murdering their lovers while under the influence of “jazz and liquor”. The reporter wrote a popular play based on the stories, and the musical adaptations were added after her death. The circus-like news coverage, and the suggestion that their acquittals were a result of the manipulation of the media - are uncomfortably relevant in the current ‘fake news’ climate we find ourselves in today. (Fellow binge-watchers, if you like Chicago, you may also like American Crime Story: The People vs OJ Simpson, or the 24-hour news cycle we have available at our fingertips - or even just following a certain president on Twitter.)

So - the story and setting are well-chosen for this summer season. What remains is to pour praise upon the performance and production elements of the Court’s undertaking.

Director Stephen Robertson’s detailed and commanding touch pervades this entire production - including choreography and costume design - lending a cohesive and tightly-knit foundation upon which the rest of the team can add their work. The 1920s setting is supported by fabulous vaudeville-inspired costumes (Robertson) and hair (Sarah Greenwood-Buchanan), as well as art-deco styling in the impressive, shape-shifting stage design (Harold Moot).

The choice to place the band on centre stage is a great one. The music is as much a facet of the show as any other part, particularly when the characters interact with the band directly, asking for “My exit music, please!” The musicians are extremely impressive in their own right. Music director Richard Marrett leads a tight band consisting of Cameron Pearce (trumpet), Reuben Derrick (clarinet/saxophone), Pablo Ruiz Henao (Trombone), Michael Story (Bass), Tim Sellars (Drums) and Matthew Everingham (Keyboard 2), who all support the action with understated virtuosity. They are a delight to see. A pet peeve of mine is that audience members are rude enough to leave before the musicians have finished playing at the end! It was pleasing to see that those who stayed gave the band the rousing applause they deserved.

With a show packed full of strong female divas, fabulous dancing, and familiar showstoppers such as And All That Jazz,Cell Block Tango, and Razzle Dazzle, the cast maintained a high-level of pizzazz and panache throughout. The show’s secret - for all to see - is its gathering of a strong ensemble. From smaller roles through to principal characters, each player has commitment and conviction in their performance.

Of note though - Nomi Cohen (Roxie Hart) warms up throughout the performance and by the time she hits ‘Roxie’ towards the end of Act 1 and The Courtroom Sequence in Act 2 the audience is both enchanted and disgusted by her character’s naivety and self-absorption. Her work with Roy Snow (Billy Flynn) in We Both Reached For The Gun is brilliant.

Darlene Mohekey (Velma Kelly) hits every note as they should be hit, and conveys the tones of Velma’s journey through the narrative with both energy and subtlety. She is strong and sensuous in And All That Jazz, suitably frenetic and comedic in I Can’t Do It Alone and has an edge of desperation in When Velma Takes the Stand.

Isla Alexander (Mary Sunshine) brings vaudevillian authenticity and exquisite talent to the role that honours the original author of the play.

Amongst the prevailing quality, there were two outstanding moments for me. The first was Rutene Spooner as Roxie’s husband Amos Hart. In a cast of narcissistic egomaniacs, Amos contrasts as a selfless, loving, sacrificing humanbeing - this is amplified by Spooner’s consistent, heartbreaking characterisation throughout. The vulnerability and emotion Spooner brings to Mister Cellophane gave me goosebumps and a lump in my throat. Bravo!

The second moment that stood out for me was more a narrative point - the song Class has Velma Kelly and Mama Morton (Mohekey and Moran) listening to the courtroom proceedings reported on the wireless. It is the lyrics of the song which for me sum up the ongoing relevance of this musical as a commentary on society and the media:

"Whatever happened to fair dealing

And pure ethics

And nice manners?...

Whatever happened to ‘Please may I?'

And 'Yes, thank you'

And 'How charming'?

Now every son of a bitch

Is a snake in the grass.

Whatever happened to class?"

Good questions. Very good questions. Thank you for asking them again in 2018.

Cirque Éloize – Cirkopolis. Isaac Theatre Royal. Until 19 November. Reviewed by Sophie Ricketts, Backstage Christchurch.

What did I just witness? Was it theatre? Was it dance? Was it magic?

The word “circus” is not enough to convey how special and extraordinary this show was.

Cirque Éloize is a contemporary troupe of performers based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1993; they have created or co-created 11 different productions and performed more than 4000 times in over 500 cities and 50 countries. Their appeal was not lost on the crowd attending last night’s performance at the Isaac Theatre Royal, and I was lifted to my feet at the end of the show.

Characters were carefully layered to create a full dramatic, and comedic, experience; at once providing structure to the theme of the performance and freedom to the artistic expression. The minimal set became epic through the clever use of projection and forced perspective, transforming the stage into new spaces with every change of scene. The impressive design elements incorporated into the lighting, and the fabulous costumes, really went above and beyond to continue to push the boundaries of what is possible.

The crowning glory was the meticulous group choreography. The rigorous and methodical early pieces juxtaposed with the fluid and elegant expressions seen later on; it was all breathtaking and so conscientiously designed. Dave St-Pierre is a supremely gifted choreographer and I feel like the show was a “two for one” in terms of seeing some of the most spectacular dancing as well as some of the most magnificent feats of circus ability. The athletic precision on display was among the most impressive I’ve seen, and what truly makes this group stand out from the crowd was their delicate balance of skills and pure theatricality – particularly whilst literally being delicately balanced!

To describe the feats included in this show would be to rob you of the gasps you’ll utter when you go see it for yourself, but I will say this: you won’t want to blink in case you miss a turn of the head, a twist of the back, a toss of the hand, or a hair-raising landing!

With tickets ranging from $61-$102 this is a bit of a treat, but I assure you it is worth the price tag. You’ll be astounded at the curtain call when you realise there were only 12 performers on stage all night, it’ll feel like it was about 20!

I’m already looking forward to their next world tour, and can’t wait to see what they come up with next.

Until 11 November. Rangiora Town Hall. Directed by Fiona Bennetts. Reviewed by Sophie Ricketts.

Full disclosure: Company is my favourite musical. Not just my favourite Sondheim musical, but my favourite musical. Full stop. So it was with equal doses of excitement and anxiety I approached the Rangiora Town Hall last night. The music is tricky, the harmonies are complicated, the timing is vital; would my expectations be too high? Would I be disappointed? I’m so pleased to report I wasn’t.

From the building rhythm of the opening number as it segued into the title song, I got a wave of goosebumps all over my arms. The harmonies were spot on, the timing was tight; this was serious, folks. Not just a top effort, but the real deal. The show opened on Broadway in 1970 and last night proved once again that its themes of love, partnership, fidelity, selfishness and loneliness are still universal. The set was simple and effective, with the orchestra seated on stage between the actors and the New York skyline backdrop. An excellent choice! I thoroughly enjoyed being able to see the musicians, while they never took our eye off the central action.

Colette Inkster’s choreography was slick and polished, making all of the cast look phenomenally agile as they executed a particularly tight opening number for Act Two.

Only two small thorns in my side emerged: the lighting was inconsistent, leaving me disappointed that I couldn’t clearly see all of the faces in every scene. At times actors were in shadow or only half-lit and this appeared to be an oversight as opposed to a dramatic choice. Also, the decision to have real liquid in some glasses but not in others (and some real food while some was mimed) was odd and walked the line of distraction. It felt like it was up to the individual actors to choose which option they found most comfortable, which led to inconsistencies from scene to scene.

As anticipated, not everyone’s accent was believable, but you know what? That was easy to forgive once it became clear just how talented every single member of the cast was vocally. They knocked my socks off. As someone who owns both the original Broadway cast recording and the London cast recording I was so moved by the vocal prowess and dynamic delivery of each of the songs. There were emotional layers emerging which I hadn’t come across before, which made for some exciting surprises.

Each and every member of the cast truly shone so brightly in their roles, this is a very evenly distributed show when it comes to talent. Having fallen in love with the show when I was a much younger (and single) person I was delighted to witness new subtext emerging from the characters, and so many nuances in the choices the actors were making. Although it seems unfair not to individually mention each and every performer, for they all were sensational, special attention must be drawn to Andrea Koorey who absolutely brought the house down with her patter song/nervous breakdown near the end of Act One.

The director, Fiona Bennetts, said Company has been on her wishlist for the last five years. Thank you so much, North Canterbury Musical Society, for letting her wish come true for we are truly reaping the rewards. I can’t wait to see what is coming up next!

PHOTO CREDIT: Rex Coad

All Girl Big Band – “The Ages”. Christchurch Big Band Festival 2017. 20 October. Charles Luney Auditorium. Music Director, Lana Law. Reviewed by Kate Divett.

A year after their tribute to Natalie Cole, the All Girl Big Band presents “a celebration of women through the ages” as their new offering. This premiere of their new show featured as the opening act of the Christchurch Big Band Festival 2017.

Music Director Lana Law describes The Ages programme as “a historical journey of music inspired by arrangers, composers and performers from the 1930s through to the latest hits of today”. The inspiration for this concert comes from women who have “left a legacy through song”, including Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin, Debbie Harry, and Beyonce. When presenting music as well-known as the pieces in The Ages, the performers invite scrutiny, under which the All Girl Big Band stood tall.

The Ages is unequivocally a chilled-out, enthusiastic masterclass in Big Band virtuosity. Having chosen some of the big names in music history to honour, their musicianship met the challenge with ease and respected each genre. The band is clearly having fun together – they present their skill with good humour and humility.

The relaxed, understated style of their presentation is almost deceiving – these are some seriously talented musicians, a showcase of the skill that lives in our very lucky city. Knowing that many of these players are music teachers among our young people is an exciting prospect.

Something that I always enjoy with live performances is the opportunity to study each instrument and gain a new appreciation of the intricacies of the arrangements. The Charles Luney Auditorium provides great vantage points for the audience to see all performers clearly and provides a sense of intimacy. Such is the quality of the band as a unit, I’m reluctant to call out individuals for particular praise – however there were particularly noteworthy moments on the night.

Kate Taylor’s voice was divine, moving with ease through her songs and adapting to the stylistic qualities of each. A slower tempo in Etta James’ Fever gave room to showcase her voice, and her work in Adele’s Hello was mesmerising – a song that is no easy feat to do convincingly.

Andy Gibbs’ work on drums was given well-deserved and enthusiastic applause by the audience, the basis by a solid rhythm section. The trombones are a delight to watch, and thanks to Charlotte Crone gave some extra comedic input. The trumpets are fabulous, and their work on mutes in Goldfinger and in the background in Hello (Sarah Hickman, 1st Trumpet) was spot on. Solos by Rachael Travaille (1st Tenor) and Lana Law (Alto 1, Music Director) were passionate, prodigious, and well-received.

First and foremost, this was an evening of brilliant, happy, soulful, inspirational Big Band Jazz. The All Girl Big Band makes a great statement about the place of women in a male-dominated genre and, indeed – unless you’ve been hiding under a rock and haven’t read recent media headlines – there is a place for this voice in wider society. These women mean business, and they let their music do the talking. May they continue to go from strength to strength. Bravo!