NBR New Zealand Opera's The Marriage of Figaro is as engrossing a night of theatre as one could wish for.

Jacqueline Smith ponders what entertainment you can and cannot share with parents.

Michele Hine is revelling in a trio of rich maternal roles _ from Go Girls' downtrodden parent, to fading theatrical star, to hell-bent control freak in the Auckland production of The House Of Bernada Alba.

Dame Pat Evison, a much-loved stalwart of New Zealand radio, television and theatre who died at the weekend, will long be remembered for her colourful contribution, colleagues say.

One of New Zealand's best known actresses, Dame Pat Evison, has died at the age of 85 after a long illness.

The razor gang behind a new stage production of Sweeney Todd talk to Dionne Christian about bringing the mythical murderer to musical life.

Adam Loosley, the Canadian skater who plays Mr Incredible in Disney On Ice. He's been skating since he was three years old, but swapped competing for the bright lights and bulky costumes of Disney shows five years ago.

Opening with the eternal question - 'what do you do with a BA in English?' - Avenue Q dispenses a bright and breezy antidote to the pressures of life in the big city.

There are Baxter self-quotations and talk of cut-throats and fowlhouses for literary experts to spot, but you don't have to know a line of the great men's work to enjoy the play.

The devised work is clearly actor-driven and the huge cast of 17 all get a chance to get their teeth into well-rounded characters.

John Leigh talks about acting as though it still isn't really his idea, as if he has no idea how he ended up being an actor and that it has, just this minute, occurred to him that he is one.

Given actor/writer Tim Balme's workload, it's amazing he answers interview questions so coherently and affably.

Adventurous actress Morgana O'Reilly takes theatre around the world and to your place.

It was when the drag queen in the Santa coat started banging her drumsticks on the scaffolding, singing about sending a barking annoyance to "doggie hell" that Rent came to life.

English theatre luminaries Sir Ian McKellen and Dame Judi Dench are on a heavyweight list of artists and historians calling for the reopening of Auckland's St James Theatre.