What’s on in Ōtautahi Christchurch – صحيفة الصوت

Stuff offers a few highlights of events in Ōtautahi Christchurch this weekend and beyond.

Do you have an event coming up? Email reporters@press.co.nz

Rhys Darby – 25 years

He’s back where it all began. 2022 marks Rhys Darby’s silver jubilee in stand-up comedy, so he’s sharing his favourite material over the decades at the Isaac Theatre Royal in Christchurch on Saturday night.

READ MORE:
* ‘Good nostalgia’: Avid toy collector’s museum shows off 40 years of collecting
* Tallest Lego model in the Southern Hemisphere coming to Auckland Museum
* What’s on in South Canterbury: March 13-15, 2020

Darby will be bringing his retrospective show to Aotearoa NZ for three shows only.

“You’ve seen my stand-up, now see it again,” he said.

Darby is one of New Zealand’s most successful comedy exports. Starting in Christchurch in the 1990s, he has performed his unique style of storytelling all over the world.

Ten years into his career North America discovered him via the popular Flight of the Conchords.He has starred in blockbusters like the Jumanji franchise, indy hits like Hunt for the Wilderpeople and is currently starring in Our Flag Means Death with long-time collaborator Taika Waititi.

Darby, who has released five comedy specials, has not toured New Zealand in the past five years.

Rage Bogan Gala

Dust off your leathers and throw on your studded belt for a mid-winter Rage Bogan Gala 2022, starting Friday at The Arts Centre Te Matatiki Toi Ora.

As one of Christchurch’s 2022 creative residents, Rose Kirkup brings a unique style of live performance to the Great Hall. If you grew up listening to AC/DC, Meatloaf, and going to the speedway this is the gig for you.

Kirkup makes art that is for everybody. This family-friendly event will be a celebration of life and all things bogan.

Kirkup hails from Upper Hutt, spending time in the Garden City investigating their bogan identity, believing Ōtautahi to be the birthplace of the modern-day bogan.

The Bogan Gala will explore current creative languages; rock n roll, car culture, period costume, fem/masc, community and theatre, and feature live rock music, theatrical staging, raffles, fair attractions, kai, and more.

This is Call of the Huia

On July 1 at the Piano, Christchurch will host the opera show, This is Call of the Huia. Bringing it to life is musical historian and chorus director for New Zealand Opera, Michael Vinten, who has been developing it through years of research.

This is Call of the Huia is a performance that dives deep into the lost songs of Aotearoa, uncovering work that was lying dormant and discovering the treasures of the past.

The programme takes the audience through songs from 1876 through to 1950 grouped into six categories, with the main focus being on Māori land and substantial movement in literature, art songs in nature, the poet and the music, and some extremely beautiful songs.

The show will be a journey throughout time, and the audience will get a deeper understanding of the context and significance around poetry at the time.

“The idea for this came from the feedback I was receiving about not having enough New Zealand repertoire for Opera and classical music,” said Vinten.

“I realised that there were so many classical Kiwi songs needed to be shared and their stories to be told.”

He said the title for the work came from trying to discover something beautiful that was lost.

Lego Hunt

The Christchurch Museum will host a giant lego hunt for kids and adults alike all weekend.

Museum staff have teamed up with Lego Masters NZ contestants to create 12 models based on objects you might find in a museum.

They’ve been hidden in the museum’s galleries alongside the real museum taonga (treasures). If you can spot them all and crack the code hidden in their names, you’ll go in the draw to win a great prize.

Make sure you stop by the level 3 visitor lounge, where a stunning wearable dress made from Lego and Flexo by museum conservator and Lego Masters NZ contestant Emily Fryer is on display.