Tribes Reviews

NZ Herald:  " . . . deaf son Billy, who is played with great subtlety by Leon Wadham . . . finds himself in an explosive confrontation with his father--a ferociously intelligent contrarian who is given a formidable presence through Michael Hurst's exuberant performance . . . We are also treated to moments of potency that testify to the extraordinary emotive force of live theatre".

Auckland Now:  "Tribes has won awards in both London and New York.  Now it looks set to wow Auckland audiences.  . . . Michael Hurst is outstanding as the truly unlikeable, stubborn father . . . moments within Tribes that are truly, achingly funny, alongside a mountain of cutting, heartbreaking words".

Theatre Scenes:  "Hurst's provocative and jollily insensitive Father makes you shudder in your seats with cringe.  . . . it's rude, crude, profound and personal, moving without manipulating.  . . . a very human need to be both listened to, and understood.  What Tribes as Theatre does most powerfully is facilitates a shift in perspective about how other people experience the world.  A hit from the Silo Tribe!"

Metro:  "Christopher (Michael Hurst) is an over-bearing intellectual patriarch sprinkling offence and upset like reverse blessings . . . The interplay of silence and music with the heady dialogue creates satisfying layers of depth, and it's a challenge this excellent cast rise to meet. . .  Hurst [is] hilarious". 

Theatreview:  "It's a play about language, about communication, about miscommunication and what happens when the means by which we communicate is turned into a political tool.  . . . riveting, heart-wrenching theatre.  . . . a well-earned standing ovation on opening night".

NBR: "the use of body language ... here the cast excel.  While they are able to articulate the ideas and emotions verbally it is the way in which they physically interact which is most telling.  So, Michael Hurst as Christopher with his pugnacious, staring stance"

Keeping Up with the Grid:  "This free-spirited and creative family is dominated by their hilarious father Christopher . . . Michael Hurst portrayed the strength and stubbornness of this somewhat selfish character in a warm and amusing way and superbly delivers a lot of the best lines in the play".