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Dracula's Second-Ever New Zealand Tour Kicks Off In Auckland This Week With Three Shows At The Civic

Dracula's Second-Ever New Zealand Tour Kicks Off In Auckland This Week With Three Shows At The Civic

Scoop25-06-2025
Australia's iconic vaudevillian variety extravaganza Dracula's opens their all-new show at The Civic in Auckland this Thursday 26 June, marking the start of a seven-city nationwide tour.
After selling out their debut New Zealand tour in 2023, Dracula's wild, weird and wonderful cast is back with a brand-new show, Sanctuary, a high-energy, adults-only production that's bursting with thrills, chills and outrageous fun.
The tour starts in Auckland and goes to Rotorua, Wellington, Palmerston North, Christchurch, Invercargill and New Plymouth.
Initial ticket releases sold out in record time, with extra shows being added in every city to keep up with demand. With just days to go until Auckland's opening night, final seats are disappearing fast.
Dracula's: Sanctuary is part cabaret, part comedy and all chaos delivered with Dracula's signature risqué edge. Musical tributes to icons like Guns N' Roses, Elton John and No Doubt will leave audiences wanting more, with an encore promised for those who cheer the loudest.
Dracula's steward and Newman Entertainment CEO Luke Newman says they can't wait to bring the mayhem back to New Zealand stages.
'We were blown away by the response in 2023, and this time, it's even bigger. Sanctuary is next-level Dracula's, and we're so pumped to kick things off in Auckland next week. Get ready for a bloody good time,' he says.
New Zealand Tour Dates:
Tickets and more information available at draculas.co.nz.
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Everyone needs to see The Weed Eaters
Everyone needs to see The Weed Eaters

The Spinoff

time3 days ago

  • The Spinoff

Everyone needs to see The Weed Eaters

A new comedy horror with a $19,000 budget may be the best local release in years, writes Madeleine Chapman. I really didn't want to see The Weed Eaters. As a 'miniscule-budget stoner horror', it falls into none of my preferred genres of film. I'm terrified of horrors (can barely watch a thriller) and the only stoner movie I've loved is Friday (1995). So I saw the blurb for The Weed Eaters and thought good on you but not for me. The night before its NZIFF premiere, I drank 2x beers and had my arm twisted into seeing it ('just close your eyes if you're scared'). I have never been so thankful for peer pressure because watching The Weed Eaters with hundreds of other film fans at The Civic was the most fun I've had at the movies in a long time, and The Weed Eaters has cemented itself as my favourite local film in recent memory. First, the premise: four friends (loose term) go on a New Year's trip to a shed in rural North Canterbury and find some ancient weed. The weed turns them into cannibals. That premise would fit right at home in a 48Hrs Film Festival short, and Sports Team (Callum Devlin and Annabel Kean) are mainstayers of the short film festivals with this being their debut feature alongside collaborators Finnius Teppett, Alice May Connolly and Samuel Austin. All but Devlin act in the film, and between the five of them they cover credits from director (Devlin), cinematographer (Austin), screenplay (Teppett), costume design (Kean) and producer (all but Austin). It's like if a media studies group project turned professional, and the collective represents a welcome disruption to the local industry. The Weed Eaters is a perfect example of what can be achieved when creative people have a vision and just really, really want to make it so don't wait around for permission (or funding). There is the obvious caveat of the filmmakers acknowledging their parents' support in providing accommodation and filming locations for the movie, but even so, The Weed Eaters releases with a budget a cool million dollars cheaper (at least) than other local features of recent years. It might have a $19,000 budget (or thereabouts, raised through a Boosted crowdfunding campaign) but it doesn't look like a cheap film. In fact, thanks to Sports Team's resume of music videos, every shot in The Weed Eaters looks deliberate, beautiful and clever. There's a lot of effective playing with light, whether the logistically-nightmarish-but-beautiful golden hour scenes, fireside chats or a particularly fun sequence lit entirely with camera flashes. I began the movie on edge (it was a dark scene and ominous so I closed my eyes) but the first indication that we were in safe, capable hands was when the central couple Brian and Jules (Teppett and Connolly) speak for the first time. There was no big joke or dramatic delivery, it just sounded like a real interaction that a couple in their 30s would have. And that, ultimately, is what made The Weed Eaters so enjoyable. Beyond the shock of cannibalism and classic horror gore, The Weed Eaters follows four people who feel like real New Zealanders who could only ever be in New Zealand. Where so often it can be cringe-inducing to watch 'ourselves' on screen, I felt like I was spying on four friends who I knew rather than watching four people act. Connolly and Kean in particular cut right to the core of millennial kiwi (pākehā) women as the new partner entering an established friend group and the caustic longtime friend respectively. The movie is 80 minutes long which is short for a feature. And yet it's the perfect length. There would have surely been scenes and gags that could've been stretched out for a few more beats to hit that 90 minute sweet spot but I'm grateful they resisted it. As someone who hates horrors, I can confidently say that The Weed Eaters is far more comedy than horror, and in fact I only had to close my eyes on three brief occasions. Besides, it is genuinely very funny. And blissfully, once the joke has been delivered, the film knows when to move on. The only stumble in the 80 minutes is, ironically, at the finish line. While not enough to impact my enjoyment of the rest of the movie, the ending felt a little rushed and is the only hint that everything was made quickly and cheaply. Had they stuck an original landing, it would be a near perfect film. Even without, it delivered on its promises. There are obvious parallels to draw between The Weed Eaters and the early films of Peter Jackson – Bad Taste and Braindead in particular. The genre, for one, but also the sense that the filmmakers have made something far better than their circumstances should have allowed. It makes me wonder what they could possibly achieve with even a 'small' budget, but also makes me fear it too, given the very appeal of this film is in the necessarily intimate way it was made. Whatever they do next, I'll be watching and donating to the Boosted campaign. And in the meantime, I'll swallow my fear of horror movies and happily watch The Weed Eaters again when it inevitably becomes a cult classic.

What To See At The Whānau Mārama: New Zealand International Film Festival
What To See At The Whānau Mārama: New Zealand International Film Festival

NZ Herald

time27-07-2025

  • NZ Herald

What To See At The Whānau Mārama: New Zealand International Film Festival

The Whānau Mārama: New Zealand International Film Festival returns from this August, bringing international and local stories to the screen. It's a magical time of year when The Civic opens its door to moviegoers for the Whānau Mārama: New Zealand International Film Festival, which begins in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland on July 31. That grand corner theatre will celebrate opening night with a screening of Palme d'Or winner It Was Just An Accident. This film, directed by Jafar Panahi, is a revenge thriller that contemplates the rewards of such a quest. Another centrepiece of the festival is the much-anticipated documentary Prime Minister, which catalogues the six years Jacinda Ardern spent in office (from the perspective of those closest to her). On Auckland's closing night, there's another genre shift: Sentimental Value directed by Joachim Trier – a comedy-drama with acclaimed performances from a sparkling cast (think Renate Reinsve, Elle Fanning and Stellan Skarsgård). 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Workmates Performance fans who frequent the inner-city streets of Tāmaki Makaurau for gigs, shows and pageantry will find affectionate representations of its greatest creative venues in this sweet rom-com. Largely shot in the Basement Theatre, the film follows two theatre managers working tirelessly to keep the lights on while managing the tensions developing in their outlooks on the creative arts. Luminaries of our local scene make up a delightful cast too, including Chris Parker, Zoë Robins, Matt Whelan and Arlo Green. The film is written by Sophie Henderson (who also plays the lead) and directed by Curtis Vowell – the duo previously worked on the Rose Matafeo comedy Baby Done. Workmates promises to deliver the same amount of heart. This souring and silly satire amplifies and degrades the shock humour (and ethics) of new-generation media companies by dropping an insensitive video crew in rural Argentina. 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Viva Street Style: The Best Looks From Princess Chelsea's Midwinter Ball, Where Music Fans Followed The Fantasy
Viva Street Style: The Best Looks From Princess Chelsea's Midwinter Ball, Where Music Fans Followed The Fantasy

NZ Herald

time21-07-2025

  • NZ Herald

Viva Street Style: The Best Looks From Princess Chelsea's Midwinter Ball, Where Music Fans Followed The Fantasy

Princess Chelsea's Midwinter Ball turned the city centre of Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland into a chimerical and jubilant jamboree. The gentle plucking of an electric harp beckoned guests to a magical, misty realm on Friday night at The Civic's Wintergarden. Anyone descending the stairs found themselves immersed in a crowd of fantastical characters and creatures, staring into crystal balls or having a moment of slumber atop a fluffy, silver-scaled snowy dragon. There was even a setting where Arthurian legend came to life, and attendees could try to pull Excalibur from a stone. The otherworldly occasion marked the return of Princess Chelsea's Midwinter Ball, themed 'Swords & Sorcery: Fantasy On The Big Screen' (the event also took over the venue on the following Saturday). The gig, which Princess Chelsea headlined, welcomed comedian Tom Sainsbury, techno duo Grecco Romank and 'party noise' band Golden Axe to the stage – the latter playing for the first time in 10 years. Music played beyond the main stage too, with the flute and strings of the 'Bard Rock Cafe' performing a little jig in the velvety entrance way. The other main attraction was the guests arriving in full costume. They used their outfits to travel elsewhere, and to arrive some place merrier. Here, those travellers explain the origins of their outfits and the ambitions of their ensembles. Jasmine Mallinger A peek of lacy frill at the wrist, tidy Maison Margiela oxfords and icy blue eyeshadow – it's the subtle touches that make this ensemble a little more fantastical. They're all found in Jasmine's everyday wardrobe, save for one piece, showcasing an economical approach to costume dressing. 'My flatmate lent me this shirt to wear tonight.' Inura Fernando and Alastair Priestley Inura, pictured above left, shares that the pair are attending as 'Georgian English gentlemen'. 'It's a bit of a regal look,' Inura says, then points to Alastair's necklace. 'This is supposed to be a Maharaja jewel.' 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Starr Ratapu and Regan Harrison Starr and Regan made tentative first steps into The Civic, before finding reassurance in the festive crowd to pull their pointed ears and flowing cape from their bags. 'I think we were worried about how people would be dressing. We thought these ears, which we already had, would be quite subtle,' Regan says. They turned to textures of the medieval world for their ensembles, choosing leathers and earthy colours. 'Seeing everybody's outfits now, I wish I'd gone harder,' Starr says. Acacia Flewitt, Maia Flewitt and Amethyst Harris This trio relied on Acacia's wardrobe to ensure they were dressing to match the theme, looking for fanciful combinations. 'I think when you put the right pieces together they become closer to the vibe,' explains Acacia. They point to Maia's cape as a costume-y outlier. Koro Sciascia A velvety cape adorns Koro's shoulder, recalling a cinematic scene. 'I was inspired by Princess Bride, Inigo Montoya.' A sword is swapped for a wooden walking stick, drawing out the earthiness of the leather boots. Brendan Appleby Brendan, clutching at a belted sword, cosies into plush fur for the midwinter gig. Courtney O'Connor and Chichi Nyangoni Courtney, cloaked in lace, responds to the 'Bard Rock Cafe' outfit prompt included in event details. 'I'm playing Boulders Gate 3 right now and I'm a gay bard on there, so I thought 'I've got to get a little of her in here'.' Chichi assumes the role of knight-princess hybrid, with metallic embellishments. 'I used what I had already, and made a little crown for my necklace. Lincoln Jackson and Nicola Searle Lincoln and Nicola uncovered treasures from the Waiheke's Artworks Theatre to bring their enchanted outfits to life. 'Apparently they bought all of the Xena [Warrior Princess] costumes.' Rish Shankar, Charlotte Bunce and Cait Johnson Each of the three flatmates giggled over the deep character work they had done in preparation to step into this new realm. 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