Reviews

Ian Mackellar’s production of Ladies in Black is one helluva slick production. I absolutely adored the sets, the motion, the colour and the effortless ease of transitions. The whole evening appeared as a smooth and natural glide. The 1950s never looked better (in fact, this is the second show in a row that Noosa has produced that has a 1950’s theme).

The opening night of Lord of the Rings: A Musical Tale at Auckland’s Civic Theatre was as grand as the production itself. From the red carpet entrance to the magnificent foyer filled with A-list celebrities, the atmosphere buzzed with excitement. Inside the theatre, attendees were greeted by several Hobbits, enhancing the immersive experience before the performance commenced.

Agatha Christie's 1958 play Verdict defies expectations of a classic whodunnit. While murder is central to the plot, Christie lays bare the identity of the killer during the murder, shifting the tension to uncovering who will be blamed and why. This departure from her signature formula allows the narrative to explore deeper psychological and moral themes.

Michael Paynter, in his professional musical theatre debut, almost blew the lid off the Capitol Theatre with his soaring high tenor rendition of the aria ‘Gethsemane’.

With spotlights circling the heavens, beaten and whipped, facing imminent crucifixion, he scaled notes with such clarity and passion that he scored an unheard of two mid-performance standing ovations. The rock singer has not been in a musical since he was in high school – what a debut!