Happy 2014 everyone!

I can’t believe it’s the new year – last year just about disappeared on me.  With so much happening in 2013, not least of all moving to the other side of the world, 2013 has for the most part been an eventful year for me.

I’m not one for making new year resolutions but I do intend to dust off this website and breathe some life back in to it.  I’ve seen the odd show here and there in the past six months but apart from during the Edinburgh Fringe, reviewing has had to take a bit of a backseat, unfortunately.  I’m much more settled now though so am ready and really keen to get back on the writing bandwagon.

My hope and ultimate goal is to use this humble website to get my name and brand out to the performing arts scene over here, just as I did back in NZ.

That said, the more traffic the better and so I am pleased to announce that aside from reviewing shows here in the UK and Ireland, the site will also be featuring reviews from Australia, specifically the Melbourne comedy circuit.  A friend and fellow comedy geek (who will be writing under the pseudonym ‘The Laughing Kiwi’) is going to be contributing these reviews.  So new and exciting times ahead, hopefully!

Additionally I have finally gotten round to getting Whimsical Banana on social media!  I will add the links here soon but in the meantime some of you may get an invite on Facebook or a follow on Twitter so please Like the page and Follow back!

Well that’s all the new news for now from me… Here’s to 2014 and as always thank you to those who read and follow this blog – your support is very much appreciated!

For those who are wondering, yes, this website is still very much alive and well!  I have just had to take a wee hiatus…

Many of you should already be aware by now that I have left New Zealand and am currently based in the UK tentatively for the next 2 years.  Most of you should also already know – especially if you are reading this! – that I had been working as a freelance reviewer. 

I had been reviewing in Auckland since January last year and while I was enjoying it immensely I felt it was time to move on.  I never like feeling complacent and felt that I had come to a point where I needed to challenge myself by taking my writing to the “next level”.

And where better to do this than at the home of all things performing arts??

It has been a manic past month, not only settling down in a new country, but more significantly being in Edinburgh for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe – the biggest performing arts festival in the world!  This has been a long-time dream of mine and so it has all been very exciting. 

I am also incredibly stoked to have been given the opportunity to write for Broadway Baby, one of the largest reviewing publications at the Fringe.  It has been such a stressful and challenging last few weeks but more importantly it was also an extremely rewarding and fruitful experience – hopefully it’ll be a good foot in the door, fingers crossed!

Before I go, I just want to take this opportunity to thank the following people back home who have supported me as a freelance writer and have helped put my work on the NZ reviewing “map” – I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for each and everyone of you! 

In no particular order: Patricia Wilar-Chung & Holly Roberts (FOUR / TV3), Olivia Young (formerly at EntertainMe), Ingrid Grenar (Keeping Up With NZ), Alex Ellis & Josie Campbell (The EDGE), Q Theatre Team, Elephant Publicity Team, Tim Blake (Silo Theatre), Sharu Delilkan (fellow freelancer!), Lee Martin & the Gag Reflex Team, and last but most certainly not the least the NZ International Comedy Festival Team!  THANK YOU TO YOU ALL X 

I intend on still writing reviews for any shows I see here so please don’t forget about this website!  Thanks heaps to those who are already subscribed and/or to those who have been faithfully checking in, it means the world to me. 

PS – I have compiled all the links to my Edinburgh Fringe reviews and you can check them all out HERE. (link also on the right under “Whimsical Banana 101”.)