The Art Murmurs Team
Fringe wraps up this week, so here are some of our favourites of the fest. Even with our team of nearly a dozen active reviewers running around the festival, many of which put on shows themselves, we only ever manage to scratch the surface of the depths NZ Fringe has to offer. It's remarkable to think just how much live art happens here in Feb - March every year. Let's relish that! Here are a few of the shows we loved!
The Night is Always Darkest - two/fiftyseven
Jack McGee
There’s ambitious theatre, and then there’s The Night is Always Darkest. Lia Kelly’s all night show is a profound work of community, empathy, and heart. It takes one of the most isolating experiences imaginable, being awake, alone, in the early hours of the morning, worrying about something, and makes it communal. Blending game design and theatrical storytelling, it transforms you from audience member, into personified thought in Lia’s head. It does this with grace, class, and a shockingly mature and economic approach to storytelling. I’ve never seen a show reveal character in the way The Night is Always Darkest does, and it’s nothing short of genius.
I cannot praise this show enough, and if you’re squeamish about the late start time, grab something caffeinated and give the first couple of hours a go - you will not regret it.
While we did not cover it, you can read Em Maguire’s brilliant review here.
Other shoutouts – Jim’s No Cowboy (Tapere Iti), I’m Proud of You (Circus Bar), A Show for When You Feel Lonely (Wenley’s Abode), Death, Ray (BATS Theatre), EPIC WAY! I'm Gay? Oui oui faguette™ I LOVE KIM HILL (1999 version) (Tapere Iti).
Jack McGee
There’s ambitious theatre, and then there’s The Night is Always Darkest. Lia Kelly’s all night show is a profound work of community, empathy, and heart. It takes one of the most isolating experiences imaginable, being awake, alone, in the early hours of the morning, worrying about something, and makes it communal. Blending game design and theatrical storytelling, it transforms you from audience member, into personified thought in Lia’s head. It does this with grace, class, and a shockingly mature and economic approach to storytelling. I’ve never seen a show reveal character in the way The Night is Always Darkest does, and it’s nothing short of genius.
I cannot praise this show enough, and if you’re squeamish about the late start time, grab something caffeinated and give the first couple of hours a go - you will not regret it.
While we did not cover it, you can read Em Maguire’s brilliant review here.
Other shoutouts – Jim’s No Cowboy (Tapere Iti), I’m Proud of You (Circus Bar), A Show for When You Feel Lonely (Wenley’s Abode), Death, Ray (BATS Theatre), EPIC WAY! I'm Gay? Oui oui faguette™ I LOVE KIM HILL (1999 version) (Tapere Iti).
This Wasn’t The Plan - Thistle Hall
Julia Bon-McDonald
I suspected that This Wasn’t The Plan might be my pick of the Fringe as soon as it finished. So far, all of my favourite Wellington creations have been solo performances, so it’s no surprise that This Wasn’t The Plan has been added to that list. Glenn Horsfall could choose to do nothing to improve the show, and it would still be a perfectly formed 90 minutes. Link to my review here.
Other shoutouts - EPIC WAY! I'm Gay? Oui oui faguette™ I LOVE KIM HILL (1999 version) (Tapere Iti), Master of None: Brown Fala (Tapere Nui), Entry: After Dark (Tawhiri Warehouse), Messy Friends (Hannah Playhouse). The Tiny Show (Tapere Iti).
Julia Bon-McDonald
I suspected that This Wasn’t The Plan might be my pick of the Fringe as soon as it finished. So far, all of my favourite Wellington creations have been solo performances, so it’s no surprise that This Wasn’t The Plan has been added to that list. Glenn Horsfall could choose to do nothing to improve the show, and it would still be a perfectly formed 90 minutes. Link to my review here.
Other shoutouts - EPIC WAY! I'm Gay? Oui oui faguette™ I LOVE KIM HILL (1999 version) (Tapere Iti), Master of None: Brown Fala (Tapere Nui), Entry: After Dark (Tawhiri Warehouse), Messy Friends (Hannah Playhouse). The Tiny Show (Tapere Iti).
Compromise - F at G (Gryphon)
Guy van Egmond
Such a collaboration of talent; the nexus of a brilliant local theatre scene. The 4 stories in this anthology piece were razor-sharp and refined, they had the audience cackling while also being rather shrewd about our lives and times. Here/there especially hit me with a one-two to the gut; that one hurt. Compromise also really solidified some names for me, especially the cast; I’d drop the cash for a ticket to any show they’re in.
Review will be online at Salient soon.
Other shoutouts: Jim’s No Cowboy (Tapere Iti), Hausdown (Hannah Playhouse).
Guy van Egmond
Such a collaboration of talent; the nexus of a brilliant local theatre scene. The 4 stories in this anthology piece were razor-sharp and refined, they had the audience cackling while also being rather shrewd about our lives and times. Here/there especially hit me with a one-two to the gut; that one hurt. Compromise also really solidified some names for me, especially the cast; I’d drop the cash for a ticket to any show they’re in.
Review will be online at Salient soon.
Other shoutouts: Jim’s No Cowboy (Tapere Iti), Hausdown (Hannah Playhouse).
How To Art - Te Auaha
Brie Keatley
Have you ever seen a show that feels like it's directly catering to you? That's how I felt with How To Art. From breast feeding bananas to an ass singing, I was in my own personal theatrical heaven with this absurdist look at the nature of art.
Just a couple of silly buggers being silly bananas onstage. Excellent.
Other shoutouts - Therapy: A Musical Comedy (BATS Theatre), Death, Ray. (BATS Theatre), Compromise (The Gryphon)
Brie Keatley
Have you ever seen a show that feels like it's directly catering to you? That's how I felt with How To Art. From breast feeding bananas to an ass singing, I was in my own personal theatrical heaven with this absurdist look at the nature of art.
Just a couple of silly buggers being silly bananas onstage. Excellent.
Other shoutouts - Therapy: A Musical Comedy (BATS Theatre), Death, Ray. (BATS Theatre), Compromise (The Gryphon)
Entry – Tāwhiri Warehouse
Tadhg Mackay
A show where the design elements are put first was already an intriguing pitch but I didn’t expect it to turn me into a ‘rave baby’.
This was a show where the space came alive without the need for performers. The dancers were incredible in their own right but I truly believe I could have stayed in that warehouse all night just watching the incredible design. The lights moved through me, the music pulsed within me and the projection put into the physical space what I was feeling at any given time. It made me sorely miss the opportunity to attend the following rave for all I wanted to do was get lost in that moment some more.
Alia Marshall wrote an excellent review here.
Other shoutouts – SPOON SHOW - Development Showing (The Fringe Bar).
Tadhg Mackay
A show where the design elements are put first was already an intriguing pitch but I didn’t expect it to turn me into a ‘rave baby’.
This was a show where the space came alive without the need for performers. The dancers were incredible in their own right but I truly believe I could have stayed in that warehouse all night just watching the incredible design. The lights moved through me, the music pulsed within me and the projection put into the physical space what I was feeling at any given time. It made me sorely miss the opportunity to attend the following rave for all I wanted to do was get lost in that moment some more.
Alia Marshall wrote an excellent review here.
Other shoutouts – SPOON SHOW - Development Showing (The Fringe Bar).
Doing Great - BATS Theatre
Austin Harrison
I don’t believe we’ve reviewed this show, but Bailey Poching is an immaculately charming performer and this show is so vulnerable and moving. Marketed as a comedy show, but is fundamentally a show about grief and I loved it. I was the closest to tears I’ve been in a theatre in a long while.
Other Shoutouts- The Artist is in Her Residence (maybe my fav digital offering ever) and EPIC WAY! I'm Gay? Oui oui faguette™ I LOVE KIM HILL (1999 version) (Tapere Iti) I saw Epic way the day that Brian Tamaki stormed a library in Auckland and it was the the perfect antidote at the perfect time.
Austin Harrison
I don’t believe we’ve reviewed this show, but Bailey Poching is an immaculately charming performer and this show is so vulnerable and moving. Marketed as a comedy show, but is fundamentally a show about grief and I loved it. I was the closest to tears I’ve been in a theatre in a long while.
Other Shoutouts- The Artist is in Her Residence (maybe my fav digital offering ever) and EPIC WAY! I'm Gay? Oui oui faguette™ I LOVE KIM HILL (1999 version) (Tapere Iti) I saw Epic way the day that Brian Tamaki stormed a library in Auckland and it was the the perfect antidote at the perfect time.
CatGPT - Te Auaha Cinema
Sean Burnett Dugdale-Martin
This is definitely my pick of the weird so far. I love Fringe because of the Did you see that?! nature of some of it's hidden gems. This one, even though it was a little disappointing in it's presentation, it satisfied in it's You'll-Never-See-Anything-Like-This-Again nature.
Review here.
Other shoutouts – Jim's No Cowboy (Te Auaha), Oh, Substance (Te Auaha)
Sean Burnett Dugdale-Martin
This is definitely my pick of the weird so far. I love Fringe because of the Did you see that?! nature of some of it's hidden gems. This one, even though it was a little disappointing in it's presentation, it satisfied in it's You'll-Never-See-Anything-Like-This-Again nature.
Review here.
Other shoutouts – Jim's No Cowboy (Te Auaha), Oh, Substance (Te Auaha)
For My Family, and Yours - Nautilus Studio
Campbell Wright
More a musical performance than a show, For My Family, and Yours blew me away with its raw honesty. Ravi the Poet is an incredible performer and had multiple audience members in tears.
Can’t wait to see what he does next.
Link to my review here.
Other shoutouts – Death, Ray (BATS Theatre), Entry Series (Tāwhiri Warehouse).
Campbell Wright
More a musical performance than a show, For My Family, and Yours blew me away with its raw honesty. Ravi the Poet is an incredible performer and had multiple audience members in tears.
Can’t wait to see what he does next.
Link to my review here.
Other shoutouts – Death, Ray (BATS Theatre), Entry Series (Tāwhiri Warehouse).