C-Zone with Simon Howard

12/10/2025

Coming up from 5pm tonight on Wellington Access Radio 106.1FM and www.accessradio.org.nz :

The Griegol is a highly visual, wildly inventive tale about death, love and monsters. Trick of the Light’s dark award-winning fantasy returns to Wellington next week for three performances only at the Hannah Playhouse. Ralph McCubbin Howell is here to tell me more from 5.05pm.

The Māori Sidesteps are back at Circa Theatre for five shows at the end of the month. Jamie McCaskill joins me from 5.20pm to discuss the soulful harmonies and satirical skits that have made the Sidesteps our favourite Māori showband for almost a decade.

I’ll also bring you a full what’s on guide for our city stages this week, including the return of Heartbreak Hotel at Circa and two new shows at BATS.

05/10/2025

Coming up live from 5pm tonight on Wellington Access Radio 106.1FM and www.accessradio.org.nz :

Heartbreak Hotel returns to Wellington at Circa Theatre next week after hit seasons in London, Edinburgh and Melbourne. Story, science and a synth combine in an exhilarating show that examines what happens in our bodies when we’re bereft. Actor Simon Leary is here to tell me more from 5.05pm.

Monument explores the role make-up and fashion play in how we perceive and receive women in power. Opening at Circa Theatre next week, Mel Dodge plays Edith Aldridge, the youngest woman to be elected leader of her country. Mel's on the line at 5.20pm to discuss this new play from the team that brought us Prima Facie.

Show Me Shorts Film Festival returns from Thursday, celebrating 20 years of bringing short films to movie lovers. Festival Director Gina Dellabarca joins me from 5.35pm to discuss some of this year's highlights ahead of screenings at Embassy Theatre and Light House Cuba.

28/09/2025

Coming up live from 5pm tonight on Wellington Access Radio 106.1FM and www.accessradio.org.nz :

Running into the Sun arrives at Te Auaha this Wednesday, fresh from winning Best Theatre at this year's Melbourne Fringe. Ben Ashby, Ethan Morse and Asha Barr join me from 5.05pm to discuss returning to Wellington with a show that combines dance, clown, live music, film and physical theatre in a university graduation house party like no other.

The New Zealand Improv Festival is underway and takes over BATS Theatre all this week. Liz Butler and Ben Jardine are back in town from America with Swingers tomorrow, a show featuring real improv power couples from Aotearoa and beyond performing together.

Ralph Hilaga from Mo & Ralph also takes to the stage at BATS tomorrow with D.E.I's - a sharp, satirical, improvised workplace comedy about tokenism, identity, and the conundrums of modern day allyship. Ralph, Liz and Ben are all here from 5.25pm.

22/09/2025

Coming up live from 5pm tonight on Wellington Access Radio 106.1FM and www.accessradio.org.nz :

New Zealand Improv Festival is back for 2025 celebrating the stories of Aotearoa, the connections between us, and the joys and innovations of improvisation. More than 20 shows take place at BATS Theatre from this Friday until Saturday 4th October. Festival Co-Directors Jim Fishwick and Matt Powell are here to preview what's on the way from 5.05pm.

Kiwis Big Hararei is the latest adventure from award-winning company Horse With No Name, opening at Circa Theatre tomorrow for the school holidays. Writer and Director Catriona Tipene and Costume Designer Victoria Gridley join me from 5.20pm to discuss this musical story about spreading your wings and flying into the unknown.

14/09/2025

Coming up live from 5pm tonight on Wellington Access Radio 106.1FM and www.accessradio.org.nz :

Acting legend Mark Hadlow is back in town with GOMIL (Grumpy Old Man in Lycra) at the Opera House this Friday. A sequel to the huge hit MAMIL (Middle Aged Man in Lycra), Mark's on the line from 5.05pm to let us know what we can expect.

TAHI Festival continues this week with an array of exciting solo performances.
Over and Out sees Jackson Burling present a rare look into the life of a truck driver. Jackson is here from 5.20pm to discuss his verbatim piece at BATS from Wednesday, one that brings a real interview, a big character and even bigger questions to the stage.

HATCH is TAHI's showcase of our next generation of solo performers. In partnership with Te Auaha, Toi Whakaari and Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University, six students take to the stage at BATS from Wednesday. Aroha Morrison and George Long are here from 5.35pm to tell me about their bold new pieces.

07/09/2025

Coming up from 5pm tonight on Wellington Access Radio 106.1FM and www.accessradio.org.nz :

TAHI Festival starts this week, and I’ve got interviews with three artists bringing their solo shows to our stages.

Manage Your Expectations is a masterful blend of dance, theatre, live film, clowning and absurd philosophising, helping us to see the limits of our communication and our failures to say what we mean. Eliza Sanders from House Of Sand is here at 5.05pm to discuss the return of this award-winning show at Circa Theatre next week.

Chloe's Revenge is a musical theatre-inspired show at BATS Theatre this week, pulling back the curtain on the pro-am musical theatre "industry" in Aotearoa. With biting wit, Chloe lays bare the heartbreak of rejection from the world she adores, and turns that pain into power. Chloe joins me from 5.20pm.

Grass Roots is a heartfelt and charming musical by Raureti Ormond about the colossal culture of rugby. From club fields to Eden Park, a q***r boy embarks on an epic odyssey exploring themes of takatapuitanga, masculinity, fatherhood, and what it means to grow up in Aotearoa. Raureti tells me more after 5.35pm. He’s also at BATS this week.

01/09/2025

Coming up from 5pm tonight on Wellington Access Radio 106.1FM and www.accessradio.org.nz :

2:22 A Ghost Story opens at Circa Theatre next weekend. Director Peter Feeney joins me from 5.10 to discuss Danny Robin's spooky West End smash hit ahead of its New Zealand premiere.

The Monster in the Maze is a unique community opera taking place at the St James next weekend. Reimagining the ancient Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur, this Australasian premiere from New Zealand Opera pays homage to our rich Pasifika heritage. Acclaimed UK-based mezzo-soprano Sarah Castle takes on the role of Mother, and she tells me more from 5.30.

Finally I'll bring you a full round-up of what's on our stages this week from 5.45.

18/08/2025

Coming up live from 5pm tonight on Wellington Access Radio 106.1FM and www.accessradio.org.nz :

The Wellington Raw Comedy Quest 2025 is heating up, with one semi-final down and another this week before the grand final next Friday at the Hannah Playhouse. Elliott Lam and Emma Ranson are both through to the final and join me from 5.20pm.

Declarations of Love (And Other Useless Things) is a fast-paced sketch rom-com opening at BATS Theatre next week. Emma Maguire and Hamish Boyle are here from 5.35pm to discuss the 15+ sketches they've created about love, s*x, q***rness and more.

12/08/2025

Tune in now! Or check out the podcast at your leisure here: https://accessradio.org.nz/shows-podcasts/c-zone-with-simon-howard/ #

Coming up from 5pm tonight on Wellington Access Radio 106.1FM and www.accessradio.org.nz :

Mamma Mia! opens this Wednesday, bringing the glittering world of ABBA, Greek island weddings and musical theatre joy to the St James. Director Maya Handa Naff and Rachel McSweeney, who plays Sophie join me from 5.10 to discuss this smash-hit musical.

TAHI Festival returns next month with a brand-new format, expanded partnerships and double the programme compared to 2023. From poetic cabaret to political theatre, and even a party van on the street - festival director Sally Richards is here at 5.25 to talk all things solo performance.

Hihi & The Stitchbirds are a vibrant five-piece folk band gearing up to launch their debut EP Release, On a Good Day at MOON on Saturday. Elena Saunders and Chris Goldsbury tell me about the EP's creation and its themes of love, loss and everything in between from 5.40. Listen out for a couple of songs from the EP as well!

10/08/2025

Coming up from 5pm tonight on Wellington Access Radio 106.1FM and www.accessradio.org.nz :

Mamma Mia! opens this Wednesday, bringing the glittering world of ABBA, Greek island weddings and musical theatre joy to the St James. Director Maya Handa Naff and Rachel McSweeney, who plays Sophie join me from 5.10 to discuss this smash-hit musical.

TAHI Festival returns next month with a brand-new format, expanded partnerships and double the programme compared to 2023. From poetic cabaret to political theatre, and even a party van on the street - festival director Sally Richards is here at 5.25 to talk all things solo performance.

Hihi & The Stitchbirds are a vibrant five-piece folk band gearing up to launch their debut EP Release, On a Good Day at MOON on Saturday. Elena Saunders and Chris Goldsbury tell me about the EP's creation and its themes of love, loss and everything in between from 5.40. Listen out for a couple of songs from the EP as well!

04/08/2025

Coming up live from 5pm tonight on Wellington Access Radio 106.1FM and www.accessradio.org.nz :

Wellington Opera return with Verdi's A Masked Ball for three performances only this Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Based on the true story of the assassination of the Swedish King Gustavo III, a ruler plagued by his conscience, director Jacqui Coats is here to tell me what to expect from 5.10pm.

ration the Queen's veges shares the remarkable story of Te Wehi Ratana's 48 hours in Rimutaka Prison after an act of protest at Te Papa in December 2023. Opening at Circa Theatre next week, director and co-writer Tainui Tukiwaho joins me from 5.30pm to discuss this uplifting one-man play that's part courtroom drama, part prison diary and part absurdist kōrero.

27/07/2025

Coming up live from 5pm tonight on Wellington Access Radio 106.1FM and www.accessradio.org.nz :

Cringeworthy: The 90's brings the nostalgia to Circa Theatre next week, as Beatgirls Productions take us on a musical journey into a decade that still resonates today. Writer and performer Andrea Sanders joins me from 5.10pm to discuss all things 90's.

Flaming Star brings together eight contemporary artists from Aotearoa to flip, q***r, and reclaim cowboy culture at The Dowse Art Museum. Curator Milly Mitchell-Anyon is here at 5.35pm to discuss this bold and provocative show that's on until November in Lower Hutt (with free entry!)