Having spotted the white Spiegeltent at the Viaduct recently and being quite intrigued as to what was going on inside, I was very excited to be at the Smoke and Mirrors show which was part of the Auckland Arts Festival programme…
Having spotted the white Spiegeltent at the Viaduct recently and being quite intrigued as to what was going on inside, I was very excited to be at the Smoke and Mirrors show which was part of the Auckland Arts Festival programme.
The show was held down in Aotea Square last week in the Spiegeltent – so it was my chance to check it out! The weather was beautiful and was perfect for sitting on the newly created lawn where Lisa Crawley and her band were playing some nice laid back tunes.
We ordered ourselves a beer and wine and some lovely salads from the temporary ‘Ripe’ deli stand before heading into the tent.
I’d heard great things about the show but was still a little unsure of what it was all about.
We found great seats at the front as you could sit where you liked. The stage itself was quite small but was perfect for an intimate setting in the gorgeous boudoir we were in.
Directed by Craig Ilott and created by Craig Ilott and iOTA, the show dazzled with a quirky cast involving tap dancing, acrobatics, aerialists, a magician and stunning music.
I particularly enjoyed the bearded woman who had a fabulous voice that gave me goose bumps, and I shed a tear at the gorgeous voice of iOTA’s character – an old rabbit.
The show originating from Sydney has won three prestigious Helpmann Awards for Best New Australian Work, Best Cabaret Performer – iOTA, and Best Original Score.
The Auckland Arts Festival runs biennially and is Auckland’s premier festival of art and culture. For more information see www.aucklandfestival.co.nz.
Story by Stacey Gillies www.fashionfairground.co.nz
Leave a Reply