Theatreview Weekly: 08/09/11

A selection of reviews from Theatreview from the last week including Four Flat Whites in Italy, The End of the Golden Weather, Ocean Wave and Public Service Announcements.

See more recent reviews at theatreview.org, the NZ Performing Arts Review & Directory.

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Circa One (return season), Wellington - FOUR FLAT WHITES IN ITALY: Kiwi foibles and mores expertly exposed

- reviewed by Ewen Coleman

With the Rugby World Cup fast approaching many non-rugby events are taking place that have some rugby connection, albeit often rather tenuous. Circa Theatre’s return season of Roger Hall’s Four Flat Whites in Italy is one such example ...

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Maidment, Auckland - THE END OF THE GOLDEN WEATHER: A vital and vivid rendering of a great Kiwi classic

- reviewed by John Smythe

There is every reason to assume Bruce Mason would have approved whole heartedly of this ensemble rendering of The End of the Golden Weather. He had, after all, resorted to creating his now celebrated solo show in 1959 because his larger cast plays ... appeared doomed to moulder away unproduced in the foreseeable future.

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Circa One (return season), Wellington - FOUR FLAT WHITES IN ITALY: Winning game plan: rugby, coffee and travel

- reviewed by Maryanne Cathro

Two flat whites in Wellington tottered along to the opening night of this return season. Reprised to take advantage, I assume, of the Rugby World Cup crowd being drawn in by its famous playwright and strong ties to the 2007 Cup in France.

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Kings & Queens, Performing Arts Centre, Dunedin - OCEAN WAVE: Celebrating the ocean's role in community life

- reviewed by Kasey Dewar

Dance and music with watery themes and connections to local history, entertaingly presented with audience participation. Rounds of applause well deserved.

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BATS, Wellington - PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS #2: unchallenging, bawdy entertainment

- reviewed by Robbie Ellis

James Nokise and his team have moved away from grander historical perspectives this time round, losing a lot of structure in the process: PSA Mark II is 40 minutes of straight skits and send-ups about the here and now, pitching strongly to an alcohol-soaked late-night Friday & Saturday crowd.

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BATS, Wellington - SLOUCHING TOWARD BETHLEHEM: The Curious Mix that is Muldoon

- reviewed by Laurie Atkinson

At last! A play that isn’t confined to how we relate to our friends, enemies, family and lovers. In Slouching Toward Bethlehem Dean Parker has written what he describes in the preface to his previous play,Midnight in Moscow, a play about our often confusing but very real relationship to the state.

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Downstage Theatre, Wellington - ON THE UPSIDE-DOWN OF THE WORLD: Inspired memoirs

- reviewed by Lynn Freeman

Forget the Rugby World Cup – Wellington’s theatres have presented us with three world class award winning productions all within a few weeks of each other. First was August: Osage: County, then When the Rain Stop Falling, both Circa shows, and now On the Upside-Down if the World at Downstage.

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BATS, Wellington - CHALK: Urine and boiled cabbage

- reviewed by Lynn Freeman

Isla Adamson and Josephine Stewart-Tewhiu are an impressive double act. What is so delicious about them is their genius at storytelling and their keen observational skills, allowing them to bring us people we can recognise and relate to on stage.

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BATS, Wellington - SLOUCHING TOWARD BETHLEHEM: Highly entertaining, insightful and thought-provoking

- reviewed by John Smythe

Using ‘popular people’s theatre’ conventions with flair, 11 actors cover 47 named roles plus umpteen extras, brilliantly integrating tireless ensemble work with concisely defined characters, some of whom recur while others are caught in a glimpse.

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St James Theatre, Wellington - CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA AND PAGLIACCI: Powerful, dramatic works shattering yet uplifting

- reviewed by Paul Diamond

These two short operas, just over an hour each and known as Cav & Pag, premiered in 1890 and 1892 respectively. Since 1893, they have tended to be performed together, always in the same order. It’s an apt pairing, both being concerned with timeless tragic stories of love that goes wrong, ending in violence.

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