Musical tributes which sparked walk-outs and ‘bad cruise ship karaoke’ claims returning to NZ
Saturday, 14 February 2026
The tribute shows caused audience complaints, walk-outs, and criticism from Consumer NZ when they last came here. Now they’re coming back - but just who are the star performers said to be coming with them? Stewart Sowman-Lund investigates.
A series of musical tribute concerts which made headlines in 2023 after being slammed as “bad cruise ship karaoke” and prompting mid-show walkouts are returning to New Zealand, once again promising star power and world-class orchestral performances.
Events showcasing the music of the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings franchises, along with the work of acclaimed composer Hans Zimmer, will be staged in Lower Hutt and Christchurch in May - with one advertisement promising it would be “presented by the voice” of an actor who died in 2015.
Sponsored ads on social media have been touting the events since at least December.
An ad for the Harry Potter event claims it will be “presented” by actor Matthew Lewis, who played Neville Longbottom in the film franchise. But subsequent adverts have removed Lewis’ name and instead promise a “star from the films” will be “live on stage”, with patrons able to get a free photograph with them.
The adverts now say the event will be presented “by a Weasley star” - referencing the fictional Weasley wizarding family in the series - but without any specific names attached.
However, a website for the event says it will be presented by “the Weasley stars Neville Longbottom Matthew Lewis [sic]” and “special guests” live onstage.
Lewis’s agent has been approached for comment.
A range of possible guest stars are listed, ranging from main characters through to actors who appeared only in cameo roles (such as a performer who played an unnamed “death eater” in one film and another who played an assistant to a supporting character).
The event’s website includes unattributed pull quotes touting the show’s quality; one, that includes a misspelling, describes the show as: “pure goosebmps [sic]'.
There are also questions as to who exactly will be performing the music. The show is said to feature the London Film Orchestra, though details of the group are limited. Attempts to reach the similarly-named London Film Music Orchestra via their website were unsuccessful, as the listed email address did not work.
A spokesperson for the London Symphony Orchestra told The Post: “I am not familiar with this Orchestra, I’m afraid.”
The other events being put on by the same touring company, and in the same week, list different orchestras.
The Lord of the Rings show is said to be performed, according to one advert, by the “choir and orchester of the shire [sic]”. Another states that the Philharmonic Orchestra will be performing, though doesn’t stipulate which one.
The Hans Zimmer event, meanwhile, is being performed by the The Hollywood Film Orchestra. It has no online presence.
The Hollywood Symphony Orchestra - a legitimate group based in LA - has not responded to a request for comment.
A Music of the Lion King tribute show, described as “the best experience of the year”, claims it will be performed by the “renowned Broadway Symphonic Orchestra”. This group also has no online footprint.
These shows promise live guests onstage too, but it’s even more unclear who will be appearing.
According to one advert, the Lord of the Rings show will be “presented by the legendary voice of the Saruman actor Sir Christopher Lee”. Lee died in 2015.
The 2023 Lord of the Rings shows also used Lee’s voice, with a supposedly spliced-together video of the late actor making it look as though he was introducing the music.
However, an in-person “star guest” from the franchise is also promised onstage. In 2023, New Zealand actor Bruce Hopkins - who played the minor character of Gamling - appeared in the show.
Hopkins told The Post he felt “embarrassed” by his involvement in the events, saying it was “not a pleasant experience” and he would not be picking up the phone if asked to appear again.
“I wouldn’t want to be involved … I’m just astounded that they would have the gall to come back,” said Hopkins.
“They kind of indicated that it was almost like an interactive kind of [show], and there was going to be some cool kind of visual elements and things. And it was not at all, it was pretty rugged.”
Lord of the Rings composer Howard Shore has previously condemned the unofficial live shows, releasing a statement in 2023 that claimed he had filed a lawsuit to have the concerts stopped.
“The music that is being played is assembled from unauthorized bootleg arrangements and not at the standard of quality insisted upon by Howard Shore,” he said at the time.
Shore’s representatives had not responded to a request for comment from The Post by deadline.
The Hans Zimmer show claims it will be presented by a “Pirate from Pirates of the Caribbean”, a film scored by Zimmer. The Lion King show, which promises music by composer Zimmer and singer Elton John, says it will be “presented by star soloists from the original Broadway productions”.
In 2023, a similar Hans Zimmer tribute show was slammed by patrons, including one who told Stuff the performance included an audience singalong to the 1980s pop song Video Killed the Radio Star (while Zimmer appears briefly in the song’s music video, it otherwise has no relation to his work).
Another said of the show: “in any reasonable expectation of an orchestra, it failed in every way”.
Christchurch local James Burt purchased a ticket to the Harry Potter event with the expectation he will get to see Matthew Lewis, who played Neville Longbottom, in person.
He told The Post he will be disappointed if the actor isn’t there. “It was on their advertisement that he would be there appearing and would be doing photos with people,” he said.
Burt acknowledged that the show’s poster since made mention of an undisclosed “Weasley” star, and was hoping that meant another main character actor would be appearing in person.
Attempts to reach the show’s promoters have been unsuccessful. The performances were previously put on by a company called Star Entertainment, which appears to have recently rebranded to Lancelot Productions.
A website for Lancelot, still using a Star Entertainment URL, did not contain any contact information and links to the company’s social media were inactive.
However, on LinkedIn, Lancelot describes itself as a Portugal-based entertainment firm taking “audiences on extraordinary journeys through the power of live entertainment”.
“With a commitment to artistic excellence, Lancelot Productions has a reputation for bringing together world-class performers, innovative stage designs, and unforgettable storytelling. Each event is crafted with precision to inspire and delight audiences of all ages and backgrounds.”
A page for Star Entertainment remains live, though it claims the company is based in Berlin.
No contact details could be found for Lancelot Productions. Specific questions were sent to an email address linked to Star Entertainment, though no response was received at the time of publication.
Do you know more? Contact stewart.sowmanlund@stuff.co.nz
The Post also approached the two New Zealand venues set to host these musical events in May.
Venues Ōtautahi, which manages the James Hay Theatre where the performances will be staged, said it had not received any complaints about the forthcoming events.
“The shows have been performed many times since they were last in the country giving them the opportunity to refine their performance,” said chief executive Caroline Harvie-Teare.
“As with any events, we encourage our guests to do their own research and make their own decisions if they are interested in purchasing tickets for them.”
Neeraj Singh, general manager of the Lower Hutt Events Centre, said he was “aware” of some concerns around the forthcoming events and these have been referred directly to the event organiser. “We are currently awaiting their response,” he said.
“As the venue provider, we are not involved in the production, organisation or ticket sales for this event.”
Tickets for the events range from about $97 to $164.
Consumer NZ spokesperson Abby Damen said that fans may be entitled to compensation if the event doesn’t go ahead as advertised.
“So, if you book tickets to 'The Magical Music of Harry Potter - Live in Concert' because ads have created the impression that Matthew Lewis aka Neville Longbottom will be presenting live on stage, but he doesn't, we think you would be entitled to request a full refund,” she told The Post.
“You could also lodge a complaint with the Commerce Commission which may investigate. The business may also be liable for hefty fines if it's found guilty of misleading and deceptive conduct under the [Fair Trading Act].”
The Commerce Commission’s Vanessa Horne said anyone who has concerns about the events should lodge a complaint.
“The Commission is aware of the 2023 concerts, and the issues raised publicly by attendees.
“In general terms, words, pictures, or unfair sales practices that are likely to mislead or deceive must not be used when advertising a product or service.”