Nau mai, haere mai ki te pānui o Basement Theatre – pānuitia mō ngā whakaari hou koutou!
Get ready for a non-stop lineup of hilarious, bold, and unforgettable comedy as part of the NZ International Comedy Festival. Whether you’re into stand-up, sketch, or something a little weirder, there’s something for everyone hitting the stage. Grab your mates, book your tickets, and come catch the funniest acts lighting up Basement all week long. You don’t want to miss this.
Mā te wā,
Basement Theatre x
Femmes and Thems Comedy
6 May, 9.30pm. Theatre.A fire line-up of women, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming funny folk will come together for two nights only across Auckland and Wellington to celebrate comedy in all its forms!
Bull Rush and Friends
9, 12 & 23 May, 10.45pm. Theatre.As seen in their award-winning regular show every Friday at Basement Theatre. Expect new games played, new stories told, and new music made up on the spot each week. With a roster of Tāmaki Makaurau’s most talented, award-winning performers, it’s always sure to be a riot when you rush with the Bulls!
Itay Dom: Crowd Pleaser
10 & 24 May, 10.45pm. Theatre.Always wanted to chat to your favourite comedians? Now you can! After a SOLD OUT run in the 2024 New Zealand International Comedy Festival, CROWD PLEASER is back! Watch the funniest comedians improvise and riff based on your suggestions! Witness as they pull punchlines out of thin air and wow you with their off-the-cuff wit. Just don’t forget to pick up your jaw from the floor on your way out. Hosted by Itay Dom (Guy Mont-Spelling Bee, The Bachelorette).
Olga Koch: Comes From Money 6-8 May, 6.30pm. Theatre.From the maker of Succession and White Lotus, Money™ brings you yet another little white bitch you will love to hate: Olga Koch. The star of Live At The Apollo, Mock The Week and QI finally addresses the elephant in the room. Directed by Jet Vevers.
- Sponsor Promotion -
WINNER – Best Radio Comedy, Writer’s Guild Awards (UK), 2022
LONG-LISTED – Best Stand Up Show, National Comedy Awards (UK), 2021
Henry Yan: Dancing Is Just Physical Talking So Let’s Make A Podcast
6-10 May, 8.30pm. Studio.Henry Yan is an award winning comedian, having won the national comedy competition in Australia and participating in the prestigious ‘Comedy Zone’ for Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2024, he is excited to unleash his unique brand of stand up comedy for Aotearoa! His show will include a wide range of topics from his dating experiences, rejoining the workforce after a year of unemployment and random observations like dancing is just physical talking. It’s gonna be so fun and awkward!
Alice May Connolly
6, 7 & 10 May, 7pm. Studio.Don’t let the sexy, wet picture fool you; Box is based on a previous show Alice made during a rather tumultuous time in her life when her mum died, her boyfriend broke up with her, and her bike got stolen.
Box is a strange romp through the dark and fantastical waters of memory, featuring her…box.
WINNER – Best Newcomer, NZ International Comedy Festival 2019
Raul Kohli: A British Hindu’s Guide To The Universe
6-8 May, 8pm. Theatre.Raul Kohli is an award-winning comedian from Newcastle, England who has gigged all over the World and is finally making his debut in New Zealand. Having been the star of his own BBC Sounds podcast (Comic Sanskrit), he is fluent in Hindu scripture, yoga & meditation, But having been raised British he knows inner peace can also be found in a few beers with the boys or a wild one-night stand. In this show, Raul explores meaning in life & what you should do when you lose it.
Brynley Stent: Bonetown
7-10 May, 9.30pm. Theatre.Get ready for a wild night as five of the festival’s top comedians take on Bonetown, an outrageous game like no other. Hosted by the devilish Brynley Stent (Taskmaster NZ, 7 Days), comedians will battle wits and desires to decide what everyone in the room most wants to bone. From Deep Heat™ to fresh sheets, nothing is off the table in this chaotic panel-meets-game show. Expect big laughs, heated debates, and surprises in the ultimate showdown of desire!
Alayne Dick: Purple Is The Gayest Colour
7-10 May, 9.45pm. Studio.Alayne never forgets an insult, in fact she wrote a whole show about it. Come see Alayne’s comedy show about growing up queer in rural New Zealand, reading fanfiction on dial-up internet, being a walking stereotype (a librarian with terrible eyesight who is very hot), and finally, becoming a Bunnings gay.
Sean Collier: Write-off
8&9 May, 7pm. Studio.Notorious Kiwi Comedian Sean Collier brings his debut solo show “Write-Off” to NZ after a successful run at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
“Irreverent and brazen, but highly entertaining” – My Melbourne Arts
“Delinquency, orgies and shoplifting” – Wellington Theatre Review
Emma Holland: Don’t Touch My Trinkets
9-10 May, 8pm. Theatre.Let me take you on a tour through my personal gallery, there’s all kinds of treasures and wares. No touching, no oversized bags, no fountain pens and no flash photography (unless I look really good).
Nominee – Most Outstanding Show, Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2023
Jack Ansett: Looks Like A Bit Of Me!
9-10 May, 6.30pm. Theatre.Holy smokes, would you look at that? A brand new comedy show by hilarious comedian Jack Ansett. Looks like a bit of me…
Johanna Cosgrove: Sweetie
13 – 17 May, 8pm. Theatre. JOHANNA COSGROVE IS BACK AND MORE CONFUSED THAN EVER! After one tumultuous month in Melbourne in 2024, she returned to NZ no longer straight and, after a family secret was unearthed, no longer as white as she once thought she was.
AS SEEN ON MADAM (TV3)
WINNER – Most Unhinged Show, NZICF 2024
Liv Parker: Requiem For Year 13
13 – 17 May, 7pm. Studio. RIP HIGH SCHOOL – GONE BUT NEVER FORGOTTEN.
2009 – 2013 were some of the most vulnerable years of our lives.
Liv Parker returns after her award winning debut to take you on a wild trip down the warped memory lane of an all girls single sex high school experience through her own unique and passionate story telling with theatrical flair. Revealing the good, the bad, the ugly and the straight up horrifying;
Horny junior dances, school camps, the vicious rumour mill, electric stage challenge performances and above all the intense power and curse of female friendships.
“A singular talent of rare charisma” – The Spinoff
WINNER – Director’s Choice, NZ International Comedy Festival 2023
As seen on Educators TVNZ+
Takashi Wakasugi: Comedy Samurai
13 – 17 May, 8.30pm. Studio. Japanese comedy boy Takashi thinks stand-up comedy is similar to samurai. You are always alone on the stage. Kill or die. Better to be sharp and quick but also think about the space and the distance. It looks simple but is complicated. Thinking a lot but pretend to think nothing. Sensitive and timid like a cat but solid and fearless like a large cloud. Please don’t miss any strokes of his jokes and souls. As seen on the Gala, Thank God You’re Here & Taskmaster Australia
Abby Howells: Welcome To My Dream
13 – 17 May, 6.30pm & 5pm. Theatre. Welcome to Abby’s dream.
Abby Howells takes you on a journey into her own mind. In many ways, she has everything she ever wanted. She’s a comedian full-time! She lives in the big city (well, Auckland is big for New Zealand)! And in a ‘game-changing’ move, she just bought some new outdoor furniture… But alas, there is still much that plagues her.
Abby Howells is best known for competing on season five of Taskmaster NZ, and winning NZ comedy’s prestigious Billy T Award in 2023.
Liv McKenzie and Evie Orpe: Hot 2 Go!!
14-17 May, 9.45pm. Studio. It’s the hot and spicy combo that 2025 has been ordering! Liv & Evie, Evie & Liv, this is like two sides of the same pizza. This split bill will present some side-splitting laughter! Evie (TAHI, News2Me, and featured on John Oliver’s Last Week Tonight) has been killing it wherever she performs, while Liv (7 Days, Have You Been Paying Attention?) has been one of the most exciting comics in Aotearoa recently, with TV appearances and more live shows than toppings on pizza. Get your favs together!
Live Reel: DogBar Bigdreams
14 May, 9.30m. Theatre.Coyotes assemble! It’s time to mount the bar, set it on fire, and reach for your dreams. Join Live Reel host Nicky Vella and six crack-up comedians as they perform the cult classic flick Coyote Ugly completely from memory, in just 60 chaotic minutes. Will Jersey’s music dreams come true? Will John Goodman stick to eating healthy? Will anyone try to fight the moonlight? It all depends on if the cast can remember this movie at all. It’s improv at its best for one night only.
Anthony Crum, Bailey Poching: On The Shoulders Of Giants
15-17 May, 9.30pm. Theatre. What’s the hardest you’ve ever laughed in your entire life? Prepare to change your answer. In 2025, Bailey and Crum present “On the Shoulders of Giants” an education in comedy and success. With the confidence and pizazz of ten confident and pizazzy men – the Daring Duet bring you an all-new original masterpiece from their twisted but also deeply thoughtful minds. Barriers will be broken, lines will be crossed, undies will be soiled (number 1’s AND 2’s). Learn to unleash the comedic power within.
Wife Guys
17 May, 10.45pm. Theatre. Wife Guys is a drag/comedy show where female and non-binary comedians do a set as a male comedian. Wife Guys is hilarious, unexpected, and outrageous. Come and watch the most unhinged lineup the festival has to offer.
Lesa MacLeod-Whiting: Rebellina
20 – 24 May, 8.30pm. Studio. Rebellina [noun] cheeky lil rebel.
Determined to impress and positively influence her strong-willed daughter, Lesa MacLeod-Whiting is a Rebellina with a cause. From her literal baptism in a hot tub (while wearing Canterbury pants, thank you very much) to taking on tailgaters, this is a jam-packed hour full of characters, niche references and live wire tales of small acts of rebellion as Lesa learns to stand up for herself. “She owns her stage” – Stuff.co.nz Directed by Zach Mandeville.
Billy T Award Nominee, 2025 NZ International Comedy Festival
