The Liberal Agenda - Basement Theatre Auckland

Kia ora Basement whānau,Aue, e hika ma! Titiro koutou ki ngā whakaari i tēnei wiki!

In the Theatre, immerse yourself in HAU Festival: SURVIVE, a powerful collection of three solo performances by queer Aotearoa artists exploring identity, authenticity, and the vibrant spectrum of LGBTQiA2+. Also, prepare for an unforgettable Friday night as Bull Rush, the award-winning improv group, delivers never-before-seen comedy, all with live improvised music.

In the Studio, choose wisely and take the red pill to witness Live Reel: Red-Pill No-Spoon, where six comedians hilariously attempt to recreate The Matrix from memory, live and unscripted. Get your fix of LOLGBTS at No Homo: Queer Comedy also in the Studio, for a guaranteed laugh with Aotearoa’s best LGBTIQ+ comedians!

Mā te wā,
Basement Theatre x

HAU Festival: SURVIVE
24-28 June, 7pm. Theatre.SURVIVE features three solo performances by queer Aotearoa artists, each delving into themes of identity, authenticity, and navigating the trials and triumphs of a life within the diverse LGBTQiA2+ spectrum.These shows* include:

– ESCAPING, a gay exposé about living, loving, losing and learning. Written and performed by Adam Burrell. A development season of this show was presented at BATS Wellington in April.

– PRAY, a gay exposé about faith, fa’ataupati, fellas and fellatio. Written and performed by Vincent Farane.

– LADY SINGS THE OOO’S, a gay exposé with oooh’s and aaah’s, and ew’s and nah’s. Written and performed by Nanu Turner-Sarah.

*1 ticket gains entry to all 3 shows

Book Now

Live Reel: Red-Pill No-Spoon
25 June, 8.30pm. Studio.This month Live Reel offers you two choices. Take the blue pill and stay home doom-scrolling. Take the red pill – and witness six comedians attempt to recreate a feature-length movie from memory live onstage in 75 minutes.Choose wisely. The Arts are in jeopardy.

This June Live Reel presents Red-Pill No-Spoon – a completely improvised and misremembered retelling of the sci-fi classic The Matrix by people who recall loving it 25 years ago and some people who will watch it for the first time the night before.

Will there be bullet time? Will a bald child say ‘there is no spoon?’ Will we figure out what The Architect was on about? It completely depends if our cast can remember. And if they don’t, hopefully we will have a metal neck rod on the side of stage they can jam into their spines to download the plot directly into their brains. And also Kung Fu.

Join us on June 25 – No script, no rehearsal, no spoons. Just one glitchy night of comedy.

Book Now

No Homo: Queer Comedy
27 June, 8.30pm. Studio.No Homo: Queer Comedy is Aotearoa’s cult-favourite comedy show featuring a rotating line-up of the best LGBTIQ+ comedians our country has to off er! Come and get your fix of LOLGBTS, it’ll be a gay old time!

Book Now

Bull Rush
27 June, 10pm. Studio.No Friday night will ever be the same again.With a roster of Tāmaki Makaurau’s best and brightest performers, expect spit-take- worthy gags, epic stories, heartbreaking tales, and live improvised music at Bull Rush.

So gather your mates for a night of never before seen, totally made up, improvised comedy every Rāmere Friday.

Mess with the bull, feel the rush.

Since 2020, Bull Rush have been making it up as they go. With several seasons (Jingle Bull(Rush), Ghoul Rush, 1822) under their belt, these self-professed improv nerds know how to put on a bloody good show.

Winners of Best Improv Group at the 2024 NZ Comedy Guild Awards, among other accolades (not to brag.

Book Now

F.ART!
01 – 05 July, 6.30pm. Studio. Choose What You Pay.YOU’RE INVITED TO BAIN’S THREE-YEAR INTERVENTION ANNIVERSARY!Come one, come all
You are invited
Dress your best
And get excited

There’ll be poems
Raro and laughter
You may not want to see me
After

Come all, come none
Come and see
The angel of sobriety

And raise a toast
With empty glass
To lies that died
And dreams that passed

F.ART! is a poetry-based variety show, exploring the seductive grip of addiction. Ben is desperate to reclaim a happy, healthy life. The chaotic cowboy Shane, fully immersed in the lifestyle Ben is trying to escape, does everything to change his mind. Their clash forms a spectacle of poems, arguments, shanties, and (un)professional wrestling, as they confront their conflicting approaches to addiction and art.

Book Now

Therapy: A Musical Comedy
08 – 12 July, 6.30pm. Studio. True crime fun facts, realising you joined a cult and boldly announcing your intrusive thoughts. Yeah – we sing about these things.A one (and a half) woman musical following a woman’s visits to therapy with the hope of a quick fix for dizzy-spells. Instead, she spends a few sessions dodging serious questions, laughing about being human, and finally addressing the loss of a parent.

THERAPY is an original, Kiwi musical based on real events. The show discusses mental illness, suicide, sexual assault, and uses strong language.

WINNER: New Zealand Fringe Touring Award (2024)
NOMINEE: Best in Fringe (Dunedin Fringe 2024), Best Comedy (Dunedin Fringe 2024)

Book Now

How can I support Basement Theatre? Donations help us keep advocating for artists. Becoming a Basement Lover or a Basement Mate is the best way you can continually support us – and you get some bonus treats too!