John the Walrus
The Abel Tasman Show
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Information
John the Walrus
A little theatre in a garden
Flexible show times to suit your travel needs.
Bookings essential - All enquiry and bookings by email - johnthewalrusnz@gmail.com
Note from Rankers:
John the Walrus is the father of Rankers part owner Cymen Crick. To uphold its transparency and ethical responsibilities, John's reviews have been independently checked by an external auditor, not involved with Rankers.
Details
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John the WalrusCommercial organisation |
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South Island ▷ Nelson Region ▷ Abel Tasman |
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Cultural Experiences
Reviews
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5.0/5
Was at John Crick's poetry reading at Motueka Library last Friday.
Really enjoyed John's performance and would rank it 10 out of 10!
John told us of his youth in Australia and his exploring and walking in the Blue Mountains..and how he subsequently made contact through his poetry with 3 aboriginal tribes in different areas of Victoria and NSW.
His humour, sincerity and passion was plain to see and hear.
His mixture of spoken and sung verse really engaged the audience which was evidenced by the amount of post-performance discussion which occurred subsequently.
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5.0/5
John looks like a character from one of his stories, he invokes the times gone by and conjures up images and visions that take the audience on a journey and reconnects with our post colonial mythology
. A mesmerising performance.
Cheers Rob, so glad you could get along to the show then offer this lovely review. "Looks like a character from one of his stories..." Wow, so you mean I resemble the fine-featured long-finned eel?
John Crick
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5.0/5
Here's our review for John Crick's awesome one man show, Kauri Jack.
We're scoring it 10 out of 10. He performed this show at the Mussel Inn in Takaka, Golden Bay on June 13th, 2019.
We found John's performance very moving, a coming-to-life of New Zealand's history. John's delivery had the audience completely mesmerized. Kauri Jack is part poem, part oratory, weaving through the lives of 'Aotearoa ghosts' that John has discovered in his research into New Zealand history and his own personal roots.
He brings each person to life in a unique and celebratory way, with his voice rising and falling for dramatic effect, using just the minimal amount of words and phrases. Many of his speech patterns come from the past, creating an atmosphere of suspense and longing, especially where the characters have journeyed far from home and experienced great challenges. We were both reminded of Homer's Ulysses, a true epic.
Hello there folks, wonderful to have you at the performance, and that's a mighty generous review. I'm very grateful.
The link you mention with Homer's Ulysses/Odyssey gives me great joy and knocks off my holy socks.
You see, long-ago, climbing at Aoraki/Mt Cook in a summer of endless storms, my copy of The Odyssey (given to me by my mentor when I left home), was our only book. Under a few salubrious bivvy-rocks (and in a hut or two), I read all of it aloud to my fellow-troglodytes. It's a fond memory. I'm so glad that happened way back...But now, right out of the blue, the Ulysses comment here joins this gnarly old wandering, yarn-spinning Walrus with his young self, setting out ~ the insight you've offered is a great gift and I deeply thank you.
John Crick
-
5.0/5
As John Crick speaks he embodies each of his characters, summoning them up through voice and song.
Weaving together prolific tales of New Zealand history and culture with beauty, care and integrity. Very powerful to listen to. Hope Kauri Jack is someday recorded or performed for others to enjoy the deep history and detail of his work. Best wishes John!
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5.0/5
John's Show "Eco Rock" is a delight for everyone!
A great personality and stage delivery...all about us (ie. New Zealand's flora and fauna). Wonderful evening's performance at the Riverside Community Centre in Motueka. Score 10/10!! Thanks John!
Hey, Su, great you could get along, the other night, and do The Eco Rock! Beaut review, many thanks, from John the Walrus.
John Crick
-
4.0/5
A thoroughly enjoyable show that served both to entertain and to educate.
I loved John's unconventional style and the way he blended storytelling, singing and puppetry with the delivery of important environmental messages. The show was varied, light-hearted, engaging and well worth seeing. I give it a big thumbs up. Thanks John.
Hi there Deb, thank you for this lovely review. Sure love playing, creating with our mighty heritage. Can't believe my luck, the chance to be here to give it a crack.
Glad it got the thumbs-up with you!
Cheers and thanks, John the Walrus.
John Crick
-
4.0/5
o John’s voice, both speaking and singing.
Things I loved:
o His deep and passionate love of nature in his area and in other areas.
o His puppetry, both puppets, voices and scripts. The kea father-son duo was marvellous.
o His costumes.
o His presence on stage.
o His courage to be unique.
Things I think could be better:
I think John’s artistic drive to pare back to the bare essence of his performance may go too far at times. I’d have liked more explanations and lead-ins of places, creatures and scenarios, and to have had them linked up more. Particularly if presenting the Abel-Tasman ecosystem in another place unfamiliar with place names and creatures, the audience may need a reasonable amount of orienting.
Thanks, John, for sharing your unique gift. It was a pleasure.
Hi there Joanna, thanks for this really well-considered review. Glad you found a lot to love!
I appreciate your courage and thought in offering the suggestions/constructive criticism.
You mention "...the artistic drive...the bare essence..." Ah, well, Joanna you have to know, the barding rules, all the rhythm and song, the life force, playfulness and celebration of it. I've found it, it's the way I want to go, and reckon I'll keep things cranking, long as I can.
But the info/explanations/links you seek are likely to come with a programme. Not enough time to create it for you here, busy as I was with the storytelling course, close to the time of this show.
Thanks again for the feedback, Joanna ~ John the Walrus.
John Crick
-
5.0/5
I saw John Crick (John the Walrus) perform Ancestor Voices at the Nelson Fringe Festival (30-04-17), and he was superb.
[please note: I wrote this before having ever met John]
What a great and unique performer. I've never seen anything quite like him. He creates a beautiful combination of gesture, spoken word and song, very slow and sparse yet rich in image. Can't wait to get my family along to one of his shows!
"Ancestor Voices" was a big, gnarly, daunting show to create. Performing it was like crossing rough country in a mighty storm. And there WAS a great storm hitting, too, come show-time ~ rain hammering hell out of the old building's iron roof. Big, exciting atmosphere. I was saying to myself, "Flow, Johnny-Boy, don't fall!" Well, things did flow. Just a slip or two.
Pretty soon after, your review appeared, Nick. Came as a beautiful validation, right out of the blue. What a thrill to have it. Thank you so much. There was a lot going on for me, upon the boards that night, and I hope there will be some more adventures with this show.
John Crick
-
4.5/5
John "the Walrus" Crick, a bristly, salty sea dog, captivates his audience from the very start with his haunting introduction, taking us back in time with a mixture of song and spoken word.
We are transported to different parts of our coast as he becomes many real characters from our past along the way, including a runaway who sailed here when he was nine, early Maori encounters and a boat that sailed itself.
The Enchanted Coast explored in his stories are from our very own region; from Farewell Spit down to D'Urville Island.
The performance was very much in the style of the old story-tellers where history is passed on through song, verse and echo (and the audience got involved with this one) and flashes of quirky humour.
The transitions to each new character were aided by subtle lighting, a song to sweep us across the map to a new location, and the occasional changing of hats. His beautiful, mellifluous voice ebbed and flowed like the sea, and we were pulled along with him as he brought to life the spirit of each of his characters.
This was a real treat for our first night at the Fringe. John has certainly enhanced my appreciation for this wonderful region I now call my home.
Wonderful to have this review, and many thanks for it Hazel.
Very satisfying to create and deliver a full show on the characters of our Abel Tasman National Park. And glad to hear it's helped enhance your appreciation of the area.
Now you've got a good old singing map to help you explore over there...Stay in tune and all the best from John the Walrus Crick
John Crick
-
5.0/5
Was at John Crick's poetry reading at Motueka Library last Friday.
Really enjoyed John's performance and would rank it 10 out of 10!
John told us of his youth in Australia and his exploring and walking in the Blue Mountains..and how he subsequently made contact through his poetry with 3 aboriginal tribes in different areas of Victoria and NSW.
His humour, sincerity and passion was plain to see and hear.
His mixture of spoken and sung verse really engaged the audience which was evidenced by the amount of post-performance discussion which occurred subsequently.
-
5.0/5
As John Crick speaks he embodies each of his characters, summoning them up through voice and song.
Weaving together prolific tales of New Zealand history and culture with beauty, care and integrity. Very powerful to listen to. Hope Kauri Jack is someday recorded or performed for others to enjoy the deep history and detail of his work. Best wishes John!
-
5.0/5
John looks like a character from one of his stories, he invokes the times gone by and conjures up images and visions that take the audience on a journey and reconnects with our post colonial mythology
. A mesmerising performance.
Cheers Rob, so glad you could get along to the show then offer this lovely review. "Looks like a character from one of his stories..." Wow, so you mean I resemble the fine-featured long-finned eel?
John Crick
-
5.0/5
Here's our review for John Crick's awesome one man show, Kauri Jack.
We're scoring it 10 out of 10. He performed this show at the Mussel Inn in Takaka, Golden Bay on June 13th, 2019.
We found John's performance very moving, a coming-to-life of New Zealand's history. John's delivery had the audience completely mesmerized. Kauri Jack is part poem, part oratory, weaving through the lives of 'Aotearoa ghosts' that John has discovered in his research into New Zealand history and his own personal roots.
He brings each person to life in a unique and celebratory way, with his voice rising and falling for dramatic effect, using just the minimal amount of words and phrases. Many of his speech patterns come from the past, creating an atmosphere of suspense and longing, especially where the characters have journeyed far from home and experienced great challenges. We were both reminded of Homer's Ulysses, a true epic.
Hello there folks, wonderful to have you at the performance, and that's a mighty generous review. I'm very grateful.
The link you mention with Homer's Ulysses/Odyssey gives me great joy and knocks off my holy socks.
You see, long-ago, climbing at Aoraki/Mt Cook in a summer of endless storms, my copy of The Odyssey (given to me by my mentor when I left home), was our only book. Under a few salubrious bivvy-rocks (and in a hut or two), I read all of it aloud to my fellow-troglodytes. It's a fond memory. I'm so glad that happened way back...But now, right out of the blue, the Ulysses comment here joins this gnarly old wandering, yarn-spinning Walrus with his young self, setting out ~ the insight you've offered is a great gift and I deeply thank you.
John Crick
-
4.0/5
A thoroughly enjoyable show that served both to entertain and to educate.
I loved John's unconventional style and the way he blended storytelling, singing and puppetry with the delivery of important environmental messages. The show was varied, light-hearted, engaging and well worth seeing. I give it a big thumbs up. Thanks John.
Hi there Deb, thank you for this lovely review. Sure love playing, creating with our mighty heritage. Can't believe my luck, the chance to be here to give it a crack.
Glad it got the thumbs-up with you!
Cheers and thanks, John the Walrus.
John Crick
-
4.0/5
o John’s voice, both speaking and singing.
Things I loved:
o His deep and passionate love of nature in his area and in other areas.
o His puppetry, both puppets, voices and scripts. The kea father-son duo was marvellous.
o His costumes.
o His presence on stage.
o His courage to be unique.
Things I think could be better:
I think John’s artistic drive to pare back to the bare essence of his performance may go too far at times. I’d have liked more explanations and lead-ins of places, creatures and scenarios, and to have had them linked up more. Particularly if presenting the Abel-Tasman ecosystem in another place unfamiliar with place names and creatures, the audience may need a reasonable amount of orienting.
Thanks, John, for sharing your unique gift. It was a pleasure.
Hi there Joanna, thanks for this really well-considered review. Glad you found a lot to love!
I appreciate your courage and thought in offering the suggestions/constructive criticism.
You mention "...the artistic drive...the bare essence..." Ah, well, Joanna you have to know, the barding rules, all the rhythm and song, the life force, playfulness and celebration of it. I've found it, it's the way I want to go, and reckon I'll keep things cranking, long as I can.
But the info/explanations/links you seek are likely to come with a programme. Not enough time to create it for you here, busy as I was with the storytelling course, close to the time of this show.
Thanks again for the feedback, Joanna ~ John the Walrus.
John Crick
-
5.0/5
John's Show "Eco Rock" is a delight for everyone!
A great personality and stage delivery...all about us (ie. New Zealand's flora and fauna). Wonderful evening's performance at the Riverside Community Centre in Motueka. Score 10/10!! Thanks John!
Hey, Su, great you could get along, the other night, and do The Eco Rock! Beaut review, many thanks, from John the Walrus.
John Crick
-
5.0/5
I saw John Crick (John the Walrus) perform Ancestor Voices at the Nelson Fringe Festival (30-04-17), and he was superb.
[please note: I wrote this before having ever met John]
What a great and unique performer. I've never seen anything quite like him. He creates a beautiful combination of gesture, spoken word and song, very slow and sparse yet rich in image. Can't wait to get my family along to one of his shows!
"Ancestor Voices" was a big, gnarly, daunting show to create. Performing it was like crossing rough country in a mighty storm. And there WAS a great storm hitting, too, come show-time ~ rain hammering hell out of the old building's iron roof. Big, exciting atmosphere. I was saying to myself, "Flow, Johnny-Boy, don't fall!" Well, things did flow. Just a slip or two.
Pretty soon after, your review appeared, Nick. Came as a beautiful validation, right out of the blue. What a thrill to have it. Thank you so much. There was a lot going on for me, upon the boards that night, and I hope there will be some more adventures with this show.
John Crick
-
4.5/5
John "the Walrus" Crick, a bristly, salty sea dog, captivates his audience from the very start with his haunting introduction, taking us back in time with a mixture of song and spoken word.
We are transported to different parts of our coast as he becomes many real characters from our past along the way, including a runaway who sailed here when he was nine, early Maori encounters and a boat that sailed itself.
The Enchanted Coast explored in his stories are from our very own region; from Farewell Spit down to D'Urville Island.
The performance was very much in the style of the old story-tellers where history is passed on through song, verse and echo (and the audience got involved with this one) and flashes of quirky humour.
The transitions to each new character were aided by subtle lighting, a song to sweep us across the map to a new location, and the occasional changing of hats. His beautiful, mellifluous voice ebbed and flowed like the sea, and we were pulled along with him as he brought to life the spirit of each of his characters.
This was a real treat for our first night at the Fringe. John has certainly enhanced my appreciation for this wonderful region I now call my home.
Wonderful to have this review, and many thanks for it Hazel.
Very satisfying to create and deliver a full show on the characters of our Abel Tasman National Park. And glad to hear it's helped enhance your appreciation of the area.
Now you've got a good old singing map to help you explore over there...Stay in tune and all the best from John the Walrus Crick
John Crick
-
5.0/5
Wanted to make a comment regarding John Crick and his amazing combination of hand-made puppets, singing shanties and about him entertaining a rapt audience of nearly 60 here at my bookshop in Oamaru, South
Island.
John gave a rousing, enchanting and whimsical presentation at the bookshop in May, poetry and music celebrating NZ wildlife and wilderness, and he was greeted warmly by a big crowd. That night we took up a koha (gift) for the Nepalese people, and ended up sending $692.50 to the Himalayan Trust to help with earthquake recovery. So wanted to make a big shout-out to John for his fine contribution. I would recommend his performance to everyone.
Many thanks for the review Bill. Wonderful atmosphere for stories, your place ~ The sled, the James Caird replica, and all those wondrous books gazing out at us, whispering, "SPIN US ANOTHER ONE, MATE!......Hey, it's good here with the mighty tribe, but one day I'd like to be dreaming with a family o' my very own...So c'mon, someone, take me HOME!"
Will hope to be back for another storytelling one day, Bill. All the best, John the Walrus Crick
John Crick
-
5.0/5
John visited our school for a collaborative performance of Eco rock.
The children spent the day learning the songs and creating art work for a 'coming ready or not' style performance by John and the kids in the afternoon. It was really interesting to learn about the ecology of some of our native creatures. The creativity and ecology he brought to the day was fantastic and I hope left a lasting impression on the children; my own son was busy making his own songs up the following morning. The puppets he brought were beautiful and added another dimension for the children, in bringing them to life. The only down side would be there was so much fantastic stuff to fit into one day, would have been great spread over a couple of afternoons, or longer. Thanks John.
Wow, and then another magic evening with John at the Adventure bookshop, Oamaru.
Puppets, voices of the past and our majestic mountains all found a voice this evening, quietly coming alive and weaving us on a journey through Aotearoa. An audience spell bound.
Cheers, very many thanks for the review, Kate. Yes, busy, that day! Busy as penguins in a rookery. Hope your lad will keep flowing his songs. Go well, from John the Walrus Crick
John Crick
-
4.0/5
Highly entertaining and insightful show in the nostalgic style of bards and musicians including Sam Hunt.
Great choice for environmental program in schools and youth groups. Very engaging performer
-
5.0/5
A review for "On the Swag.Share the Fire with Kauri Jack",by John the Walrus.10 out of ten!
Whatever this modern troubadour creates is pure magic.Spontaneous & on the edge of your chair,you never know what's coming next. It could be song, a sea shanty, narration as the playwright or character dialogue, with voices to match. And he's not beyond asking for feedback, if something works, or could be improved, during the play, or after. His works are a delightful process of living, honest creativity. Some of the many strands that make up "Kauri Jack" I found of loose weave. Could be some condensing. That's if it's on stage again. Most of John's plays have a 1 or 2 day season. Catch them while you may
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5.0/5
John's presentations are standout experiences.
The characters he portrays are as real and vital as the man himself and come to life enhanced by his inimitable insights
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5.0/5
The Eco Show that John presented to our whole school and many parents and community members was a fun-filled yet informative collaboration of music, voice and rhythm.
John's portayal of both wildlife and people was convincing, largely because of the preparation and amazing props. A great learning experience!
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5.0/5
"RIVERSONG" - Such an entertaining, well thought-out show.
With songs, and poems all written and performed by the writer himself - Jonny the Walrus. A really heart-felt little journey through local history performed in Ngatimoti Village Hall. What a great way to bring a community together on a winter Sunday afternoon. We were drawn in by Jonny's love of story-telling and fun spirit.
With a scrumptious afternoon tea laid on and all the proceeds from the koha going to charity, this was a sure-fire winner.
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3.5/5
Went to see the Kauri Jack show at the Ngatimoti Hall today - the first half needed a short introduction to the stories behind the songs - the singing voice and props were very good.
The singing and choice of songs in the second half was captivating and the stories they portrayed needed no explanation - has huge potential.
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5.0/5
A must see!
you will laugh, cry, dance and sing, only if you want....ok not cry, well maybe just a little when you know its at the end and you have leave. Well done John thanks for something truly different and something that "feels good". Long live John the Walrus!
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5.0/5
We went to see John the Walrus present the Abel Tasman Show a couple of weeks back.
Not really knowing what to expect we piled into the Gecko Theatre and chose one of the many comfy seats. From the word go John and his team of puppets sung, danced, acted and spoke many wonderful and informative stories of the Abel Tasman NP and surrounding bay. John has obviously put a lot of effort into filling his show with factual information of the park which he cleverly shares in an exciting way. We were so impressed by his show that we went back a week later and took with us a group of friends. John went to great effort to find out who his audience were and incorporate that into his show. Second time round was just as good and with so much packed in we were still learning.
John the Walrus is definitely a must see show for locals and visitors, big and small!
I look forward to seeing more of this talented story teller in the future.