THE GROOVE BOOK REPORT

Art hides in every corner of Wellington — and for forty years, Jamie Baird has captured it all. From towering murals to quick, secret marks on city walls, he documents the bold, the quiet, the sanctioned, and the fleeting. To my knowledge, no one has produced anything like this on the Capital's street art scene. Here Today, Gone Tomorrow  gives you both a vivid snapshot of this restless city and genuine historical markers and points in time. It's packed with political messages, personal and individual expression, trends and a myriad of styles.  Look closely and you can see the evolution of various artists, their styles and their street-art brilliance, the grit of protest movements and their passion for Hip Hop and other cultural phenomenon. And we get to see all of this because of Jaimie Baird’s passion and dedication. This is, by his own admission, a passion project. But I think it's a vital record.  Beyond politics, appreciation or disdain for graffiti. It's more than...

Photo Jinki_Cambronero (Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of the Arts) When I step into the Tāwhiri Warehouse, the first thing that hits me is the absence of a stage. Instead, a cross-shaped floor dominates the room, seating arranged at each of its points. The symbolism is immediate—equal arms, equal weight, equal presence. A subtle but powerful reminder that everyone deserves the same footing, disabled or not. 

Photo John McDermott ( Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of the Arts ) Before beginning, I want to acknowledge the cast of all three productions, as listed below. I know that they’d received multiple standing adulations an took no less that 6 bows. All thoroughly well deserved. They displayed artistry and skill at the highest level, not just to those who understood and follow modern dance but to an audience (of which there were plenty) of whom this art form is new and very different to what they may know. All three performances captured our attention from the first step to the last fading light. Sometimes dance can be confusing, or even boring and mundane.  But not this one. Every movement, gesture, step, or leap made perfect sense and was encapsulating. Well Done to all! From the bottom of my heart. I was mesmerised. 

After nearly 7 years the Wellington Public Library Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui re-opens today at 10am. A few weeks ago I was privileged to take a private tour of the renovations. 

“ADHD – so hot right now!”  Speed is Emotional is a fast‑paced, laugh‑til‑you‑snort (mostly) solo whirlwind where Jo Randerson invites the audience inside a brain that’s permanently set to “maximum voltage.” It’s a glorious mash‑up of chaos, comedy, and heartfelt honesty as Randerson ricochets between parenting, creativity, existential dread, and the everyday absurdities of having a mind that simply refuses to chill. 

Sam Mahon’s How To Paint a Nude is a bold, provocative and introspective work that extends the author’s longstanding reputation as an 'artistic contrarian' or provocateur. He's got a reputation as an artist, an activist, a conservationist, a writer, but Mahon's has never shied away from controversy.  His earlier works — such as his notorious sculpture of Hon. Nick Smith nude and squatting over a glass of water, created from cow dung — 'cemented', as it were, his place as a creator willing to challenge political complacency, status quo and bureaucracy in general.  Yet he also likes to poke the borax at all aesthetic conventions. In this new novel, he shifts from sculpture to fiction, but maintains the same uncompromising spirit throughout every page. 

Globally recognised leader, former New Zealand Prime Minister Dame Jacinda Ardern’s first book,  A Different Kind of Power , has made the shortlist of the 2026 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards. 

Photo Roc Toric There is a line that Mill Operator Steve Campbell (Ben Ashby) delivers in the first third of this play that perfectly summarises one of its key themes. He proudly tells his employee and the main character John/Hone (Regan Taylor) that his family has lived and worked on the land for three generations, shaping it to their will. The land, taken from iwi and transformed for Pākehā interests, is now in his blood. He asks Hone if he understands. Of course, he does.

Branden Reiners (Macbeth) & Ana Gallardo Lobaina (Lady Macbeth) Photo: Stephen A'Court “Blood will Out”.  And, in this production there certainly is a lot of blood. It’s dark. Dangerous.  Violent passion.  Opulent.  Extravagant. Dramatic. And a hell of a lot of fun!