CULTURE CLUB

SUMMER IN THE CITY

Liam Stretch Culture Editor

I’m sure many of us will be glad to see the back of the year that has been 2021. Despite having to put off or cancel some of our favourite events, it’s been another triumphant year for artists, creatives, and performers. Against the odds (and let’s face it, there have been a lot of ‘odds’), we’ve had great music, films, and gigs – online at times – to get us through. I’m writing this editorial with the knowledge that things could change in a flash, so if you have the opportunity, support our creative community this summer. How can you do this? I’m glad you asked. Go to outdoor theatre, buy a print or a sculpture, sit in the comfort of the cinema, and tip a busker. I know the world I want to live in; it isn’t one without these people.

MARCUS MY WORDS

Have you ever wanted to live like Marcus Aurelius or Seneca? The Daily Stoic makes this possible by simplifying many philosophies of Stoicism into daily affirmations. I’ve been reading this book, one page each day for the last year, and it gives you the perfect morning ritual before you get out of bed. I was surprised by the relevance some of the lessons hold today. Go on, be stoic.

SONGS WITH SOUL

Musical trio SOL3 MIO have just released their latest album, Coming Home, their first since A Very Merry Christmas. According to the group, the album reflects them all coming back together during the global pandemic and the sense of warmth this reunion gave. It is a return to roots with soulful vocals and their signature character. A real stand out track is a rendition of Prince Tui Teka’s E Ipo.

PENINSULA PENGUINS

In a previous issue of Avenues, we covered the white-flippered penguins of Banks Peninsula. Now, RNZ has produced a feature documentary Kororā: Little Blue Penguin, focusing on that same colony of birds. The film centres around marine conservation, community, inter-generational transmission of stewardship, and hope for the future of the sub-species. It’s an interesting watch, revealing a hidden world just over the hill. You can find it on the RNZ website.

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ISOLATION HOTEL

Create a fantasy and tell your story on the cinematic stage of Heather Straka’s immersive new exhibition at Canterbury Museum. Straka, an Auckland-based artist, has recreated the look and feel of a once opulent and now run-down 1930s German hotel foyer on an elaborate stage set inside the Museum. This set forms the backdrop for a series of Straka’s photographs, which feature a diverse cast of mysterious characters seeking sanctuary in the hotel. It also provides an opportunity for visitors to take their own photos and tell their own stories, to project their own dreams, desires, and anxieties onto Straka’s set.

Until 20 March 2022, Canterbury Museum, canterburymuseum.com

GENTLE MAN

You will know Chris Parker as our columnist, but he is also a nationally recognised felter and sometimes-comedian, and he’s hitting the road on his Gentle Man tour. Following his win on Celebrity Treasure Island New Zealand, Chris is set to deliver Christchurch audiences some of the greatest hits from his comedy career, or as he’s put it, ‘Now that’s what I call Chris Parker, Vol. 1’. 25 February 2022, Isaac Theatre Royal isaactheatreroyal.co.nz

TINY FEST

45 performance makers converge on Ōtautahi for a weekend of diverse, thoughtprovoking performance art, dance, poetry, music, and theatre. Get up close and personal with some of Aotearoa’s most exciting voices as they take risks, push boundaries, and break new ground in this unmissable weekend at the Christchurch Town Hall.

27 & 28 November, Christchurch Town Hall tinyfest.co.nz

MEL PARSONS

Award-winning songstress Mel Parsons stops by the city on her tour marking the release of her new single, Carry On. Mel Parsons won the Best Folk Artist award at the 2020 Aotearoa Music Awards for her fourth album Glass Heart. Her new single captures a deep, moody feel with heady piano and her soul-filled voice floats effortlessly in a musical dreamscape. She is playing at the historic Loons in Lyttleton. 11 December, The Loons melparsons.com

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LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS

Theatre hungry Cantabrians will be satiated by the Court Theatre’s rendition of Little Shop of Horrors.

As one of the most successful musicals of all time, it is the beloved story of hapless florist Seymour who discovers a strange and unique plant, which he names Audrey II, in honour of his sweet co-worker crush. The plant reveals that it can talk and even sing and promises Seymour his heart’s desires – as long as he keeps feeding it…human blood. Featuring a savvy, streetwise trio of singing urchins, a sadistic dentist, and a cantankerous shop owner desperate for retail success, Little Shop of Horrors is a full-blooded, feel-good hit for the summer, and this production is guaranteed to inject some fresh blood into a show you think you know.

In his Court Theatre debut, director Benjamin Henson is set to bring his unique talents and global experience to the table in a fabulous remake of a classic. Alongside Benjamin, the musical director Richard Marrett, a stalwart of the Court Theatre and renowned within the New Zealand creative industry, is sure to honour the timeless and exciting soundtrack – like the well-known musical hits Down on Skidrow, Feed Me, and Suddenly Seymour.

Leading the cast in the role of Seymour is a face that many theatre followers in New Zealand will recognise, Rutene Spooner. Rutene has graced the stage in Anything Goes, The Buddy Holly Musical, Grease, Avenue Q, Lacage Aux Folle, Oklahoma, Chicago, Billy Elliot, and many others. Monique Clementson, known for Jesus Christ Superstar and Jersey Boys, plays Audrey, Seymour’s love interest, and Brady Peeti will play Audrey II, the plant with an exceptional appetite.

Little Shop of Horrors opened on 20 November and runs through to 15 January 2021.

Just remember. Don’t feed the plants!

courttheatre.org.nz