Little Andromeda is the wee spot to be if you’re looking for professional theatre in the riverside bar district. It’s fun, it’s got a ton of great shows, and Cityscape can tell you why we should all be heading there for the next show.
Little Andromeda has a rad spot on The Terrace, surrounded by some of the coolest of Christchurch’s cool establishments. It’s a real asset to the area, adding another dimension of entertainment to the live music on offer in nearby bars.
The theatre began when director Michael Bell wanted somewhere to put on his own shows, beginning with a production called Andromeda. “I had a lot of mates that needed a space too, so I thought I could share it with them on off days,” he says. “As I went on I realised that I could probably fill two theatres’ worth of shows full time so it just became a joint-venture theatre for other theatre companies to use.”
His original idea was for a 400-seat Andromeda Theatre for everyone to use in the Performing Arts Precinct. “Then we got voted out of the Performing Arts Precinct and made a smaller, 100-seat version on The Terrace,” Michael says. He added ‘Little’ to the start of the name to match the smaller venue, and now the popular theatre is known around town as ‘Little A’.
Almost all promotion of the theatre has been through word of mouth. Audiences told their friends and brought them along, and the artists themselves spread the word, telling each other to bring their shows to Little A.
The theatre’s focus is 50/50 national and local shows, Michael says. “It’s really important to stay connected to the rest of the country, to bring cool work that people are making to Christchurch, but also to provide a space for local professional artists to try new ideas and get regular shows going.”
Michael started doing kids’ shows and Scared Scriptless at The Court Theatre in 2005. In 2009 he started his own touring theatre company called New Zealand Playhouse, and he’s also active in the music industry. Almost everybody that works at Little A has studied theatre either at NASDA, Toi Whakaari or somewhere similar. It’s a professional theatre, so while it has an intimate community feel, audiences can expect a very high standard of performances.
The attached bar is a very nice touch. “I firmly believe that the bar is important, not necessarily the drinking, just that it’s the social part of going to the theatre. I don’t think I’d enjoy going to shows as much if I didn’t get to talk to my friends before and after the show,” Michael says.
If you’re not sure what show to see, anyone is welcome to swing by the bar for some recommendations. “I absolutely love talking to people about shows and helping people pick shows that might be right for them. Whether you want to push the boat out and try something weird, see some comedy, get challenged, or just double check that you’re taking a first date to a surefire bet, I’m here to help. There’s lots of cool stuff going on around Christchurch. Aside from Little A, keep an eye on Lyttelton Arts Factory, festivals, and Good Times Comedy Club for standup.”
Check out Little Andromeda online to see what’s coming up. Most shows are between $15 and $25 and last around an hour, so you’ve got nothing to lose. Expect world-class professional and established performers, as well as emerging professional performers.
“Sometimes I will laugh non-stop from the start to end,” Michael says. “Sometimes I cry. Sometimes I’m not required to be at the theatre so I go home, then realise I want to be there watching the show anyway so I just come back.”