LIVE January - March 2015

JANUARY – MARCH 2015

BROUGHT TO YOU BY AUCKLAND LIVE

FEATURE

IN THIS ISSUE

LIVE ACROSS THE CITY Auckland Arts Festival

MICHAEL JACKSON’S MUSIC Takes centre stage

LIVING & BREATHING The Beatles story

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LIVE | JANUARY – MARCH 2015

LIVE Picks HELLO

WIN Enter our competitions: aucklandlive.co.nz/comps Q&A Read our Q&As:

aucklandlive.co.nz/stories

Auckland Live presents an exciting and colourful line-up to beat the post-holiday blues!

WATCH Watch our videos and picks:

youtube.com/aucklandlive

The new year is here, and with it comes summer concerts, stage shows featuring some of the most successful music of all time and some of our favourite festivals!

WATCH

ELMO’S WORLD TOUR 21 March | Bruce Mason Centre

Our cover story for summer is Auckland Arts Festival, which takes over all of our venues in March as well as transforming Aotea Square into a vibrant Festival Garden, complete with the Festival Club at Paradiso Spiegeltent. Also on the festival calendar are February’s Pride and Auckland Fringe!

You can peruse the full calendar of events at our venues on pages 8 and 9.

Keep an eye on aucklandlive.co.nz for the latest show announcements.

WIN Q&A

NITRO CIRCUS 1 February | QBE Stadium

EDITOR Josie Campbell – media@aucklandlive.co.nz

WATCH Q&A

RAYMOND CROWE 14 February | ASB Theatre, Aotea Centre

AWAY FROM HOME 17 – 21 February Herald Theatre, Aotea Centre Auckland Live Director Robbie Macrae loved Away From Home when he saw it at Edinburgh Fringe and is thrilled that Rob Ward’s one-man play is coming to the Herald Theatre as part of Auckland’s Fringe and Pride festivals.

ADVERTISING AND LISTING ENQUIRIES Rahul Patel – live@aucklandlive.co.nz

Chelsea Jade

COVER ILLUSTRATION Angela Keoghan, The Picture Garden Every effort has been taken to ensure details in LIVE are accurate at time of publication but some may be subject to change. Individual companies reserve the right to add, withdraw or substitute artists or vary programmes should the need arise.

Auckland Live takes no responsibility for any incorrect event information in this publication.

DIRECTOR'S PICK

WIN

LIGHT SHOW Until 8 February Late Nights 20 January & 3 February Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

WIN

EDDIE IZZARD: FORCE MAJEURE 19 & 20 February ASB Theatre, Aotea Centre

“It’s a one-man tour de force in acting and a beautiful play. Whether you are gay or straight, a football fan or not, and you believe art should be a mirror to society or a hammer with which to shape it, Away From Home is a show worth seeing.”

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LIVE | JANUARY – MARCH 2015

Othello: The Remix

BLAM!

BLAM!

THERE’S A CHANCE SOME MIGHT WATCH BLAM! and, later that evening, be tempted to fire off a resignation email.

From Denmark, via performances in Europe and Turkey, BLAM! is the wordless story of three underpaid, overworked and underappreciated male office workers coming to Auckland Arts Festival with the support of Auckland Live. Every time their boss turns his back, they escape into a fantasy world where they are superheroes saving the world from aliens and classic blockbuster movie villains.

It’s the way these desk-jockeys stay sane and, says its creator, Icelandic visual theatre artist Kristjan Ingimarsson, grounded in a scenario many of us recognise and relate to. What may surprise festival-goers is the ways in which BLAM! pays homage to entertainment as disparate as action movies and physical comedy.

With a blend of physical theatre, parkour, circus, heavy metal-music and deadpan humour, it has been likened to Die Hard meets the TV series The Office where the likes of Predator, Wolverine, the Incredible Hulk and Iron Man stalk the stage armed with office staplers, hole-punches and post-it-notes.

“People have a perception of physical theatre that it can only be really ‘arty’ but I didn’t want BLAM! to be like that; not too surreal but something everyone can relate to and I think they can because

It’s been said before: experiencing a live performance or seeing a particularly moving exhibition can be life-enriching and changing. In the Auckland Arts Festival 2015, at least one show may revolutionise the lives of bored office staff.

Dionne Christian finds out more.

it’s a reaction against our world where everything is scheduled and orderly.”

As there is no dialogue, it transcends geographic boundaries but Kristjan says its action-movie and light-hearted approach still prompts questions about the world of work and our place in it. It’s frequently billed as the perfect show for fathers, brothers, sons, good mates and physical types who find it a challenge to sit still.

Auckland Arts Festival artistic director Carla van Zon is challenging Aucklanders to shake up their festivalgoing experience.

She wants Aucklanders to pick shows and exhibitions they know they will enjoy – “because I think it’s important to have a good time” – as well as at least one which is something they wouldn’t normally attend.

“If you’re a theatre person, go to a dance show and vice versa; if you like classical music, try something contemporary as well,” she says.

“Ask yourself what you would like to see which has been produced locally and then think about what you want to see from the rest of the world. Think about what you can take a young person to because if – when – we take the next generation along we’re having an impact on the future and on what can happen in the world.”

It means BLAM! could be perfect for more reluctant theatregoers. But, there’s plenty more on offer given Carla’s philosophy to bring wide-ranging, innovative and imaginative works to Auckland which reflect and showcase our diverse population and communities.

While she does not select dance, music, theatre or visual art works with a specific theme in mind, she says this year ideas about conflict thread through many of the works to tie in with centenary commemorations around World War I. So there are shows like Othello: The Remix, a hip hop reinterpretation of Shakespeare’s 1603 play set in the ghettos of Chicago: “It just really makes sense. I saw it with a lot of young people and I sat there with a huge grin on my face at seeing them all so enthused.”

A second Shakespeare, Macbeth, is set in the jungles of the Congo and set to Verdi’s operatic score with 10 African singers and an onstage chamber orchestra threading through African musical and theatrical influences. Sir Michael Tippett’s A Child of Our Time, performed by the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, is a musical narrative written in response to a Jewish boy’s murder of a German official in Paris.

Performances extend beyond ‘bricks-and-mortar venues’ into Aotea Square, which houses the TimeOut Festival Garden. This becomes the hub

LIVE | JANUARY – MARCH 2015

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AUCKLAND ARTS FESTIVAL HITS TOWN LOUIS BAKER Musician

Shake it up Payasam! I’ve visited South India, love puddings and can’t keep out of the kitchen – this is my ideal show!

REBECCA SMIDT Restaurateur, Cazador

SAFE CHOICE Neneh Cherry Being a lover of jazz and hip hop music makes this show appealing.

I think Neneh is an amazing artist.

BRAVE CHOICE A Child of Our Time To see an oratorio for the first time would be cool to experience, and the message of anti-war is such a relevant and important concept right now.

See Louis in Pass the Gat, Sunday 8 March, 8pm Photographer: Emily Raftery

SAFE CHOICE The Kitchen

We’re interested in following through on Carla van Zon’s challenge to go to at least one show that is outside what they’d normally choose to see. We asked a bunch of Aucklanders to browse the programme and choose two events – one that’s a natural fit for their interests, and one that’s out of their comfort zone.

RISK CHOICE Tafelmusik: House of Dreams I’m not so familiar with baroque music, though I love baroque art.

After 85 minutes I hope I’d learn to like Bach, Handel and Vivaldi.

for the festival and the home for the Paradiso Spiegeltent where musicians as diverse as Nenah Cherry and our own Where the Apple Falls play.

CHARLOTTE RYAN, Radio host

Free music – jazz, indie-pop, Pasifika sounds, classical, soul, funk and New Orleans street music – is broadcast into the Garden via iheartradio sound lounge nearly every day during the festival. In the weekends, there’s three activity-filled mornings of storytelling, games, fun lessons or hands-on art programmes for the young ones.

Figures from the Auckland Arts Festival 2013 show how integral it has become to the cultural life of Auckland.

More than 175,000 of us headed to one of that year’s events, resulting in box-office income of $3 million – more than double that of any previous festival.

Photography: lintottphoto.co.nz

Two artworks have been commissioned especially for the Auckland Arts Festival: Niki HastingsMacFall’s Fale Ula, which creates a riot of colour and sound through the use of Samoan lei and native birdsong, and Lisa Reihana’s provocative video work, Tai Whetuki: House of Death, which plays on the Garden’s big silver screen.

SAFE CHOICE Neneh Cherry

BRAVE CHOICE Skin of Fire

Ever since hearing her hit single Buffalo Stance years ago and seeing her amazing style in the music video – I have wanted to see Neneh Cherry perform live. She has been writing again recently and sounding great so I'm really looking forward to this.

I have a love/hate relationship with fireworks – but absolutely love them in this sort of safe and spectacular environment.

This will be an awesome night out with the family – and I’m sure will be amazing.

SCOTTY STEVENSON Sports broadcaster and writer, SKY Sport

SHAUN HENDY Physicist, Te Pūnaha Matatini at The University of Auckland

SAFE CHOICE Othello: The Remix

SAFE CHOICE BLAM!

The Chicago Shakespeare Theater rapping Shakespeare? Hell yeah!

Why hasn't anyone thought of mixing Die Hard with The Office before?

BRAVE CHOICE The Mooncake and the Kumara

BRAVE CHOICE In the Mind of Igor

Surely the most exquisitely cultivated composition of cultures, conflicts and carbohydrates!

Contemporary dance is not usually my thing, but I am interested in a modern take on Stravinsky.

AUCKLAND ARTS FESTIVAL 4 – 22 March

What are your safe and brave picks of the Auckland Arts Festival 2015 programme?

Tell us and go in the draw to win tickets. Visit www.aucklandlive.co.nz/comps to enter.

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LIVE | JANUARY – MARCH 2015

AN ABSOLUTE THRILLER

Being part of Thriller Live is a labour of love for a company made up of Michael Jackson fans, but it’s clear that the responsibility of bringing the King of Pop’s music to stages around the world is one they don’t take lightly, writes Josie Campbell.

I MET UP WITH A HANDFUL OF THE LEAD vocalists and production team in Perth the morning after the show had its Australasian premiere. The company had flown in from London’s West End where they performed this latest iteration of the show before heading down under.

Like most of my generation, I grew up with the music of Michael Jackson, and my anticipation levels were high, but I’d underrated the talent of the cast and the sheer energy that pulsed from the stage to the audience and back again. I found myself leaning in, grin on my face, as a truly outstanding cast of singers and dancers performed hit after hit to a highly appreciative crowd.

Thriller Live not a musical, nor is it an impersonation show. It is a concert experience with a live band, dancers and a handful of lead vocalists who combine to somehow capture the essence of Michael Jackson’s songs, while not creating a stiff replica of the King of Pop. Resident Director Jessica Powell Antonini is responsible for ensuring the touring show keeps to the standard demanded by the creators of the show and the Michael Jackson fans that have turned out in their millions to see the show around the world. It starts with getting the right people on stage.

“Gary Lloyd, the director and choreographer, selects each individual dancer, each individual vocalist to represent a part of MJ. That’s number one – getting the perfect cast mix.”

Tour Manager Phil Watts agrees, and says that it’s made easier by the fact that being in Thriller Live is something more than just a job to the artists.

“The foundation for it is the love for Michael Jackson and his music; that’s what you get with everyone on the stage – that’s why they do it. The dancers grew up with those dance moves, the singers grew up with those vocal lines and way of singing, and whatever they do on that stage they want it to be respectful and to represent [Michael] and that’s not just me saying that – anyone who watches the shows will see it.”

Brilliant singing and dancing aside, there’s an extremely fit cast, a huge array of costumes and much more humour and interaction between the performers on stage than I’d expected.

“Within the direction and choreography of the show, they’re allowed to do that – they’re encouraged to do that,” Phil explains.

“Be who you are because you represent a part of MJ that Gary Lloyd saw when he did the auditions,” Jessica adds.

Musical Director John Maher says that preparation is different for every vocalist, finding the place where the performer “meets Michael”, the sweet spot between impersonation and re-creation. “The way Samantha sings the role is different to the way Prinnie sings the role; its different voices coming out of different women, with different physicality and musical backgrounds.”

Prinnie Stevens, a household name in Australia because of The Voice, took the stage on opening night for only her fifth performance in the show, whereas Samantha Johnson has been with the show for around five years. Prinnie’s performance was that of a seasoned professional and I’m eager to revisit the show to see Samantha in action when she hits the stage in Auckland.

Everyone will likely have a different favourite moment or performer in the show. For me, the standout was Beat It, performed by English singer Alex Buchanan, who has the kind of can’t-look-away stage presence and talent that led me to conclude that it’s only a matter of time until he’s headlining his own arena shows.

Long term, forging a solo music career has always been Alex’s plan, but he says his time in Thriller Live is something he cherishes.

“There’s no better experience than being on the road and when you do it every day it conditions you for tour life, for being away from family; it conditions your voice, your body – so it’s been a really good experience.”

Audience reactions can vary from place to place, with Michael Jackson fanatics in Japan in floods of tears, while the Perth audience deemed more of a rowdy party crowd. But, according to Alex, who has toured the world with the show, there’s always a huge response.

“It’s funny... you’ve got some people who are waiting for that one song, some people who are waiting for that one moment, and some just want to see MJ come out and they’re on their seat waiting all night.

The reactions from people are brilliant. I think that it’s because it’s Michael; as soon as that music starts,

THRILLER LIVE 12 – 22 February | LIVE AT THE CIVIC Watch our interviews with Prinnie Stevens, Samantha Johnson and Alex Buchanan at youtube.com/aucklandlive WIN one of three double passes to the opening night of Thriller Live.

Visit aucklandlive.co.nz/comps to enter.

LIVE | JANUARY – MARCH 2015

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LIVE | JANUARY – MARCH 2015

LIVE CALENDAR January – March CLOUD FESTIVAL 2015 Cloud Festival is unashamedly all about Jesus and bringing people together for a day of music, fun entertainment and a whole lotta inspiration.

24 January, 10.30am | $87* QBE Stadium

HISTORY OF THE EAGLES TOUR Renowned for their hit-laden sell-out concerts, the Eagles are bringing their critically acclaimed History of the Eagles World Tour. It will be the band’s first visit to New Zealand in 20 years.

14 & 15 March, 7pm | $148.30 – $995* Mt Smart Stadium

CLASSICAL

PASSENGER The voice of one of 2013’s most successful songs worldwide, Let Her Go, plays at the majestic Civic in support of his new album Whispers.

30 January, 7.45pm | $70* The Civic

2CELLOS: ON THE ROAD Following their sold-out 2014 Australian tour, 2CELLOS, music’s most electric and dynamic instrumental duo, make their New Zealand debut.

17 January, 8pm | $74.80* ASB Theatre, Aotea Centre

SINATRA TRIBUTE CONCERT Tim Beveridge was born to wear a bow tie and tux. His sophisticated singing style is a perfect match for this Sinatra Tribute Concert.

12 February, 7.30pm | $35* Great Hall, Auckland Town Hall

LUDOVICO EINAUDI IN A TIME LAPSE Don’t miss internationally acclaimed Italian pianist and composer Ludovico Einaudi in his first-ever New Zealand performance for one night only in Auckland, accompanied by his six-piece band.

18 February, 8pm | $70 – $95* ASB Theatre, Aotea Centre

BROODS: THE EVERGREEN TOUR After touring across the USA as special guests of Sam Smith, Broods will return home for their biggest New Zealand tour to date.

13 February, 7.30pm | $55 – $65* Great Hall, Auckland Town Hall AFRIKAANS IS LEKKER The biggest and best South African show in Auckland. Artists are Juanita du Plessis, Emo Adams and Francois Henning aka Snotkop. Come and join South African Events for the premier Afrikaans event.

21 February, 6pm | $50 – $95* Great Hall, Auckland Town Hall FOO FIGHTERS Rock superstars Foo Fighters are set to return to New Zealand in February!

21 February, 7pm | $96.60 – $199* Mt Smart Stadium FUTURE SOUND SYSTEM: AVICII LIVE IN NEW ZEALAND 2015 Future Music Group and Frontier Touring are proud to present a massive outdoor summer dance party to send the summer off in style!

27 February, 5pm | $89.90 – $119.90* Mt Smart Stadium MORNING MELODIES: Join us each month on a Monday, when Morning Melodies fills the Bruce Mason Centre with easy-listening music that is perfect for all ages.

APO: THE PLANETS The gala opening of the APO’s 2015 New Zealand Herald Premier Series.

Featuring Holst’s The Planets.

19 February, 8pm | $26 – $125* Great Hall, Auckland Town Hall APO: CLOCKS AND CLOUDS Celebrated British pianist Kathryn Stott makes her APO debut in the second concert in the New Zealand Herald Premier Series.

26 February, 8pm | $26 – $125* Great Hall, Auckland Town Hall NZSO: FREDDY KEMPF'S BEETHOVEN Bold British piano star Freddy Kempf plays and conducts for a concert of Beethoven’s mighty Egmont Overture, Piano Concertos Nos.3 and 5 – the ‘Emperor’.

6 March, 7pm | $33 – $126* Bruce Mason Centre NZSO: JANINE JANSEN PLAYS TCHAIKOVSKY – THE VIOLIN CONCERTO Top-tier Dutch violinist Janine Jansen makes her New Zealand debut with Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto. Daniel Blendulf conducts Liadov’s The Enchanted Lake and Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5.

27 March, 7pm | $33 – $126* Great Hall, Auckland Town Hall

THRILLER LIVE Direct from London’s West End, Thriller Live celebrates the King of Pop in a spectacular show packed with your favourite Michael Jackson hits!

12 – 22 February, various times | $69 – $149* The Civic LET IT BE Direct from London’s West End comes this fully-staged celebration of the music of The Beatles. Over 40 hits in a show critics have raved about!

26 March – 5 April, various times | $65 – $95* The Civic

COMEDY BILL BURR: NZ TOUR 2015 Bill Burr is recognised by hardcore comedy fans as one of the best stand-up comedians of his generation.

3 February, 8pm | $69.90 – $79.90* Great Hall, Auckland Town Hall

EDDIE IZZARD: FORCE MAJEURE One of the most acclaimed comedians of his generation, Eddie Izzard’s unique, tangential, absurd and surreal comic narratives are lauded for their creativity and wit.

19 & 20 February | $89.90* ASB Theatre, Aotea Centre THE LAUGHING SAMOANS: FINK ABOUT IT This is the latest offering from one of New Zealand’s most successful live comedy acts and Pasefika’s best loved.

21 February, 8pm | $17 – $57* ASB Theatre, Aotea Centre

DANCE RNZB: DON QUIXOTE The Royal New Zealand Ballet’s Don Quixote, first seen in 2008, is a flirtatious delight, combining virtuoso choreography with comic flair in a spectacular staging that will appeal to all ages.

26 – 29 March, various times | $35 – $145* ASB Theatre, Aotea Centre

The Royal New Zealand Navy Band 2 March, 11am | $5* Bruce Mason Centre North Shore Brass 23 March, 11am | $5* Bruce Mason Centre

FAMILY

Janine Jansen

THE MONSTER ENERGY WESTFEST ODR Productions & The Rock proudly presents ‘Westfest ’15, an annual music festival that every rock fan will be sure not to miss! With Soundgarden, Faith No More, Judas Priest and more.

3 March, 2pm | $178* Mt Smart Stadium

MUSICAL

Bill Burr

MUSIC

NITRO CIRCUS Buckle up New Zealand – action sports star Travis Pastrana is bringing the most exciting, adrenalin-charged, live-action sports show back to New Zealand in 2015.

1 February, 5.30pm | $59 – $149* QBE Stadium

ELMO'S WORLD TOUR Abby Cadabby, Big Bird, Grover, Zoe, Cookie Monster and Elmo use the letters of the alphabet to navigate a voyage through imagination that sees them visiting China, Zambia, France, India and Australia!

21 March, 10am & 12.30pm | $29 – $44* Bruce Mason Centre

FRINGE & PRIDE XOX LIVE AT BOX Box Café & Bar comes out for Pride and Fringe with a fabulous line-up of music, drag, karaoke and more.

8 February – 1 March | FREE Box Café & Bar, Aotea Centre WHALES Whales are stranding this Fringe in Aotea Square – we need your help urgently! Drop everything, grab a bucket and save the whales!

11 February, 6pm | FREE Aotea Square SQUARE SOAPBOX Fringe takes over the square with performances from Snort, Bobby Brazuka, Rising Voices and more! Expect comedy, live music and spur-of-the-moment Fringe showcases.

11 – 14 February, 5pm | FREE Aotea Square RISK & WIN ARCADE Auckland becomes a real-life gaming arena for Fringe – starting on the roof of Aotea Centre. It’s The Amazing Race, adventure movie and video game combined!

11 – 14 February, 6pm | $20* Aotea Centre RISING VOICES SUMMER SERIES Aotearoa’s most electric, hilarious and passionate young slam poets perform a mix of their fresh and favourite works during Auckland Fringe, with a Pride night on 13 February.

12 – 14 February, 7pm | $19 – $25* Herald Theatre, Aotea Centre AWAY FROM HOME Male escort Kyle is hired by a premiership footballer and falls in love. Direct from the UK, this extraordinary play is subversive, edgy and brave. Part of Auckland Fringe and Pride.

17 – 21 February, various times | $19 – $35* Herald Theatre, Aotea Centre

VISUAL ARTS LIGHT SHOW OPEN LATE A special evening with George FM DJs and live music, plus after-hours access to the dazzling magic of Light Show.

Glass Vaults | 20 January, 6 – 9pm | $20* Chelsea Jade | 3 February, 6 – 9pm | $20* Light Show until 8 February Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki DIGITAL ART LIVE: VIZCERA Vizcera is a musical instrument that is triggered by the participant’s hand gestures and creates a contemplative and meditative audiovisual experience.

Until 8 February | FREE Aotea Centre

BOOKING TICKETS

PLAN YOUR VISIT

Online: www.ticketmaster.co.nz | Phone: 0800 111 999 or 09 970 9700 In person: Ticketmaster outlets including Aotea Centre and Bruce Mason Centre

Go to aucklandlive.co.nz for information on venues, parking and where to go for pre-show refreshments or call us during business hours on 09 309 2677.

*Service/booking fees will be applied when purchasing tickets.

LIVE | JANUARY – MARCH 2015

Auckland Arts Festival 4 – 22 March

Glass in my mind

DIGITAL ART LIVE: GLASS IN MY MIND Become part of a digital tale! Your silhouette is embedded into a story on screen and you can physically interact with the footage. Part of Auckland Fringe.

11 February – 12 March | FREE Owens Foyer, Aotea Centre

DIGITAL ART LIVE: BIRDS OF A SHADOW Birds of a Shadow is a playful interactive installation inviting family, friends and strangers to work together to reveal images of birds on the screen.

From 14 March | FREE Aotea Centre

MORE STAGE OF ORIGIN Theatresports with the league stars of today vs the league stars of tomorrow.

New Zealand vs Australia impromptu comedy.

28 January, 7pm | $45 – $55 The Civic NRL AUCKLAND NINES: RUGBY LEAGUE FESTIVAL A free, family-friendly festival giving the public the chance to meet the players and participate in events celebrating the NRL 9s tournament and New Zealand’s team – the Vodfone Warriors.

30 January – 1 February | FREE Aotea Square FUTSAL WORLD SERIES – AUCKLAND New Zealand’s only international-standard portable futsal court comes to Auckland.

Games will involve Futsal Whites, celebrities and YOU! Don’t miss your chance to shine.

9 – 13 February | FREE Aotea Square RAYMOND CROWE Fresh from travelling the world with The Illusionists 2.0, Unusualist Raymond Crowe now brings his own special magic back to New Zealand.

14 February, 7.30pm | $29 – $49* ASB Theatre, Aotea Centre

THEATRE I AM Powerful and visionary, I AM stuns, fusing rituals and images to illustrate the blackness of war. Created by internationally celebrated Samoan-NZ director Lemi Ponifasio.

6 & 7 March, 7.30pm | $25 – $87* ASB Theatre, Aotea Centre BLAM! Die Hard meets The Office, daring stunts and imaginative weaponry, underpaid office workers run wild.

This is no ordinary theatre production.

6 – 10 March, various times | $15 – $65* The Civic macbEth Africa meets Verdi in Brett Bailey’s riveting and extraordinary reinterpretation of Shakespeare’s classic. Performed by 10 spectacular singers from Africa.

11 – 15 March, 8pm | $45 – $128* ASB Theatre, Aotea Centre OTHELLO: THE REMIX Chicago Shakespeare Theater and Q Brothers provide an intense, high-energy hip-hop adaptation of Shakespeare’s famous tragedy.

13 – 16 March, various times | $20 – $65* Bruce Mason Centre

MUSIC NENEH CHERRY Trailblazing hip-hop goddess Neneh Cherry performs with jazz/clubland duo RocketNumberNine+, bringing a bold new sound to the Festival Club.

4 March, 9.30pm | $69 – $75* Festival Club at Paradiso Spiegeltent DePEDRO Spanish star guitarist Jairo Zavala (aka DePedro), who has played alongside Calexico, lives his musical style – a sexy mix of flamenco, Cuban sounds, Afrobeat and Latin rock.

5 March, 9.30pm | $53 – $58 Festival Club at Paradiso Spiegeltent PHOX Phox dish up a taste of modern Americana and a big serving of airy vocals, simple folk-pop songs and quirky arrangements with a splash of alt-indie fun.

6 March, 9.30pm.

7 March, 10.30pm | $53 – $58* Festival Club at Paradiso Spiegeltent

THE COLOR RUN The Color Run, also known as the ‘Happiest 5k on the Planet’, is a unique paint run that celebrates healthiness, happiness and individuality.

15 February, 8am | $49 – $89* QBE Stadium

JAZZAMATAZZ Rock‘n’-rollin’ jazz and snappy beats for kids aged one to seven – perfect to get them singing, twisting and dancing! Led

by Australian opera and cabaret star Ali McGregor and a live jazz trio.

6 – 8 March, various times | $12 – $20* Festival Club at Paradiso Spielgeltent

MICHAEL PALIN LIVE ON STAGE Actor, writer, travel documentary presenter, comedian and Monty Python member – Michael Palin takes audiences on a tour of the globe and his comedic career.

17 February, 8pm | $95 – $195* ASB Theatre, Aotea Centre

THE GLOAMING This five-piece ‘supergroup’ proves that while Irish music may have spread far and wide, nothing has prepared audiences for their unique, revelatory sound.

11 March, 8pm | $35 – $77* Great Hall, Auckland Town Hall

TALK TO US

LAKE STREET DIVE Gorgeous harmonies, classic soul, sockit-to-‘em instrumentals and a touch of jazz – this extraordinary four-piece band rock the pants off their audiences.

12 – 14 March, various times | $53 – $58* Festival Club at Paradiso Spiegeltent

WHERE THE APPLE FALLS Enjoy the fruits from the musical family tree in this parent/offspring concert, including Will and Annie Crummer, Tigilau Ness and Che Fu, and Billy and Mara TK. 15 March, 3pm | $39 – $45* Festival Club at Paradiso Spiegeltent LADY SINGS THE BLUES A gathering of Aotearoa’s female vocal powerhouses including Ladi6, Hollie Smith, Whirimako Black, Annie Crummer and Julia Deans celebrate the songs of Billie Holiday.

18 March, 6.30pm | $39 – $45* Festival Club at Paradiso Spiegeltent ATA REIRA An enchanting and spine-tingling choral celebration of light with members of NZ Youth Choir, Voices NZ, Kristin School’s Euphony and James Tibbles.

18 March, 7pm | $30 – $45* Great Hall, Auckland Town Hall FELA! THE CONCERT Featuring cast members from the original Tony Award-nominated Broadway musical, Fela! is a celebratory blend of jazz, funk and African rhythm from the founding father of Afrobeat, Fela Kuti.

19 – 22 March, various times | $35 – $87* The Civic ELECTRIC SWING CIRCUS Electric Swing Circus mix saucy ‘20s swing with rhythmic electro-beats, creating an explosive sound with a bit of vintage glam.

20 March, 9.30pm | $25 – $29* Festival Club at Paradiso Spiegeltent

CLASSICAL WATER AND LIGHT APO Composer-in-Residence Kenneth Young’s new composition forms this concert, based on words from great writers across the ages, Young’s piece is combined with visuals by multimedia artist Tim Gruchy.

4 March, 8pm | $23 – $45 Great Hall, Auckland Town Hall TAFELMUSIK: HOUSE OF DREAMS One of the world’s top baroque ensembles recreates the romance and atmosphere of an 18th-century salon.

Enjoy a whimsical and highly visual programme of Bach, Handel and Vivaldi.

6 March, 8pm | $45 – $87* Great Hall, Auckland Town Hall REQUIEM FOR THE FALLEN A musical collaboration between Ross Harris, Vincent O’Sullivan, Horomona Horo and Jonathan Alver, showcasing the continuing impact that war has on the lives of people of all cultures.

13 March, 8pm | $28 – $68* Great Hall, Auckland Town Hall BRODSKY QUARTET: LIVE AT 6 The multifaceted Brodsky Quartet have collaborated with Björk and Elvis Costello alongside their impeccable classical career. They perform Shostakovich, Schubert, Beethoven and Bartók.

19 March, 6pm | $10 – $50* Concert Chamber, Auckland Town Hall SIR MICHAEL TIPPETT'S: A CHILD OF OUR TIME Sir Michael Tippett’s unique anti-war oratorio is a stirring, dramatic and astonishing live concert experience performed by the APO, mass choirs and soloists.

21 March, 8pm | $46 – $125* Great Hall, Auckland Town Hall

ANNIVERSARY CONCERT OF THE TOWN HALL ORGAN The spotlight’s on the magnificent Town Hall Organ for a concert performed by the internationally renowned organist, Thomas Heywood.

22 March, 4pm | FREE Great Hall, Auckland Town Hall

VISUAL ARTS TAI WHETUKI / HOUSE OF DEATH A powerful new video work by leading multimedia artist Lisa Reihana which delves into Māori and Pacific cultural practices pertaining to death and mourning.

4 – 22 March | FREE TimeOut Festival Garden, Aotea Square FALE ULA Using synthetic lei, Niki Hastings-McFall ‘polynises’ the green space of Aotea Square into a vibrant, living artwork based on the Samoan fale.

4 – 22 March | FREE TimeOut Festival Garden, Aotea Square

DANCE CEDAR LAKE BALLET One of the hottest dance companies from New York, Cedar Lake’s fearless performance features works by some of the world’s most sought-after choreographers including Hofesh Shechter.

12 – 15 March, various times | $35 – $87* The Civic AKRAM KHAN’S iTMOi A mind-blowing dance performance work

by Akram Khan, inspired by Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, features stupendous dancers, rich original sounds and extraordinary design.

19 – 21 March, 8pm | $35 – $87* ASB Theatre, Aotea Centre

MORE THE COLENSO BBDO SEASON OF LIMBO A wild, wicked and dangerous circus/cabaret with a cocktail of gutchurning acrobatics, fiery flames and a rambunctious band, LIMBO is one hell of a party.

4 – 22 March, various times | $69 – $75* / Booths $675 Live at Festival Club, Aotea Square OSADÍA Ethereal hairdressers from the streets of Barcelona are cutting a path to Auckland to astound us with hair-raising creations.

Free do-ups at salons in the TimeOut Festival Garden.

20 – 22 March, various times | Free TimeOut Festival Garden, Aotea Square FAMILY DAY WHĀNAU WHĀNUI A day dedicated to whānau fun times with heaps of free and ticketed events for parents, kids, cuzzies and just about everyone.

22 March, 10.30am – 3.30pm TimeOut Festival Garden, Aotea Square THINK SCIENCE SPECIAL EVENT: NANOGIRL Award-winning scientist Michelle Dickinson aka Nanogirl takes you and your family on a super ride in an unpredictable science performance.

14 March, 5pm – 6pm | $15 – $40 Great Hall, Auckland Town Hall

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LIVE | JANUARY – MARCH 2015

Believe in Yesterday

A new show is set to reignite Beatlemania.

Richard Betts speaks with the creator of Let It Be, and examines our continuing fascination with the Fab Four.

THE BEATLES ARE AT FAULT FOR the weirdest press event I’ve ever attended. It was to celebrate the launch of a video game, The Beatles: Rock Band. On stage were four musicians from the groups Opshop, Autozamm and Shotgun Alley. They were playing along to Beatles’ songs, using fake plastic instruments – the guitars had touch pads where the strings should have been. We were in a church.

‘Surreal’ doesn’t even begin to describe it. Even so, the game’s existence – and the fact the church was packed with Beatles’ fans – were confirmation of the band’s enduring appeal.

A show coming to Auckland in March is further indication that although The Beatles split in 1970, we still can’t get enough of the Fab Four.

Let It Be is the story of The Beatles’ career through songs and archival footage, and reaches us after hugely successful runs all over the globe, garnering wonderful reviews wherever it’s been staged. Moscow, Japan and Singapore have succumbed to its charms, as have the two centres of the theatrical world: Broadway and the West End. If you think taking a show to London or New York is nerve-wracking, try playing a Beatles gig in front of the most exacting audience of all: Liverpudlians. Liverpool lives and breathes The Beatles. There are Beatles museums and exhibitions; you can take a Magical Mystery Tour bus ride of famous Beatles sites. Walk along the docks, and the tourist shops are full to bursting with Beatles key rings and wallpaper and bobble-headed figurines.

I own a set of Yellow Submarine coasters purchased from one such store. In all, the Fabs and their musical legacy are said to generate £70million annually for the local economy, and their looming presence is inescapable.

That urge to innovate meant The Beatles constantly reinvented themselves. In just a few years they went from loveable moptops who wanted to hold your hand to glassy-eyed japesters proclaiming they were walruses.

Understandably, Let It Be’s creator, Jeff Parry, was a little nervous about taking his show to the city where it all started, and which still jealously guards The Beatles’ legacy.

More importantly, their records continually redefined how pop music could sound. Head-shaking harmonies, sophisticated string arrangements, all-you-need-is-(free)-love psychedelia: these all became part of the rock music template because of The Beatles.

“One of the stops [on tour] was the Liverpool Empire Theatre, where The Beatles had actually played. I made sure I flew over from Canada – I worried I was buying a one-way ticket on the Titanic [but] it was amazing.

The whole community came out: John Lennon’s sister, all the people from the The Beatles’ fan club. I thought we’d be ignored totally.

After the show we came back to the reception and there were all these Beatle-type people and they were blown away.” That reaction, says Jeff, is the greatest testament to Let It Be’s quality and authenticity.

The show isn’t a slave to period accuracy, but the audience can expect the musicians on stage to sound like the real thing. “We try to replicate the sound the The Beatles had. My criteria is that you can close your eyes and think you’re hearing The Beatles.”

The music demands such attention to detail. “[The Beatles] were so meticulous; they made sure every song was a great song and not a filler. And they were never complacent: they wanted to push the envelope.”

And yet, despite the forward momentum, there’s a wistful nostalgia to a lot of The Beatles’ music: Penny Lane serenades the Liverpool of Paul McCartney’s youth; Strawberry Field was a children’s home close to where John Lennon grew up; Eleanor Rigby is buried near the church where John and Paul first met.

It’s as if they somehow miss the world they helped consign to history.

If it’s good enough for The Beatles to reflect on the past then surely we can all revel in a bit of musical reminiscence. In the end everybody, from The Beatles themselves to video game makers, believes in yesterday.

LET IT BE 26 March – 5 April LIVE AT THE CIVIC

LIVE | JANUARY – MARCH 2015

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PROUDLY FRINGE THIS YEAR, AUCKLAND LIVE is presenting a series of performances throughout both the Fringe and Pride festivals, taking in everything from improvised comedy, to poetry, to award-winning, world-touring theatre shows. It’s a given that festivals are a delight for audiences, but for the performers themselves they can also offer something new.

One of those world-touring shows is Away From Home, and writer/director Martin Jameson says it is a simple story of “Boy meets footballer, boy loses footballer and, perhaps just perhaps, boy gets footballer again…” For performer and co-writer Rob Ward, it’s “about a guy falling in love in an impossible situation.”

The show had its origins in a festival; Martin says it “was originally written as an entry for the the 24/7 Theatre Festival in Manchester. The rules for this festival limit shows to an hour in duration, and you only have a very short get-in time; so, by necessity, the staging has to be light and tourable. So who knows whether we would have written the same show without those conditions, but because we did, we ended up with an eminently portable piece of theatre which is ideal for the touring circuit.”

Fellow festival old-hands are Wellington’s Binge Culture Collective.

In Aotea Square, they will stage Whales,

Festival season is upon us, and its attendant swarm of performers descending upon venues large and small.

By Bronwyn Bent.

which sees a pod of ‘whales’ dangerously strand themselves. Collective member Fiona McNamara describes the show thus: “Normally the whales swim into the sea. This time we are recreating the ending for a more urban setting where there isn’t a big body of water, but the idea is that all the passersby, as it’s their responsibility to save the whales, have to pull together to do that. Hopefully we’ll save all the whales but who knows?”

“big celebration of love... it’s our usual style of really personal comedy that we put out on a big public platform.” It’s the kind of performance that naturally finds a home in a festival environment.

“If something takes your fancy,” advises Chris, “just go for it: take a risk on something unknown”. It’s advice he follows himself, saying: “Every year I see something that changes my life.”

For Fiona, outdoor work is an essential complement to their other work: “I think it’s really important in festivals to have stuff out on the street that people can engage with, because there’s so much happening inside theatres... I like the idea that if you’re walking through the streets when there’s a festival on, you’re really aware of it. We’re taking our performance out to people.”

Martin sees that festivals offer a space for both artists and audiences to experiment: “In a festival, the audiences are up for anything; they really want to be surprised and challenged.” A stand-alone season outside of a festival can have a different feel: “When you’re trying to fill a theatre for three or four weeks on your own you have to keep giving audiences a reason to come and see you, but when they do it’s especially affirming.” For Rob, the context doesn’t matter greatly once those theatre doors

For anyone who doesn’t want their Valentine’s Day to involve a dozen over-priced roses and some melted chocolates, comedians Chris Parker and Hayley Sproull will provide an alternative. Bright Futures will be a

are closed: “All in all, it’s a very happy hour for me to share the story with whoever is sat in the room with me.”

Martin continues: “At its best, being part of a festival feels like a celebration of why we do theatre in the first place. At its worst, a festival can be competitive and oddly alienating. Pros and cons on both sides.” However, he’s optimistic about his upcoming jaunt to this part of the world: “I’m sure Auckland will be a celebration at its best!”

AUCKLAND FRINGE 11 February – 1 March

AUCKLAND PRIDE FESTIVAL 7 February – 1 March

AUCKLAND LIVE PRESENTS

The collective consciousness of our Auckland Fringe and Pride offerings Ra

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12 – 14 February, 7pm

KISS AND TELL?

AWAY FROM HOME

17 – 21 February, various times

Live at Herald Theatre, Aotea Centre | Ticketmaster.co.nz

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LIVE | JANUARY – MARCH 2015

LOOKING FOR PERFECTION Sandrine Cassini is a French dancer, choreographer and now Ballet Mistress for Royal New Zealand Ballet.

We asked her to tell us about her career, what her new job entails and what we can look forward to when Don Quixote comes to town.

What is it you love most about ballet?

When you become a ballet dancer, you start looking for perfection, so the quest is a never-ending one…

I love that, pushing myself to limits and, every day, pushing the limits even further.

Playing a part was also my favourite thing as a dancer. Becoming someone else and losing yourself into it has always been a pure pleasure.

What does the role of Ballet Mistress entail on a day-to-day basis?

Tell us a little about your background.

I started dancing at seven, studied in my home town, Nice in France, then I joined the Paris Opera Ballet. I danced with the Monte-Carlo Ballet for six years and got promoted to principal dancer, joined successively Zurich, Vancouver, Mannheim in Germany, Lausanne with Bejart Ballet and spent the last two years in San Francisco, under the mentorship of Alonzo King, a very important guide in my life.

Alonzo gave me the opportunity to choreograph on a permanent basis and teach his pre-professional programmes and company.

The day starts with teaching company class, then leading rehearsals, either making sure the group parts of a ballet stay together and in the right formation or coaching soloists, my favourite thing so far.

If we’re on tour, we have a warm-up before the show and then, I will sit in the audience and enjoy, without forgetting to notice a few corrections to keep the piece into the best shape.

I’m also responsible for ordering shoes for the dancers and preparing the weekly schedule… quite a busy job indeed!

You moved to New Zealand in September to join Royal New Zealand Ballet as Ballet Mistress – what have been your impressions of the company so far?

Without sounding cheesy, I can say I genuinely love every single member of the company. The company is young, hungry to work, highly motivated, they are amazing performers and it’s a real pleasure and honour to work with them.

LONDON’S SMASH HIT

‘GLORIOUSLY UPBEAT’ 12-22 FEBRUARY • THE CIVIC, AUCKLAND

What can audiences expect from Don Quixote?

Don Quixote is a very fun piece, very energetic and it’s a real technical challenge for the dancers. It’s colourful, funny, very beautiful and a real treat!

DON QUIXOTE 26 – 29 March Live at ASB Theatre, Aotea Centre

LIVE | JANUARY – MARCH 2015

THERE’S A WHOLE LOT OF LIVE MUSIC TO ENJOY THIS SUMMER. VISIT YOUTUBE.COM/AUCKLANDLIVE TO WATCH THE LATEST FROM THESE ARTISTS AND FESTIVALS.

Faith No More

WATCH THE MUSIC

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FOO FIGHTERS 21 February | Mt Smart Stadium

THE MONSTER ENERGY WESTFEST 3 March | Mt Smart Stadium

PASSENGER 30 January | The Civic

BROODS: THE EVERGREEN TOUR 13 February | Great Hall, Auckland Town Hall

APO: THE PLANETS 19 February | Great Hall, Auckland Town Hall

2CELLOS: ON THE ROAD 17 January | ASB Theatre, Aotea Centre

‘ THE HITS JUST

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CLOUD FESTIVAL 24 January | QBE Stadium

DAILY TELEGRAPH, LONDON

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Rapture Ruckus

FUTURE SOUND SYSTEM: AVICII WITH AFROJACK AND MARTIN GARRIX 27 February | Mt Smart Stadium

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LIVE | JANUARY – MARCH 2015

A perfect storm

Next Big Thing SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN From 1 May

LIVE AT THE CIVIC

Musical theatre fans will recognise one face in the cast of Singin’ in the Rain – leading lady Kathy will be played by Bethany Dickson who recently won hearts as Maria in The Sound of Music.

“Kathy is an ambition ingénue actress, trying to crack the industry when she meets Don. I’m so looking forward to playing her – she’s so edgy and feisty.’’

“I’m such a huge fan of Debbie Reynolds – to know that I’m going to be able to make the character she made so famous my own is very exciting.

“It’s a visual extravaganza – the water effects are just out of this world. It is the movie everyone loves brought to life. All the big numbers done to perfection, choreography exquisitely recreated for the stage and the story retold – it’s just beautiful.”

26 APRIL AUCKLAND ASB THEATRE, AOTEA CENTRE

For the first time in New Zealand

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SEASON 2015

NEW ZEALAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PRESENTS

Enjoy the ultimate concert experience of a full symphony orchestra with the world’s top artists. Experience the wonder, the power, the emotion.

FREDDY KEMPF’S BEETHOVEN On Sale Now JANINE JANSEN PLAYS TCHAIKOVSKY SPIRIT OF ANZAC AOTEAROA PLUS INTO THE STORM I N K I N E N F E S T I VA L

WAGNER GALA HILARY HAHN PLAYS BEETHOVEN POWER AND PASSION CATHEDRAL OF SOUND CLASSICAL HITS BOLD WORLDS GARRICK OHLSSON PLAYS BRAHMS RITE OF SPRING

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Single tickets on sale from Mon 9 February.

B O O K AT T I C K E T M A S T E R - 0 8 0 0 1 1 1 9 9 9 - T I C K E T M A S T E R . C O . N Z

The 2015 Season launched with a record-breaking response.

Now is your chance to secure your seats for this fast-selling concert season.

F U L L C O N C E R T D E TA I L S AVA I L A B L E AT

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