Is the demand for intimacy co-ordinators, choreographers and directors just colonialism rebranding itself to undermine our sense of collective morale and personhood? In asking for collective responsibility in storytelling, Emele Ugavule pulls forward Indigenous conceptualisations of body sovereignty from an iTaukei worldview.
Everything in: Performance
Is the demand for intimacy co-ordinators, choreographers and directors just colonialism rebranding itself to undermine our sense of collective morale and personhood? In asking for collective responsibility in storytelling, Emele Ugavule pulls forward Indigenous conceptualisations of body sovereignty from an iTaukei worldview.
Jess Karamjeet, the founder of the Pan-Asian Comedy School Aotearoa, aka PACSA (Laughs), reflects on her journey into comedy, and her hopes of joy across diverse communities.
Horror academic Erin Harrington and Leon Radojkovic, creator and composer of Silo Theatre’s work Night of the Living Dead, on the reanimation of this seminal work at a pertinent time in our socio-political context.
As if forming a punk band and getting your songs stolen wasn't enough, try being haunted by the ghost of your dead mother. Playwright Nuanzhi Zheng shares the story behind her newest play developed as part of Proudly Asian Theatre.
Ding, dong, it’s a father–daughter reunion on Christmas Eve stuck on repeat. Arela Jiang unpacks the unconventional Queer Asian family drama of Nathan Joe’s Losing Face.
Tamara Tulitua reviews 'Avaiki Nui Social, a lush celebration of musical history from across Te Moana Nui a Kiva.
Rangimarie Sophie Jolley reviews three shows from the 2023 Kia Mau Festival.
The Dancers of Damelahamid transport audiences at Kia Mau Festival over 14,000 km away, to the West Coast of Turtle Island. Kōtuku Titihuia Nuttall reflects on the timeless narratives and Indigenous connections offered through traditional songs and dance.
Kahu Kutia reviews six shows at the 2023 Kia Mau Festival, spanning multiple artforms including dance, musical performance and theatre.
Te Mahara Swanson Hall sits down with her cousin, writer and actor Tuakoi Ohia, to talk about Kōpū, a new show that celebrates wāhinetanga.
The final round-up of Tāmaki Makaurau’s 2023 Pride Festival - featuring coverage from local darlings Bad Apple, Theatre Scenes, Rat World Magazine.
Whiro Walker takes us on a journey to three events they visited as part of Te Tīmatanga, Auckland Pride’s first ever Takatāpui Festival.
Two friends enter morally grey territory in a show about an ‘unlikely victim’ of domestic violence. Janhavi Gosavi reviews The Culture at the New Zealand Fringe Festival.
In Resisting Extinction, the audience was invited to collectively experience ecosomatic practices for living and dying in Te Whanganui-a-Tara’s Central Park. Amit Noy, a performer in this site-specific event, speaks to creators BodyCartography Project on making work in times of ecological grief.
A showcase of poetry, music and theatre, Freya Daly Sadgrove’s performance dazzles and seduces audiences at BATS. It's unapologetic, aggro and raw as hell. Our critic Janhavi Gosavi finds herself marble-turned-putty in her hands.
Arela Jiang 姜美淳 connects with Louise Jiang, the very human creator of one-person show Actor//Android, exploring what it means to implode from burnout.
20-something girlies sitting on a couch, chatting about love, friendship and honesty. Janhavi Gosavi reviews To All the Friends I’ve Lost Before at New Zealand Fringe Festival.
Worship dripping in Ballroom divinity – Cxnt Vol. 1 disputes the expectations of Bible camp. Joshua Iosefo attends a Queer manifestation of intergenerational mana.
The second round-up of Tāmaki Makaurau’s 2023 Pride Festival - featuring coverage from local darlings Bad Apple, Theatre Scenes, Rat World Magazine.
Danny Lam invites us to experience clay, concavity and creation, through a poetic response to a sculpture show from Sung Hwan Bobby Park as part of Auckland Pride.
The first round-up of Tāmaki Makaurau’s 2023 Pride Festival - featuring coverage from local darlings Bad Apple, Theatre Scenes, Rat World Magazine.
The fluid, nebulous and subversive heart of the Festival of Live Art (F.O.L.A.) – AKL is the playground of our non-binary/gender-fluid artists. Roman Sigley explores performance with musicians Janina Nana Yaa and Jazmine Rose Phillips.
Something new is brewing in Ōtepoti and Kāi Tahu theatre. Mya Morrison-Middleton responds to the ill-fated journey of a Māori wahine in 80's smoke-filled Ōtepoti, intersected with Tānemahuta and Hineahuone's love story.
Vira Paky reports from the very first Playwrights’ Showcase by Black Creatives Aotearoa, featuring eight new plays written and performed by Black Diaspora creators.
Asian art is having a moment in Aotearoa. Nathan Joe unpacks the complexities in the production of representation through The First Prime-Time Asian Sitcom, by Silo Theatre.
Mary Mosteller chats to Amy Tepania-Ahdo, Tina Fua, and Katie Walker of NZ Twerk Empire about blending the African-American dance form with Moana flavour.
Rangituhia Hollis reflects on his 80s upbringing, The Jetsons, and reimagines the future possibilities of AI in response to The Made, by Auckland Theatre Company.
Jean Sergent responds to Silo Theatre’s new work The Writer, and shares a personal reflection of her tenure in the theatre.
Faith Wilson responds to Dawn Raids, Oscar Kightley’s first play, restaged in 2022.
Kitty Wasasala delves into Silo Theatre’s upcoming show The Writer, which speaks to sex, power and theatre in our culture today.
Masters of agency and Fringe faves Binge Culture are travelling round the country with their new show Werewolf and uncovering what happens in the wilds at night.
Poetry's magical possibilities of collaboration and innovation are showcased with Nathan Joe's Homecoming Poems and Freya Daly Sadgrove's Ultimately Lacks Polish, according to Chris Tse.
Makanaka Tuwe takes a look at seven methods of killing kylie jenner, Silo Theatre’s latest offering about the nature of friendship, colourism and cultural appropriation.
Pelenakeke Brown feasts on Alexa Wilson’s Rituals of Destruction and, like any discerning food critic, makes recommendations for your future dining.
The last few years have been unforgiving for the arts and events industry. Reflection and interviews by Rachael Longshaw-Park.
Augmented reality installation ATUA claims space for Indigenous Queerness through Te Kore, the void.
Alice Snedden takes a behind-the-scenes look at Silo Theatre’s cheeky and triumphant newest work, Break Bread, in a roundtable with Sophie Roberts, Alice Canton, Freya Finch and Leon Wadham.
Faith Wilson has a mean as kōrero with emerging Kirikiriroa theatre makers from the development programme Boil Up, run by The Meteor Theatre.
Amit Noy on whiteness, choreography, and the archive in Arthur Jafa’s Love is the Message, the Message is Death and Lisa Reihana’s in Pursuit of Venus [infected].
In the latest lockdown, the performing arts industry is being left to bleed out. Nahyeon Lee chats to artists about their fears, dreams and visions for the future.
“What about a joke when you get a nose swab?” Comedians Janaye Henry and Chris Parker on content creation, lockdown lows and Celebrity Treasure Island.
Chef romesh dissanayake's grandmother Seela was an amazing cook, but also cheeky, rebellious and full of life. It's why the Sri Lankan pop-up dinner series is named after her.
Pelenakeke Brown reviews Fala Muncher, a show centering queer Pasifika narratives which we need to see more of.
Growing up Chinese in Aotearoa is a turbulent experience. Alice Canton remembers her own coming-of-age filled with uncertainty and longing in her response to Auckland Theatre Company's brand new Gen-Z play.
Michelle Rahurahu speaks with Kahu Kutia about building a uniquely Māori listening experience for the newest season of He Kākano Ahau.
Alesha Ahdar heals childhood understandings of te ao wairua through the vibrant display of mana motuhake that is Neke by Scotty Cotter.
Matariki Williams is transported into the micro-universes of Witi Ihimaera’s characters, brought together in a play by Nancy Brunning.
It wasn't easy growing up queer in 1970s rural Otago. Emer Lyons pays tribute to The Changing Shed by Michael Metzger.
