Happiness

Come to laugh at small town New Zealand, stay for the wholesome good times, laughs a minute and stars in the making.

Honestly this show really warmed my cold dead heart. I cannot wait to see more and am VERY eagerly awaiting the cast album because the music (as you'd hope in a show about a musical) is terrific!

Obviously you can't make a show about theatre without a.. well theatre! And the Dolphin makes a beautiful Pizazz theatre, even if it is a little far from Tauranga!

The actors are delightful, but a true standout is Melody Lui-Webster as "Mia" Her performance across the first two episodes alone leaves no doubt she is destined to become a star!

Watch Happiness NOW.

I stumbled across this when a friend recommended it, and thought "ugh sounds awful", but watched it and never looked back. I've watched the whole series multiple times now, because when I feel bad (and the state of the world feels very very heavy), I know an episode of this will make my heart sing. It's campy, hilarious and delightful all in one happy package. Also some globally familiar amateur theatre characters that make this a joy.

"32 Tata's" has entered my daily lexicon.

I sing "Troy Boy" to my dog. I know! But it makes me HAPPY! Even my husband chuckles and laughs all the way through an episode. I do feel like they would need at least another 10 episodes to really dig into some of the characters - if anything some of the episodes felt a bit short - I wanted to know more about their stories.

I don't usually watch NZ tv but this was honestly hilarious. I laughed within the first 20 seconds and then throughout the entire first few episodes. The acting is great, the cast is clearly quite talented. The singing is amaaazing, definitely no dubbing on the vocals which is impressive. It doesn't really matter if you're into musicals or not as it's not overbearing. It has a nice balance of being utterly ridiculous and making fun of that same fact. I also love that it's well suited to all demographics as both myself (20's) and my mum (60's) are both watching and enjoying it. It's definitely worth a watch!

Happiness is the kind of show you didn't know you needed until you press play-and then you can't stop watching. This NZ-made musical comedy is an absolute triumph, blending sharp humor, fantastic original music, and a cast so talented they make every scene sparkle. From the very first number, I was hooked-the songs are insanely catchy (seriously, when's the soundtrack dropping on Spotify?), the jokes land perfectly, and the whole thing radiates so much charm you can't help but smile. What makes Happiness special is how it nails the balance between satire and sincerity. It pokes fun at amateur theater with razor-sharp wit, yet you can tell it's made with real love for the world it's mocking. The musical numbers are the real standout, though-cleverly written, brilliantly performed, and staged with just the right mix of polish and playful chaos.

My only complaint? Six episodes is not enough. I need at least three more seasons. Happiness proves that NZ comedy and musical theater can be world-class-it's fresh, funny, and full of heart. More like this, please!

Kiwi comedy at its finest, with fab performances from a solid cast! A fun story of regional community theatre tied in with a laugh-a-minute series of jokes, Easter eggs, and heartwarming characters quickly bring you into the heart of it all. A seriously talented cast brings a tongue in cheek (mostly!) parody that showcases a couple of our gorgeous local theatres, this is for everyone!

Part of what makes this so special is the incredible original music that doesn't try to shoehorn its way into the show, but naturally flows in with the story. Warning: this show might be a gateway into community theatre...