On as part of the 2024 Wellington Jazz Festival, ORO MĀIA is a night of poetry, music, and performance that showcases te reo Māori translations of the work of African American writer and activist Dr Maya Angelou. Maarire Brunning-Kouka leads a seven-piece band, who are joined on stage by the formidable Maisey Rika, Miriama McDowell, Mere Boynton, Erena Koopu, and Tuakoi Ōhia. These five make their entrance from the back of the theatre in a chorus of unnerving laughter, and make their way slowly to the stage, in full command of the space. It’s a fitting opening to a night that revels in the power, joy, and unflinching beauty of Angelou’s poetry.

The translations have been taken from He kupu nā te māia: He kohinga ruri nā Maya Angelou, a new book from publishers Kotahi Rau Pukapuka that contains a selection of Angelou’s poems, translated into te reo Māori by 34 wāhine from across Aotearoa. The translators are all graduates from Te Panekiretanga o Te Reo (The Institute of Excellence in Māori Language).

As the performers share the poems, at times through dramatised spoken word, at times singing alone or in chorus, they embody all the shifting moods of Angelou’s writing, moving deftly between the wit, defiance, sexiness, and wisdom. They are supported by apt original music from Maarire Brunning-Kouka. The music and styling fittingly speak to the legacy of American jazz and soul traditions but are also undeniably Māori and contemporary.

It’s always a joy to return to Angelou’s writing, and it feels like an immense privilege to do so with a creative team and ensemble of performers who so profoundly understand her voice. Like the poetry at its centre, ORO MĀIA is powerful, joyful, and life affirming.

Fly My Pretties are back, with sizzling new talent, new songs, and the same old ethos of collaborative musical magic. Their loyal Pōneke fans were treated to three concerts in the Great Hall of the Dominion Museum Building at Massey University as part of the Wellington Jazz Festival. Even more excitingly for us, these concerts were the recording sessions for Fly My Pretties’ upcoming album Elemental and overflowed with sweet new material.

Elemental is Fly My Pretties’ eighth album and feels resonant with their platinum debut Fly My Pretties Live at Bats. The much-beloved Aotearoa musical collaboration was founded in Wellington in 2004 by Mikee Tucker and The Black Seeds frontman Barnaby Weir, and has championed a plethora of Kiwi musicians over its 20-year history. This latest incarnation features 11 established and emerging Kiwi artists, including the velvet-voiced and grounding presence Aja, firecracker pop sensation Riiki Reid, and the indomitable Taylah.

The featured artists all have independent careers, but came together to write songs for Elemental. The setlist managed to strike a balance between stylistically eclectic and thematically cohesive. This sense of cohesion was enhanced by killer coordinated but individualised outfits in the first set, and fantastic supporting visuals on an enormous screen by Mike Bridgman and Jamie Robertson. Our appetites have been well and truly whetted for the release of the Elemental album and next year’s tour.

But the critical ingredient that made this night one of the best gigs I’ve ever attended was the incredible vibes and sense of whanaungatanga. Barnaby Weir seems to have a talent for that elusive and vital skill of community building. It came through in the way the artists interacted on stage, the time taken to acknowledge the venue and recording equipment provided by Massey University, and the way we were invited to feel part of the album’s production.  

Multi-GRAMMY®-winning bassist, composer, arranger, and producer Marcus Miller has been called one of the most influential artists of our era. At the top of his game for over 40 years, he is consistently recognised as one of the greatest electric bassists of all time. Renowned for his legendary technique and feel in his fusion of jazz, funk, groove, and soul, he is also one of the most recorded artists in modern music. It was fitting then that he, as the top billing, opened this year’s Wellington Jazz Festival.

The full Opera House audience was fortunate to experience not just one, but five exceptionally talented musicians on stage. Miller may have been the star of the show with his sublime, at times simply breathtaking thumb-slapping skills up and down the guitar neck, but he also constantly praised his fellow musicians and introduced them at least three times throughout the night! 

From the funky opening track Panther, featuring soaring keyboards from Xavier Gordon and dynamically syncopated, rhythmic drumming from Anwar Marshall, we knew we were in for something special. With Miller’s funky bass and Donald Hayes’ dazzling, soaring notes on saxophone, Red Baron had the crowd mesmerised, clapping and cheering after every solo.  

Maputo was a dedication to saxophone great David Sanborn, who passed earlier this year – one of a multitude of artists Miller has collaborated with throughout his career. Miller is probably best known for his work (including three albums) with Miles Davis during the 1980s – Tutu and Mr Pastorius, tracks from which featured the expressively clean tones of Russell Gunn on trumpet. 

Miller told of his visit to an island off the coast of Senegal, which served as an outpost to slave trading, after which he wrote the poignant and desperately sad Gorée (Go-ray). With Miller playing a bass clarinet under soft deep-blue lighting, this slow melancholic ballad almost moved me to tears. 

A second standing ovation, after the encore Come Together, was no less than this spectacular band deserved. Superlative.

Walking through the doors of Circa Two having never met the famous Cythia Fortitude or Gertrude Rallentando before, I had no idea what to expect from Cynthia & Gertie Ride Again!. Little did I know, I was in for a rollicking good time.

The story follows Cynthia (Helen Moulder) as she prepares for her new opera The Marvellous Sandflies of Aotearoa. The show honours the late Rose Beauchamp, who played the other half of the dynamic duo. Even though Gertie isn’t physically there, her presence is felt throughout.

As Cythia rides into the theatre, it’s clear this is going to be a fun time. Her dotty, eccentric charm does not disappoint. With her wit and many failed attempts to navigate the modern world, she has the audience in stitches from start to finish.

The show is a real-life theatrical opera lesson with a comedic twist. Cynthia humorously educates us and even ropes us into becoming part of the performance, teaching us proper vocal technique and the correct pronunciation of ‘recitative’.

Audience participation is instrumental in this production. As members of the Island Bay Opera Guild, we take on memorable characters such as northern locals, ‘backing packers’, and even eunuch priests. The interaction is hysterical, and Moulder’s way with the audience makes the whole spectacle all the more entertaining.

I must also commend the lighting design. Deb McGuire and Gabriella Eaton’s work aligns perfectly with Cynthia’s very specific ideas and consistently sets the right mood, evoking the perfect emotions in every circumstance.

I never thought I’d find myself enjoying a performance about the plight of sandflies, but here we are. By the end, I’m surprisingly sympathetic to the often-swatted insect.

This is the most I’ve laughed all year. So, whizz down to Circa Theatre while you can and jump aboard the wild ride. You might just leave with newfound respect for Austrosimulium ungulatum. The Island Bay Opera Guild is waiting for you…

Before We Slip Beneath the Sea is a new immersive theatre experience from award-winning local playwright Cassandra Tse. As well as providing a topical and thought-provoking discussion of climate change responses, it’s helping fulfil her PhD requirements.

Set in the hyper-real environment of a village hall, with Aro Valley Community Centre doubling as St Rita’s Hall on the fictional island of Eglantyne, this cleverly structured play allows for the audience to participate as much or as little as they wish. Get fully involved in the narrative by chatting with cast members and eavesdropping on their conversations or sit in a plastic chair with a bikkie and a bottle of (alcohol-free) beer to take in the regular scripted segments that reiterate the key plot and relationship details you might have missed.

The seven featured island-dwellers, nicknamed ‘Eggies’, are a cross-section of Kiwis whose island lifestyle has been threatened by rising tides. The City Council has ordered the permanent evacuation of the island rather than try to mitigate the effects of climate change. It’s their last official night on Eglantyne and some island-dwellers have embraced the need to move on, while others want to stay in defiance of the order and lobby for sea defences that will allow them to live there another decade or two. It’s a straightforward but rewarding narrative that the ensemble cast – Charlie Potter, Hannah McKenzie Doornebosch, Ralph Johnson, Megan Connolly, Billie Deganutti, Helen Jones, and Craig Geenty – deliver in a natural and authentic way under the guidance of Tse’s unfussy direction.

Working in a non-traditional theatrical context means the tech is determined by what’s available. Lucas Neal’s production design leans into the community hall vibe using the in-place lighting, surreptitiously adding sound gear in the guise of a karaoke machine, and rearranging the tables and chairs as the plot advances.

Joining the Eggies in their fight to preserve their home is all the more impactful for tearing down the fourth wall and absorbing the audience into their emotive story. Whose side are you on?

On a tight deadline, siblings Mary (Hannah Kelly), Jason (Simon Leary), and Helena (Stella Reid) must pack up their father’s home – where Jason has been living with his partner Sam (Jthan Morgan) – as they prepare to move the once-celebrated pianist into a dementia care facility. Gus Lochburn’s (Peter Hambleton) mind lives at a different point in time than his body – one where his wife Margaret (Kali Kopae) is still alive. One thing can always pull him back to the present: music.

We watch Gus’ memories unfold as he plays piano, sings, and dances with his wife in flashbacks that are so seamlessly integrated, it is hard to tell where the past ends and the present begins. This mirrors what is happening in Gus’ mind. In his lucid moments when reality hits, and the Lochburns employs some of the most poignant dramatic irony I’ve seen at the theatre. The mother leaves the stage, and the father cannot understand where his wife has gone. While his children simply read this as a symptom of a worsening condition, the audience experiences a knowing, collective heartbreak. It is in these moments that I glimpse more than a few hankies being whipped out of pockets in my peripheral vision. Our emotional response is testament not only to such a lyrical script, but to Hambleton’s gut-wrenching, brilliant performance.

Where and the Lochburns also excels is in its exploration of family dynamics. The characters are so carefully crafted, the exceptional cast so connected with each other and their stories, that I feel I know each sibling well. Sam, too – and it would be remiss of me not to mention Morgan’s showstopping line of the evening about adoption. A well-deserved roar of laughter there!  

With gifted music director Hayden Taylor at the helm, Kopae’s singing is a standout and earns rapturous applause, especially when she’s given a mic. On that note, Meg Rollandi’s detailed production design is stunning but sees the stage extend far back into a cavernous space where dialogue is muffled at times. I hope the acoustics can be improved because I don’t want anyone to miss any of and the Lochburns – a play spun with threads of music, memory, and pure gold.

Billed as “a stunning night of hits from the greatest divas”, the almost-full house was not disappointed. The Lady Killers were Suzanne Lynch, Jackie Clarke, and Sharon Emirali – a very able replacement for Tina Cross, who had COVID.  

With a mixture of group medleys and solo performances, this was a masterclass in top-notch, high-energy singing, with superb band arrangements led by talented keyboardist Grant Winterburn. The simple-themed backdrops included photos and were a great touch that didn’t detract from the onstage action. The minimal light show enhanced the visibility of all the singers and band members, making for more inclusive interaction between artists and audience. 

But the highlight of the evening? The songs from divas as diverse as Nina Simone and Taylor Swift. Jackie said the night was about “women who sing and write with their hearts and souls, and have made the beautiful soundtracks of our lives”.  

Sweet Dreams, followed by the gorgeous (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, got vocal chords and the crowd warmed up nicely. An energetic Valerie was followed by Son of a Preacher Man, featuring Suzanne’s sultry vocals. Stop! In the Name of Love featured the solid rhythm section of Karika Turua (bass) and Adam Tobeck (drums). Single Ladies had more than a few ladies out of their seats dancing. For Venus, with Chet O’Connell’s frenetic guitar playing, the audience sang along enthusiastically. 

The Pointer Sisters’ Jump (For My Love) segueing into Van Halen’s Jump, without the band missing a beat, was a masterstroke. How Will I Know had the crowd loudly clapping and singing along – but the sound mix was so good that The Lady Killers were never drowned out! 

After the interval, 9 to 5 got the crowd straight back into party mode. I Will Survive, Man! I Feel Like A Woman!, Jackie’s stunning vocal range on Wuthering Heights... so many songs, too many highlights to list! With the final song Waterloo, after more than two hours of diva hits, we felt like we had just been in party central – Wellington style!

The Secret Society was an early 20^th century club of French musicians, writers, and artists. Claude Debussy’s music greatly influenced this group. Two other featured composers in this concert programme, Maurice Ravel and Florent Schmitt, were members. A fourth composer, Lili Boulanger, was not a member though musically she would have fitted admirably. The Secret Society did not admit women. Tragically, she died in 1918 aged 24.

Debussy’s Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun was the only work in the programme that is standard in the orchestral repertoire. (How well conductor Marc Taddei educates his audience!) This haunting and largely dream-like work feels almost like a 10-minute improvisation. There is little urgency in it but the whole is beautifully balanced and complete. Taddei did not go for the lushest interpretation and I was happy with that.

The audience loved Ravel’s Piano Concerto for the Left Hand with soloist Jian Liu. Written for a soldier who lost his arm in war, the one hand achieves all (and more) that you would expect of two. The full brass and thumping percussion and lovely use of lower-pitched instruments made for satisfying listening. Jian Liu was thoroughly on top of it. His encore, Flight of the Bumblebee by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, was cheekily for right hand only!

Boulanger’s D’un Soir Triste (Of A Sad Evening) was her final work. The range of emotion and expression is remarkable. It is morose and gaunt at times, dignified, fearful, resigned, then quietly reflective. A monumental work, strongly performed.

Congratulations to Orchestra Wellington for the dynamic delivery of a very challenging programme; challenging for listeners as well as players. After the final item, Schmitt’s The Tragedy of Salome, a very dramatic piece with brass and percussion just about lifting the roof off, I felt quite wrung out! The Tudor Consort contributed to this work, providing great relief with their lovely voices.

Trees, Bees, and Me definitely tops the list of my favourite shows! I don’t even know where to start in telling you how absolutely captivating, magical, and real this show is.

The excitement in the air is contagious as we enter the theatre. The stage, designed and built by Brendan West and James Searle, resembles the perfect backyard. Three of the most beautiful tūī that you will ever see (Gabby Clark, Ryan Cundy, and Tadhg Mackay) enter with a cheerful song and gorgeous costumes, designed and created by Victoria Gridley. The cast members are so versatile and play multiple different characters throughout the show. They portray each character so well that you can’t help but love even the bad guys.

Mackay also plays Poppa, a loving grandad with a green thumb and a love for the whenua and his whānau. Mimi (Salomé Neely) is a brave young girl who needs some answers. Her brother Trey (Clark) is too funny and has everyone laughing at his quirky personality. Dad (Cundy) is supportive, fun, and very charismatic. Nan (Catriona Tipene) is the perfect nan with her famous ‘bikkies’ and nurturing nature.

Written by Benny Tipene, the songs are playful, meaningful, and bring an extra sprinkle of magic to every scene. Trees, Bees, and Me tugs at your heartstrings and gets you emotionally invested in the relationships of the characters. The audience is rallied up: we belly laugh, boo the bad guys, and cheer for the outcome we’ve all been hoping for.

Of course, my favourite thing to do after a show is to ask Mister Almost Six what part he loved the most. Well, I can’t tell you that this time because I don’t want to ruin it for you… but Binnie creeps deep into your heart!

Produced by Horse With No Name, Trees, Bees, and Me is not a show to miss – trust me!