The promise of New Zealand Opera's Madame Butterfly has been with us for weeks, with striking images of the heroine on posters around town.

In the hands of playwright Dean Parker the intrigues swirling around New Zealand's Moscow Embassy in 1947 provide the raw material for a sophisticated, entertaining and intelligent piece of theatre.

The growing trend towards interactive theatre is thrown into overdrive in a show that invites you to immerse yourself.

Dame Susan Devoy is now an unwitting muse for the nation's creativity, inspiring not fanfares but raspberries.

Over the next few months children, from tots to teens, can immerse themselves in music, comedy and drama as they like it: loud and boisterous, writes Dionne Christian.

In one room, the whirr of the tattoo needle, in another the calm and conversation of an old-school barbershop, and lining the walls, framed pieces of tattoo flash.

Martino Gamper does extraordinary things with chairs - and awkward corners.

Beachside is best in Sydney, finds Jo Bates.

Aussie-based showbiz star Jay Laga'aia is returning to New Zealand for his first major home-turf role in a decade.

Arts supporters are getting used to having to fund new public works themselves, so far over $600,000 of donated money has been put into public artwork in Hamilton.

Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra can be justly proud of being just two seats short of a full house on Thursday for the first concert in its Bayleys Great Classics Series.

Renowned for his curving furniture and elegant lighting, lead designer David Trubridge's new book So Far explores his fascinating life and approach to design.

King Kong thunders into Melbourne this June. Rachel Grunwell meets the lead.

Anna Subritzky hatches a material plan to keep chickens in the burbs.

Open a cupboard at the new Artstation show, Cupboards, and you'll find shelves loaded with nostalgia.

Janet McAllister reviews Coronation Street On Stage and finds it a thin and airy skit show with the production values of a smash hit musical.

Ali McIntosh is surrounded by beautiful objects at home and at work.