Theatreline with Barry Grant | Canterbury News | Local News in Canterbury

There was much to admire at the theatre in Christchurch in 2004, though to experience some of it you had to keep an eye on the paper and be prepared to go a little bit off road.

Court Theatre concentrated on quality, and as you might expect with a large number of people on the payroll, avoiding exposure to risk.

Free Theatre (named more for its content choice than its pricing policies) occupied the far left in solitary splendour.

Hagley Theatre Company continued with its enlightened emphasis on plays from Australia and America (which we otherwise simply would not see), and all the other theatre companies concentrated mainly on the tried and proven.

The high standards bar is firmly fixed in the consciousness of most companies who boast an astonishing number of extremely talented practitioners, passionate about good theatre.

The Star reviewed 47 shows during the year, 60% of which were professional, and 43% of which were NZ-authored. Picks:

Best professional production: Three Days of Rain, directed by Cathy Downes for Court Theatre

Best non-professional production: The Dresser, directed by Melanie Camp for Elmwood Players

Best musical production: Les Miserable, directed by David Chambers and Clair Bubb for Christ's College and Rangi Ruru High School

Best professional actor: Grant Tilly in Daylight Atheist (Court Theatre)

Best non-professional actor: Brian Sullivan in The Dresser (Elmwood Players)

Most fun show: Cirque Dreams

Best moment: The final scene of Vincent in Brixton (Court Theatre) in which the lights came up on van Gogh's discarded boots as the artist made sketches for his famous painting.