Media Release: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WHIMSICAL, OFF-THE-WALL ENTERTAINMENT SET TO MAKE A BIG SPLASH
BLUE BATHS COMEDY CABARET 2015
It’s a Quack Up
Directed by Rima Te Wiata.
Rotorua’s gloriously refurbished Blue Baths come alive this summer with their now annual and soon-to-be infamous COMEDY CABARET for 2015. Expect song, dance, glittering madness, magic and hilarity when this hugely popular rendezvous of revelry
takes the stage from January 13. It’s a quack up… and just a little bit naughty.
Way back when, the Blue Baths were the first bathhouse in New Zealand to allow men and women to bathe together. And that
spirit of boundary pushing has never gone away. Embodying its own spirit of art deco decadence and risqué history, this
larger-than-life hootenanny sees audiences indulging in bespoke cocktails and sharing platters as their funny bones get
tickled.
Creators Ian Harman and Darlene Mohekey have crafted a wild night out that mashes up the genres of comedy, illusion and
burlesque, with a songbook that journeys from James Brown to Mary Poppins and from jazz right through to disco.
“Last year’s Comedy Cabaret was such a hit with our audiences, pure joy in fact, that it begged a sequel. We are so
proud to have an original work, created and performed by an outstanding cast of clever Kiwis to showcase our beautiful
venue. Audiences this summer are in for a treat,” says Jo Romanes, Blue Baths managing director.
In something of a coup, the Blue Baths are delighted to announce that they’ve recruited iconic NZ talents to stage the
production. Much-loved by audiences and currently onscreen in the riotous Kiwi horror flick Housebound, Rima Te Wiata brings a wealth of musical theatre experience and comic nouse as director. Choreographer and local boyTaiaroa Royal is creating the crazy dance routines. The artistic director of Okareka Dance Company, Tai regularly choreographs high
profile events across Australasia including theMontana World of Wearable Arts Awards and Auckland’s Christmas in the Park.
They sing. They dance. They act. The Blue Baths are delighted to announce a team of true triple-threat stars which
include Jason Chasland (Spector with The Beat Girls),Darlene Mohekey (TV1’s Facelift, Wings) alongside exciting newcomers Tainui Kuru andNomi Cohen and burlesque performer Lola Illusion. In this rendezvous of revelry, they’ll bring to life a host of larger-than-life characters including the glorious
Vixen Vamp, a dynamite diva whose chameleon-like voice channels everything from opera to smoky jazz. There will be
tap-dancing. There will be illusion. There might even be juggling.
This annual event keeps New Zealand’s love affair with cabaret well and truly alive. From Debbie Dorday’s legendary
1980s hotspot Burgundy’s to the more recent success of shows like La Clique and Cantina, New Zealand audiences have never shied away from their share of the whoopee. After all, there is absolutely nothing
wrong with a bit of shameless entertainment. Unmissable.
BLUE BATHS COMEDY CABARET 2015 plays
January 13 – February 20
Weekdays and Saturday at 8pm. Sunday at 4pm.
Blue Baths, Government Gardens, Rotorua
Tickets on sale now from bluebaths.co.nz or 07 350 2119
Premium: $55. Adult: $45. Senior Citizens: $35. Cheap Tuesday (January 20 only): $25.