Best of the Fest - Episode 3 - Culture 101 Photo: Culture 101
Cue the drums - The Auckland Arts Festival kicks off this week!
This is the third episode of Best of the Fest; a brand new RNZ national five-week lively conversation series about a feast of cultural treats on offer in arts festivals across Aotearoa New Zealand. Hosts Perlina Lau and Mark Amery are joined by Aotearoa artists and commentators every week.
Te Tangi a te Tui - Auckland Arts Festival 2024 Photo: Supplied
Joining us for Best of the Fest in Tāmaki Makaurau is playwright and dramaturg Nathan Joe and actor, writer, producer and theatre maker Cian Parker.
Cian Parker Photo: Supplied
Nathan Joe Photo: Supplied
Cian Parker looks at Te Tangi a te Tui at Te Pou Theatre (until 10 March) - a Maori cirque theatre work performed in Te Reo. Nathan Joe attends the opening night of ATC’s latest production, O le Pepelo, le Gaoi, ma le Pala’ai | The Liar, the Thief, and the Coward (until 23 March) - a bilingual theatre show about a Samoan chief whose time is running out. Perlina attends Waiata Mai, a free event held in Aotea Square by Choirs Aotearoa New Zealand encouraging those who share a love of collective singing to come together.
O le Pepelo, le Gaoi, ma le Pala’ai: The Liar, the Thief, and the Coward Photo: Tony Drayton
The Auckland Arts Festival has started with its own drama. The arrival of the festival staple, The Spiegeltent has been delayed due to global shipping disruptions. Four key performances have been postponed with organisers having to reorganise the schedule. The tent was travelling from Belgium and had planned to go through the Suez Canal but rerouted to go around Cape Horn, adding weeks to its journey.
The Auckland Arts Festival runs until 24 March.
Gravity and Grace - Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of the Arts 2024 Photo: Supplied
In Poneke, Mark Amery is joined by playwright Stuart McKenzie who saw the premiere of Eleanor Bishop and Karin McCracken’s Gravity & Grace at Aotearoa New Zealand Festival (until 10 March) ahead of dates at Auckland Arts Festival (21-24 March).
Stuart and Mark are joined by writer Duncan Sarkies, giving some of his picks of the New Zealand Fringe.
Sarkies considers Sweeties, possibly his favourite: "a game show based around themes of how competition and capitalism corrupts communities and friendships."
"I also saw two shows about disastrous health stories," Sarkies says, "one the extremely funny An Almighty Yes by Emma Lang and The Unluckiest Magician by Steve Wilbury which mixes magic and hideous confessional hospital tales."
Both of these shows appear in the upcoming Dunedin Fringe.
Duncan also picks out a travel-based show: the "immaculately staged" Suitcase Show by Trick of The Light.
You can also follow the Best of the Fest – reviews and rankings of all the fests – on the Culture 101 podcast. Find and follow Culture 101 on Apple, Spotify or any podcast app.
