High Society

Yes, this past Monday was a night of Culture, Class, Cocktails, and Cuban cigars. Why this seemingly anomalous foray into the upper echelon of societal stratificaton? Well, thanks to some promotional generosity, the Mac's Brewery crew found themselves with complimentary tickets to the theater that otherwise would have cost upwards of $90 each.

And not just any theater, but the kind you spell with an 're'... Wellington's historic St. James Theatre.

And not just any show either... but Opening Night of Fiddler on the Roof starring none other than the incomparable Topol himself!

So Charlie, Shock, and Morgan cleaned up, dressed up, and stocked up for a classy, cultured evening. After a few fine beers at an even finer drinking establishment, the lights dimmed and the curtains rose. How was the show? Well, as the Dominion Post put it, "The Milkman Still Delivers." Indeed he does. According to the Capital Times, "There is a marvellous vitality in all the performances, but Topol’s subtle and marvellously nuanced performance is mesmerising. His singing in anchoring and inspiring the whole ensemble is incredible."

After the show, it was time for a cavalcade of caiprinhas, cosmos, cubans, and critique. Yes, as with any self-proclaimed pundits, we sipped introspectively on expensively named cocktails while engaging in the obligatory intellectual discourse about the deep symbolism and emotional content of the performance. Most of this discussion centered around the wonderously palpable tension between the characters ofTevye (as played by Topol) and the butcher Lazar Wolf. Due to venue restrictions, photography was not allowed, thus we are only able to offer the following artist's rendering of the on-stage conflict...

Lazar Wolf vs. Tevye
Round 1: Fight!

Needless to say, such a night was a welcome departure from the all-too-common case of Tui and Sky Movies 2. And as if that weren't enough, the next morning brought with it further refinement as a few of the boys headed off to Martinborough for a taste of New Zealand wine country... more on that to follow.