KEY POINTS:
One week down, one to go. As Auckland Festival AK07 reaches the halfway mark, not all the festival's shows have been met with glowing reviews but the general consensus is that it has been a big step forward.
Herald arts editor Linda Herrick said this year's festival appeared to have the support of Aucklanders, who were "savouring the concept of going out to lots of events".
Radio New Zealand's spoken features group manager Paul Bushnell said the event felt "pretty solid" and had become clearly established as a leading New Zealand festival.
"It's a very, very impressive step forward. It's more coherent and more interesting than the last one [AK05]."
Festival director David Malacari agreed. "It's a bigger festival than AK05 and I think there's a lot more awareness of it.
"People are embracing the festival concept more this time."
The strong international line-up, including sellout shows La Clique and Ronnie Burkett's 10 Days on Earth, had been a driving force in raising public awareness, said Bushnell.
However, the standout feature of the event was the festival's commitment to New Zealand commissions and new local works, he said.
"The absolute standout for me was Hatch. The one-man show about Mr Joseph Hatch - former MP and Mayor of Invercargill.
"I think it's destined to become as significant a piece as End of the Golden Weather and Khrishnan's Dairy."
Of the varied offerings, Les 4 Saisons, La Clique, Mahler 2 - The Resurrection, Wild Dogs Under My Skirt and Tempest all met with favourable responses from the Herald's reviewers.
However, not all the acts have gone down so well. Dance reviewer Bernadette Rae described local dance production Dark Tourists as, "the most boring show on earth".
Bushnell agreed with Rae's sentiments, saying "I disliked it every bit as much as she did."
He also named local production Facade, the worst show he has seen.
"You had no idea what was going on. It was a bit of a disaster."
Good or bad, Malacari is just pleased people are getting out to see the shows.
"Taste is a matter of taste," he said. "This is part of the festival adventure - getting out there and trying new stuff."
What to look for at AK07
* Strange Resting Places, Taki Rua Productions. Stories of the Maori Battalion brought to life on stage. Sunday and Monday.
* Tuwhare. An uplifting musical bringing music to the words of renowned New Zealand writer Hone Tuwhare. Monday.
* Amata, Black Grace. The contemporary dance company presents a new work for 12 women. Wednesday-Sunday.
What the reviewers said
* LA Clique, reviewed by Shannon Huse: "La Clique is the sell-out show of the Auckland Festival and justifies all the hype ... Every performer wants to seduce and astound an audience, but these guys actually do it."
* Les 4 Saisons by Ballet Preljocaj, reviewed by Bernadette Rae: "Les 4 Saisons is a brilliantly presented and performed collaboration ... the dancers pour 110 per cent of their energy into a zestful, warm-hearted and witty interpretation of the most familiar of all violin concertos."
* Mahler 2 - The Resurrection, reviewed by William Dart: "Judd had the key to the composer's world, delivering 85 minutes of often heart-stopping drama ... the orchestra roared under Judd's sometimes delirious baton."
* Wild Dogs Under My Skirt, reviewed by Paul Simei-Barton: "Avia confounds expectations with a light-hearted, ironic tone that is consistently entertaining."
