The Liberal Agenda – Basement Theatre

Join burlesque artist and comedian Lily Catastrophe in her award-winning debut BOTTOM SURGERY, a one-woman, semi-autobiographical variety show about trying to get bottom surgery in Aotearoa.

Enter Lily Catastrophe’s world of boys’ schools and girl failures as she explains all the parts you didn’t want to know about The Surgery through raunchy performance, outrageous storytelling, and confessional intimacy.

Part-memoir and part-plea for accessible trans healthcare in Aotearoa, BOTTOM SURGERY is an exuberant celebration of trans bodies on stage that details the wins, losses, and the plain confusing parts of living as a transgender woman.

Join James and a stellar lineup of comedians as they perform sets, tributes, and roasts in his honour before James closes the night with a headline performance of his own. It’s part birthday party, part variety show, part ego trip – and you’re invited.

Featuring:
Liv McKenzie (MC)
Ray O’Leary
Jack Ansett
James Malcolm
Melanie Bracewell
Maria Williams
Janet Mustapic

And more surprises to be announced!

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).

At this very special fundraiser, not only will you see “the film about Basement” at Basement… it’s gonna be in 4D!!! This immersive cinematic experience will feature special guests and interactive moments that will transport you to the “fictional” world of “The Crystal Ballroom”.

Workmates is a love-letter to the Tāmaki theatre community and to Basement Theatre by writer and actor Sophie Henderson and producer Sam Snedden. Much of the film is based on Sophie’s own experiences of running Basement, her friendship with her workmate Sam, and the “desperate things” they did to keep the space open.

Lucy and Tom are best mates running a tiny, broke theatre. When an accident forces them to shut down and Tom threatens to leave, Lucy realises she would do anything to save the theatre and keep her friend… who she might be in love with.

Come celebrate Basement and reminisce on the crazy things that may or may not have happened to keep it open.

Across the night, catch live performances from Lijah Mavaega and Chance of Sun, DJ sets from Adoration and basmami, plus lush AV from Studio Auspicious lighting up the room. Sink into happy hour, jump on the mic for karaoke glory and keep your eyes peeled for more announcements coming soon.

Grab your mates and get a little silly with us.

The dreamy duo of Merlia de Ridder and Austyn Mills blend classical roots with moody modern pop, weaving rich, folk-inspired textures into their sound. In this performance, Merlia & Austyn will put their unique spin on favourite Christmas classics, share original works, and revisit songs that have shaped their musical journeys.

With a background in acting and musical theatre, Merlia brings each song to life through storytelling and a touch of dramatic flair. Austyn, a seasoned multi-instrumentalist, draws on years of songwriting experience with his Whangārei-based band, Otium.

Together, they’re currently working toward writing and recording their debut album — a new chapter in their creative partnership.

This time, forget the hassle of registering teams — just show up, take a seat, and throw yourself into a gloriously silly showdown of music, mischief, and LIVE PERFORMANCE. Backed by a full band, get ready for Nomi to belt out everything from disco anthems to rock classics, Broadway tunes to Kiwi crowd-pleasers, while the room battles it out for glory, glittering rewards… and the chance to snag cheeky spot prizes along the way.

It’s a brand-new format, and your chance to help shape the future of the quiz. Who knows what will work, what will flop, and what will descend into beautiful chaos? Only one way to find out…

Let’s get quizzical!

We’re putting a festive twist on our improv for the silly season. Grab your gladrags and gather your mates for two nights of never-before-seen, totally made-up, improvised comedy.

It’s your last chance to see this herd of Tāmaki Makaurau’s best and brightest performers before the year is out. Bull Rush is always a bucking good time.

The world’s heating up, going wild, and Hoani Hotene is trying to get through it all with what…? Jokes Yep.

Hoani brings his personal style of comedy in a show about finding your place and getting by in a crazy world. See one of Aotearoa’s best up-and-coming comedians talk about ‘What Now?’ at his kura kaupapa, trying to grow up at 30, and honestly a bunch of other good stuff.

This silly season Live Reel is here to spread their own brand of chaotic Christmas cheer as a line-up of some of Auckland’s best comedians perform three of your favourite holiday films live from memory!

Thursday 4th – HouseSwap Holiday (The Holiday)
Thursday 11th – Culkin Takes Manhattan (Home Alone 2)
Saturday 13th – McClane on a Plane (Die Hard 2)

And best of all, like a rigged secret santa, the power is in your hands! Follow @livereelnz on instagram where you can nominate and vote for your favourite Christmas movies – ultimately deciding which of the classics we’ll bring to the stage.

Three nights! Three different Chrissy classics! Three nights of guaranteed laughs.

Hosted by Nicky Vella.
Starring a line-up of special guests to be announced.

It’s Christmas in Bonetown, and we’re all on the naughty list. Join the devilish Brynley Stent (Taskmaster NZ, 7 Days) as she hosts a special Christmas return of the New Zealand International Comedy Festival hit Bonetown.

Get ready for a wild night as some of New Zealand’s best comedians take on an outrageous live gameshow like no other – battling wits and desires to decide what everyone in the room most wants to bone.

From a perfectly cooked Christmas ham, Santa bringing you what you asked for when you were sitting on his lap, or a meal where your family just get along for once. No desires are off the table. Expect big laughs, heated debates, and surprises in the ultimate Bonetown showdown.

Hosted by Brynley Stent
Presented by The Push

Choose Your Own (Boxing Day) Adventure! is an interactive improv show from Improverished, the beloved theatre company behind such shows as It’s Alive! and Can I Get an Underground Location and a Mythical Creature?

It’s time to build a new holiday story, and what better way to do it than together.

Come for the holiday vibes, stay for the chaos as 3 of Tāmaki’s most delightful improvisors bring this new story of Boxing Day to life.

Featuring Jess Karamjeet with a fun festive jingle that’s ready to be your earworm for the silly season…

Also joining XMAS ACT is Anjula Prakash, RAW comedy favourite and graduate of PACSA, back from Japan and ready to shake things up.

Henry Cheung is gearing up for comedy festival seasons in 2026, and he’s sharpening his best material just for you.

Vasu Premkumar delighted audiences at ACT in 2024, and this year will be no different.

And last but not least, firm favourite Annie Xuo is back after her side-splitting MC spot in July!

Tickets are Choose What You Pay from $8 – The Ruckus is for all! All profits go back into making each Ruckus bigger than the last, so if you can afford a bit more on your ticket, it goes a long way.

So invite your adventuring party, buy some ticks, and we’ll see you down at The Ruckus!

For starters, you’ll be served up a piping hot tasting tray of Improv Soup! Let the Head Chef tantalise your comedic tastebuds as they lead a team of budding Sous Chefs to compete head-to-head in improvised scenes, competing for -you guessed it- SOUP. Only one improvisor is the winner, but everyone takes home soup.

For mains, it’s a smorgasbord of queer chaos with the variety show Can’t Think Straight! Comedians, Muso’s, Drag Artists and Theatre-Makers take the stage however they want and serve you piping hot talent in this unashamedly queer, experimental Variety show.

And you best believe you’ll be ordering dessert because everyone’s fave Comedy lineup show, Femmes & Thems, is here to leave you with something sweet from some of Aotearoa’s Women & Gender-nonconforming Comedians!

Whether you join us for one course or for all three, we can’t wait to have you join us for the Comedy Culture Holiday Feast.

(p.s. in case our writing was too evocative, this is just to make it VERY clear the feast is ART and COMEDY and unless you win SOUP during Improv Soup there isn’t a food-based feast happening at these shows)

Tuesday – Improv Soup (improv)
Wednesday – Can’t Think Straight (variety show)
Thursday – Femmes and Thems (comedy)

There will be food, games, presents and stories. This isn’t your standard line up show, this is a holiday hug, as our friends new and old share what Christmas means to them.

Join us for an evening of feasting, frivolity, and Christmas comedy.

Hosted by Bailey Poching
With Special Guests (to be announced)
Presented by The Push