The Liberal Agenda - Basement Theatre Auckland

Kia ora Basement whānau,Nau mai, haere mai ki te pānui o Basement Theatre – pānuitia mō ngā whakaari hou koutou!

In the Theatre, catch Monster Of The Week and dive into the neon camp of 90s TV and a cult meta-horror as the show blends obsession, demons, and blurring reality, presented by the talented ATC Youth Company and A Slightly Isolated Dog. And, don’t miss Bull Rush for your weekly dose of improv comedy.

In the Studio, catch Abby Howells: Welcome To My Dream for an hour of hilarious, insightful, and endearingly quirky comedy as she sets out to vanquish her enemies! Also, catch the Akane Concert: A Journey Through the Soul of Japan and experience an unforgettable evening where traditional Japanese melodies featuring shamisen, shinobue, and wadaiko drums meet modern, electrifying expression.

Mā te wā,
Basement Theatre x

Monster Of The Week with ATC Youth Company And A Slightly Isolated Dog
01 – 04 October, 7pm. Theatre. Choose What You Pay.ATC Youth Company presents
MONSTER OF THE WEEK by A Slightly Isolated Dog
1 – 4 October 2025 | Basement TheatreWhat begins as ironic binge-watching slips into obsession.In the cult 90s teen series Monster of the Week, a new girl battled demons, mean girls, and the apocalypse — one episode at a time.

Decades later, five friends in Auckland discover the long-lost VHS tapes. As they binge through the night, the neon camp of 90s TV begins to seep into their own lives.

Monster of the Week drifts between eras, genres, and realities — a cult meta-horror and a study of the stories we carry with us.

Written and directed by A Slightly Isolated Dog (Our Own Little Mess, Jekyll & Hyde) Monster of the Week will be brought to life by Auckland Theatre Company’s Youth Company.

Selling Fast! Book Now

Akane
04 October, 5.30pm. Studio. Koha Entry. Experience the Spirit of Tradition, Reimagined.Step into a world where ancient melodies meet the pulse of modern expression.Join Akane, Auckland’s own Japanese traditional music ensemble, for an unforgettable evening of sound, rhythm, and culture.

Formed in 2018, Akane brings together the haunting vocals of a Utaite, the electrifying energy of the Tsugaru shamisen, the delicate notes of the Shinobue bamboo flute, and the thunderous heartbeat of Wadaiko drums. Each performance is a powerful blend of authenticity and innovation— celebrating Japan’s rich folk heritage while infusing it with Akane’s bold, distinctive style.

Koha Entry

Abby Howells: Welcome to My Dream
03 – 04 October, 8pm. Studio.Welcome to Abby’s dream.This is a return and filming of Abby’s show “Welcome to My 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.

Life is agony, as they say, hahaha! Abby has many enemies and they will be vanquished. How? By talking about them in a comedy show? Probably not, but that’s what is going to happen.

Abby Howells is best known for coming last on season five of Taskmaster NZ, but she gave it a really good go. She won NZ comedy’s prestigious Billy T Award in 2023 and can also be seen on Guy Montgomery’s Guy Mont Spelling Bee, Comedians Giving Lectures and 7 Days.

Book Now

Bull Rush
3 October, 10pm. Theatre. Choose What You Pay.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

Epic Way! I’m Gay? Oui oui faguette™ I LOVE KIM HILL (1999 version)
07 – 11 October, 6.30pm. Studio. Choose What You Pay*cue Radio New Zealand bulletin*”RNZ News at 8 o’clock. Kia ora, I’m Kim Hill. We have breaking news this morning from Te Whanganui-a-Tara. Liv Ward has been reported missing. They were last seen at your mum’s house.”JOIN THE LOBSTER (and Liv) ON A COMEDIC, AND BORDERLINE TRANSCENDENT JOURNEY FROM THE SOUTHERN NECROPOLIS OF TE UMUKAHA (TEMUKA), INTO UTOPIAN FAGUETTEDOM™. LED BY EVERYONE’S FAVOURITE SPIRITUAL GUARDIAN/RADIO NZ HOST, KIM HILL, WILL THE LOBSTER FIND LIV BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE? IS LIV A FAGUETTE™? AND WILL KIM HILL FINALLY DEFEAT MIKE HOSKING TO WIN BROADCASTER OF THE YEAR?

Friday 10th October is a relaxed performance with reduced capacity and will be audio described by Audio Described Aotearoa.

Book Now

Perry
07 – 11 October, 8pm. TheatreLots of individuals in society today are FEEBLE-MINDED. They don’t know what the HELL is going on.Some people don’t know the difference between a PRECIOUS JEWEL and a piece of animal turd. Their ideas are MEANINGLESS, and will believe ANYTHING put in front of them.Maybe YOU are one of these people?

Perry has a FULLY-COMPOSED WORLD VIEW. He has STRONG opinions about EVERYTHING. And his ideas are presented IN PERSON using AUTHENTIC MIME that you can trust.

In 50 minutes (the PERFECT show length) Perry will HELP you.

You are WELCOME.

Book Now

Backwards In High Heels
14 – 18 October, 8pm. TheatreWhat was once a devilish orgy is now a way of walking.
Jorge Luis BorgesA middle-class couple learn tango but the dance has a surprising effect on their comfortable lives.Backwards in High Heels is a twenty-first-century comedy of manners about what may politely be called mature relationships.

Holly and Jonathon are well off and bored. Holly decides to learn tango and meets Marta, a mysterious woman, who introduces both her and Jonathon to the animal world of tango.

Dancing is dangerous, it has the power to disturb, subvert and confront, and it puts us in touch with the very rhythms of life.

Book Now

Caterpillars and Butterflies
16 – 18 October, 6.30pm. Studio. Choose What You Pay.We learn, we grow, we create. Somehow, despite everything around us – or maybe because of it.Now if you’re still reading this tiny text, you’ll be interested to know that Jonathan Vanderhoorn (Bull Rush, Late Night Knife Fight, Improverished) is making his solo theatrical debut as part of Basement’s Spring Season.Half observational comedy, half autobiography, half critique, half celebration, he seamlessly blends these four halves together in an hour of original music and monologue. At the time of writing, it’s not finished yet – but he assured himself it’ll be pretty good when it’s done. You should come and see it.

Book Now

Support Basement Theatre, supporting artists, supporting a vibrant Tāmaki Makaurau.

Basement Theatre is where the ideas, artists and arts leaders of tomorrow are being formed. We are hell-bent on supporting artists to develop their craft and build sustainable careers. We need your help to make this happen and there are a number of easy ways you can support us.

You can choose to make a one-off donation or set up a recurring donation to support our mission for a sustainable sector.