Author Archives: Martine

The Pleasure Dome revisited – The Summer of 2017

28 September 2018

While I write this article I am travelling back from Europe to New Zealand, going forward in time. Time travelling.

And speaking from time travelling today it is exactly 1 year since The Pleasure Dome opened officially and took us back to the 80ties.

What an experience we were given!!!!

A huge shed was transformed to a NY metro and street. If you looked around you could notice it was a film set of Ash vs Evil Death.

At the end of the street the night club The Pleasure Dome.

The Pleasure Dome, Robert Tapert’s Dream that came to life.
I still call this THE musical of musicals. As he did before with the tv series Xena Warrior Princess, he set here again a new standard of musicals.
You were in the night club, witnessing the life of a diva and all the things that happened in the 80ties, drugs, love, power, and being gay.
On top of that you were invited to interact and dance on those top hits.

And what a marvelous ensemble it had.

Lucy Lawless in the lead performed as never before. A super voice with the right songs. You could feel the love, the pain, the drug addiction, the fight to get away from it,…..

My two favourite moments where Sappho against her alter ego CocoCaine and Hey, Little Girl.

Speaking of addiction, I have to admit that my wife and I were so mezmerized that we went 18 times.

It was interesting to see how the show changed and crew grew into their roles.

To be continued.

The PleasureDome Musical – Auckland 23/9/2017

Our journey.

This show is huge, never seen and therefore a unique event.

We prepared our cloths to be back into the 80s. Make-up done. And off we went.

Parked the car at number 31 and walked to the Pleasuredome. There were no flashing light to get your attention, just a lighted card board above the entry.

We were one of the first attendants and got the chance to experience Michael Hurst walk on the balcony of a NY appartment. Olalala! C’est dangereux.

Got interviewed to know our expectations and what we would think it would be.

7pm doors open and off we go into the small underground lane decorated with covers of the old shows and movies from then : Grease, Webster, Miami Vice, 21 Jump Street, etc……. Right turn and there is the NY/Manhattan street where it apparently had been raining. Movie theatre, old NYPD car, hot dog stands, packman game, Peep show, magazine stand, Jazz bar and in the very end…………. The Pleasuredome. The street is in fact also the stage where AshvsEvilDeath has been filmed. So for the fans be aware you walking on dangerous grounds! LOL!

All security and assistance personal were dressed with a red French barret, white T-shirt, suspenders and blue slacks. Fully French style.

My wife ordered an 80s hotdog while I met Robert Tapert. A few meters further on a bench sat Michael Hurst, watching how people came in. All visitors were filmed, probably to record the faces in amazement. Made a nice chat with Michael and then the doors to the Pleasuredome went open.

As VIP ticket holders we could enter immediately however it must be said that in fact everybody could enter so there really was no difference between standard and VIP tickets.

Table 1 seats 1-2 that was straight in front of the stage, well, almost on stage! LOL. But it couldn’t be a better place as you will read further.

Welcome glass Champagne and our starters plate.

8pm. Oops we are running late as only then most of the people were coming in. The show was not sold out.

A little after 8pm lights go off and the stage comes to life. The DJ starts his job (Moses Mackay) and…………….WELCOME TO THE PLEASUREDOME. And what an opening!!!!!!

I immediate thought about the three Xena Faites. That were the 3 first dancers we saw, all dressed up in purple and a devellish three point hat. The 3 Faites, being drag queens were fabulous, followed by the group super-deluxe dancers.

And there was my first proof that I was sitting at the perfect seat. Got interaction with one of the female dancers. I just went along cause that is what is all about and having a great time. Hey, I am a European girl and no layback Kiwi!!

During the show this interaction went on, doing hiphop with a male dancer and getting a nice and profound caress over my shoulders by another female dancer. Yup, the perfect place!

Back at the opening scene : And then a golden colour chariot came on stage with……………….Sappho aka Lucy Lawless, all dressed up in gold and a huge featherly head cover. The Diva and Goddess of The Pleasuredome.

And the story started and continued with amazing 80s songs. I couldn`t sit still all the time. This was food for my dancing nerves. My dancing vibes immediately nourished and brought to the service. Oh, those dragqueens. Dom by nature and name was immediately my favourite.

No pictures allowed because of some nude moments. So sorry, I wish I could have made pictures of the opening and so on.

I loved the soft voice Lucy Lawless was singing with. But Lily played by Ashleigh Taylor, now she was a great singer too. Man this little girl has a perfect voice. She and Sappho were the perfect couple. What an interaction and connection between the two of them

And yes, it was an extra xena episode that never made it to television but what we could experience life now. If Lucy would have dark hair again it definitely would have been a Xena and Gabrielle thing, now finally coming to the moment we all wanted to happen.

I also felt that some fan fiction came to life here.

I was happy surprised by the special effects of Sappho’s darker demon coming to life. Indeed, Sappho and her inner demon came both onto stage. The special effect was super. Watching another Lucy/Sappho on every wall, in a latex outfit and blond curly hair, singing to Sappho on stage ‘Don’t, don’t you want me!’
This effect came back a little bit later with another form of her demon distressing her in her attempt of getting her drug addiction under control.

Ares was to me the drug dealer and the guy really was the man, Vince Harder.

Intermission and time for another drink. Where is our waitress? But no platter that normally should have been presented. Well we deal with that later. Got dessert instead but not the one that was advertised. Well, that we will deal with later on too.

Show continues and the opening of the 2nd part is again huge. And in the 2nd part we are presented with more sexual oriented presentations. Oh yes, it got hotter than the 1st part. But…….hey it was hot the whole time! LOL!

At a certain point I was about to yell ‘Oh no, Rob, not again!’ but………….. The Power of Love conquers everything, even death.

The show is all about being gay, oh yes! Gay as in Gay as in Gay!

I loved Steven Lovatt. That man is a great actor and he puts weight into the story. What a performance.

I would have loved to have a longer story cause this show keeps hanging in my mind day and night.

Before we left The PleasureDome Michael Hurst came to us and asked us about the show. `Thumbs up, Michael!` Michael : `It only will be better!` So that is for sure a reason to go back. This preview was already super so if it going to be better…………….it is going to be SUPPPPERRRRRR!
After the show back into the street and heading for the Jazzy bar (AvE set) and when we came back onto the street our friend the cameraman/interviewer was there asking us for feedback. We learned he and a lot of other people where so happy and appreciated it that we stood up and gave the team a standing ovation at the end of the show. We hit also their topic of interaction. The goal is to have everybody take part in this musical and have a good time. But as they say, NZlanders are soooooo layback. They were so happy that we interacted. So the message for the interview was given. Was it my flashy T-shirt or our faces, anyhow, it gave us a warm feeling being appreciated for what we did. Hence it is the crew on a stage and back stage that got from us the appreciation cause they are the ones to bring us a great story and musical. It are them who bring us back to our good old times with that great music. It are them who brought us into another world.
There we went again before the camera and first of all gave everybody a million thumbs up, thanked everybody. Thanked Robert Tapert and Michael Hurst for this huge event and great idea. Showed our appreciation for Lucy Lawless and Ashleigh Taylor for their great performance and singing. I must say Ashleigh was super, what a voice!

I cannot forget to mention that Ashleigh and Lucy would be a perfect match to make a Xena movie or reboot or a Xena musical. That chemistry was just what it needed to be.

Further we sent our appreciation to the dancing team. Such great group with great dancers. Our friend the cameraman thanked us and…………there was Jadyn, one of the dancers who came to us for a nice chat. Asking how we felt about the show. Got the same warm gratitude for our appreciation. Seems we didn`t go unnoticed, LOL! Hey, we love that!  Interaction and participation is what they are looking for. Anyhow, since we are going to attend this show a couple of times Jadyn told us she would spot us.  Well, darling, we surely will spot you! 

Another funny thing was that just before the 2nd act began our colourful female announcer asked my help to get her on stage. So I play along cause she was immediately in her role and it doesn`t take much for me to go along. Two colourful girls, what more do you want! 

Everybody came to us for a chat! It must be writing all over us that we love to chat and connect easily with everybody. We love it!

We had a great evening, in everything!

As you can notice we were overwelmed. I will make a review later on, when everything has sinked it. I tell you the story later on as well cause it was a good story.

PS : There will be merchandise available starting end of week 39, the week were the Grand Opening will take place on 28th September 2017! I want a PleasureDome T-shirt!!!!!!

Martine

FALLING IN LOVE AGAIN – JENNIFER WARD-LEALAND 9 September 2017

Jennifer was super! We were sitting just in front at a table and I felt as if I was back in time.
The idea was very well done. Our today’s Marlene Dietrich talking about herself in the old days and singing her great songs.
I was very surprised that Jennifer sang in German and French. Well done!

The idea of the performance was super! We got to learn about the life of Marlene Dietrich, told by herself in her very sexy accent.

I loved it and was so happy to be able to attend this.

As for the attendants, hihihihi, we were the young ones if you know what I mean. LOL!

Thanks very much Jennifer for this great performance.

Martine

FALLING IN LOVE AGAIN – JENNIFER WARD-LEALAND

The very talented Jennifer Ward-Lealand will perform Falling in Love Again in Auckland.
You do not want to miss this.
Jennifer has just completed a short tour of the show to Queensland, and will now bring it back to Auckland, performing at Uxbridge Theatre in Howick on 9 September 2017

For more information click here

Jennifer Ward-Lealand, Falling In Love Again

Jennifer Ward-Lealand in Falling In Love Again

The PleasureDome – Auckland September 2017

Lucy was on radio the Breeze this morning just after 8h am. Here is the information she said about the event. Sounds a great show and a great evening. All at the film studios of Ash versus Evel Dead.

Injustice with Immigration (6)

Well, dear readers, followers, friends, supporters,

We are now more then 1 year further and no solution yet found.

It is remarkable that lately Immigration tried again behind the back of our laywer and ours to get an interview with the NZ employer.  That attempt was intercepted and the meeting went at the office of our lawyer.  Our laywer’s staff member was present, the employer and 2 immigration officers.   Previous the meeting immigration asked for the actual ,financial figures and employment schedule.   Our lawyer had to point out to immigration that this was irrelevant to the case and not according the agreement made.  We have already a visa granted by immigration and asking financial figures and monthly employment schedule is for an application. Therefore this is irrelevant to ask this.  Moreover the agreement was to take a look again at all the documents, statements and proof in the file.

During the meeting at the lawyer’s office the immigration officers presented about 45 questions to the employer about the stolen emails with the question if the employer could identify them.   Please……these are emails of 1 upto 4 years ago and moreover the statement of the forensic expert clearly stated that the stolen emails were manipulated by the reporting person.  Immigration is also already been informed earlier that emails also have been deleted from the computer of the employer.   Has the statement of the export no value then for immigration?  What is an expert for then?

The meeting was closed as the agreement was that all new issues should first be submitted in writing and this was thus not followed by Immigration.

In the meantime the questions have been submitted in writing by Immigration and our lawyer together with the employer have stated not being aware of these emails.  Also immigration’s attention has again been drawn to the statement of the forensic expert.   And in earlier letters immigration’s attention has been drawn to the fact that they were satisfied with all the evidence and therefore granted the visa.  Further their attention was drawn to the fact that they always need original documents or certified copies.  And now they just go along with copies of stolen emails of which hard and watertight proof has been given that they are unreliable for multiple reasons.

Everybody aware of our situation doesn’t understand why a country which is proud of its multicultural society only investigates one side of the case and seems to be scared of 1 person. Everybody aware of our situation doesn’t understand how it is possible that 1 person is able to get this awfull situation take place.

It is clear there is a hate against us and against persons loving a partner of the same sex.  Where is the multicultural acceptance in NZ now?

How much more must our lifes be ruined? Ruined because of 1 sick person.

Injustice with Immigration (5)

We finally received a copy of the reply of INZ through their lawyer.

Instead of receiving the file with the documents that the NZ officer would review, we only received a reply dated on 16/9/2014.  It didn’t surprise us.

But in our perception the letter had a threatening tone. If it was an attempt to scare us off, well, it had just the opposite effect. If someone tries to scare off people by mentioning that they can successfully defend their case and that they would charge the other party with all costs (38.000 NZD), well it looks to us that they can’t. Certainly if they use a threatening tone.

What the letter mentioned regarding counterproof and timeframes, was something we already expected to be the reaction of the opposite party. As mentioned in our previous blog post immigration needs to come forward with sound and credible counterproof.

The letter mentioned that immigration doesn’t accept to come forward with sound and credible counterproof. And they don’t want to work on a particular timeframe whereas we are only given 4 weeks to reply.

Don’t these 2 points sounds like they are trying to get out of the case without loss of face, no matter what. It surely looks like a huge injustice.

We always had to come up within a particular timeframe with sound and credible evidence. And we always did.

And now that they need to come up with sound and credible counterproof they refuse to do so.

Where is the justice in New Zealand?

With this statement it looks clear that immigration doesn’t want to admit they received unreliable information. Is it so hard to admit it?  Is it because loss of face? That would be mostly unacceptable and very unfair and against the law.

It seems to us they want to win the case with weak counterproof or no proof at all. So there the prejudice still remains, despite our strong evidence.

The letter mentioned also that a fraud investigator would be used.  That is logic to us and we understand that very well.   But what documents will they give that fraud investigator to look at?  The unreliable, manipulated and stolen emails? How will a fraud investigator be able to give a clear view on that?  He can’t because those documents are unreliable.   And it seems to us that the counterparty is forcing to get a statement of the fraud investigator anyhow, even on the unreliable documents.  How insane is that?  That is just forcing a way to win in a cunning way.

And regarding court proceedings, they want us to drop the appeals before further costs are made, but on the other hand, they want to defer their decision on pursuing payment of costs until the case is finalised.  That is no balance at all.

And all this the counterparty considers as reasonable and fair!!!!! Come on, let us stay serious.  There is nothing fair and reasonable since the beginning of this case.  As mentioned before we only have experienced obstacles, mistakes and outright injustice.

If immigration says they can defend their case succesfully, then why refusing to come up with credible and sound counterproof, why refuse to reply in a particular time frame, why force us to drop the appeal?   All this kind of refusal and force used against us, shows immigration is not able to defend their case succesfully.

It should be noted that because of the non-cooperation of immigration, the non-consideration of our strong evidence by immigration, the delays caused by immigration, the blind belief of immigration in false allegation of a mental ill and gay-hating New Zealander, this has caused us already a fortune and that has ruined our lives already.

There is no justice at all.   It is a game of money.  Our savings against the money of the Tax Payer in NZ.

There is no justice at all.  It is a game of prejudice and interpretation.  Rules and requirements are only interpreted.

Unless you are rich, then rules and requirements are put aside. It doesn’t matter then if you have a convicted background and if you don’t meet the good character requirement.  Money clears the way.

Important advise to anyone who wants to visit New Zealand : It is a beautiful country but be aware that they only let you in because you can spend money.  For the rest there is nothing but corruption and discrimination, although they try to hide this at their very best.  We found out the hard way now.

We even think that the Human Right Act 1993 – prohibited grounds for discrimination have not been considered.

 

Injustice with immigration (4)

The pictures show you how we are now living. Or better said ‘forced’ to live.  We managed to return to our home – which is still for sale – thanks to the support of some people.

We are living now in an empty house. We only have a camping bed, a camping table and a camping chairs. We received that stuff from other people.  So the only thing that belongs to us are our 4 suitcases with summer cloths.

No need to repeat that the whole immigration case has ruined us.   When our house is sold, the extra problem that will arise then is to find another place to stay.

No car, since we sold the car a few days before we should leave Europe. So everything with public transport. But since we live far outside the city center, no need to explain how hard it is to even do your daily grocery shopping.

Thanks New Zealand for putting us in this situation.

Living in an empty house SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES

 

Injustice with Immigration (3)

We did sent a letter of complaint to John Key to get assistance in our immigration case.  My letter went as a wagon in a carrousel.

  1. The assistant of Prime Minister John Key forwarded it to Nikki Kaye (Minister of Immigration and pro gay.)
  2. From Nikki Kaye’s office it was forwarded to Immigration Wellington, because
  3. Immigration Wellington informed us by email that they had forward it to Immigration London.
  4. Last week we received an email from Immigration Henderson – Yes, the letter came back to New Zealand.  Isn’t that a waste of time?

The letter we received from Immigration Henderson was just a small recapitulation of our file but it wasn’t fully complete this recapitulation.  In fact it was no reply whatsoever on our complaint.  They referred again to section 65.  We allways did and still do meet all the requirements of section 65.

Further the letter mentioned nothing about all our certified declaration and our watertight evidence about the stolen emails.  In the letter they mentioned that INZ is still waiting for a substantive response from our side.  That is the almost the same sentences which they wrote a few months ago when we also already provided our certified declaration including the ones of our employer.   So where did they put all those declarations and evidence?

We asked several times in the past what they wanted more in writing from us and never got a reply on that.

Further the letter didn’t mention anything about our acceptance to transfer the file from London to NZ, including the conditions we added to INZ offer.  Our lawyer asked for a reply before 16th September 2014.  Today 22 september 2014 we haven’t received any information.

We wonder for whom deathlines are applicable?  It seems it is only applicable for us and for visa agents, but not for INZ.

So, we have the impression that the file where INZ Henderson has access to is not updated at all.  Or have they not been informed properly? No wonder that the case delays and delays when not all information is considered or read by the INZ officers.

The letter mentioned that INZ is still investigating.  We already asked several times over the last months what they exactly were investigating, but never received a reply on that neither.

It is also strange that the letter talks about INZ in the 3rd person despite it is written by an INZ office.

This is a case were our future and our lifes are involved. It is a serious matter and means a lot to us.  And the fact that the case is already delayed for more then 6 months despite our evidence is putting us each day in a more difficult position.

We really don’t know why this keeps taking so long.   We are the victimes of a disgrunted person and homophobe. Our evidence about the ‘stolen’ emails is clear.  There is no doubt about it that they are unreliable for a great number of reasons.   The certified declarations of our employer and us are clear as well.

Again we have to say that our perception of New Zealand has changed drastically.   Around the world New Zealand shows itself as a beautiful country, which it is, until……..you have experienced how they ‘welcome’ you.  To us it seems we are ‘not welcome’ at all.

Although a lot of people we know and who want to welcome us, nothing is shown from the side of immigration.

Our privacy and the one of our employer has been breached. But since the beginning of this case this privacy breach seems not to bother anyone.   So in fact, people in New Zealand are allowed to breach eachothers privacy and used it to destroy eachother.

We draw also the attention again to the fact that when you have a criminal or convicted background and do not meet the good character requirement, you still are allowed to enter New Zealand if you are rich.  Money makes sure that some rules are all of a sudden not applicable.  Isn’t that a way of corruption?

We are honest people with an impeccable record of behavior, we still meet all requirements, but yet, we are treated as criminals.  Isn’t that a way of discrimination?

We thought that NZ accepted gay-people as same gender marriage was accepted.  But it seems that we, marriage women, are not accepted.

No need to say how dissappointed we are in New Zealand.