The Liberal Agenda – Basement Theatre in Auckland

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

In the Theatre, experience the wild, witty world of Ranggheli: The Bhavai Saga lighting up the stage with bold Gujarati storytelling. Also, catch Bull Rushstorm the stage this Friday for your weekly improv comedy fix.

In the Studio, catch Josiah Morgan and Elisa Jones in William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. After a sellout tour, these two powerhouse actors are bringing Shakespeare’s political thriller to life at Basement.

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In the Foyer, come celebrate the launch of our Spring 2025 season at Basement Theatre. Join us this Friday at 5pm for live music, kai, and good vibes as we celebrate the bold artists bringing the heat to Basement this Spring!

Mā te wā,
Basement Theatre x

William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar
22 – 26 July, 6.30pm. Studio. Choose What You Pay. After sellout shows around Te Waipounamu, just two actors perform Shakespeare’s most celebrated history play.Julius Caesar is all-powerful after a string of military and political successes. Plans are set into motion to make Julius Caesar an Emperor … and Caesar’s friends gather to discuss their fears. They hatch a plan to assassinate Caesar … who will take up Caesar’s mantle? Who will retain their honour? Shall Rome stand under one woman’s awe?Starring Elisa Jones and Josiah Morgan as boldly reimagined by Khalil Qualls, this production is a thrilling exploration of corruption and power in a divided political world. Don’t miss your chance to see this Shakespearean classic as you’ve never seen it before.

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Ranggheli: The Bhavai Saga
22 – 26 July, 8pm. Theatre.A monk and a courtesan switch souls in this riotous, soul-shaking satire based on a 7th-century Sanskrit farce. Sacred meets scandal in this fearless Gujarati folk theatre experience—Bhavai unleashed! By Shailesh PrajapatiGujarati Sahitya Mandal NZ Inc. is a non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting Gujarati language, literature, and performing arts in Aotearoa. Since 2016, the group has brought over a dozen original and adapted Gujarati productions to New Zealand stages. Led by Shailesh Prajapati—a seasoned filmmaker, director, and Bhavai-trained artist—the group supports emerging South Asian artists and preserves traditional storytelling through bold contemporary performance.Please note: All performances of Rangelli: The Bhavai Saga are presented entirely in Gujarati

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Spring Season 2025 Launch Party
25 July, 5pm. Foyer/Bar.Come Celebrate the Launch of our Spring 2025 season at Basement TheatreMatariki has now passed through our skies, the days are getting longer, and Spring is just around the corner. We are so utterly excited to share the 2025 Spring Season with you… that we’re putting on a party!On Friday July 25 Basement Theatre will be throwing a special launch party to unveil our Spring Season for 2025. There’ll be live music, kai, and Happy Hour specials – all put together to celebrate the phenomenal Spring artists and our incredible Basement community who support them.

Want a teaser? From September 2, the 2025 Spring Season will be filled with risk-taking independent artists putting on big bold works – just how we like it. There will be Puppets! Comedy! Controlled Chaos! Music! Sex Talk! Dancing! Spooky Halloween Vibes! Plus so much more.

Come join us at the Spring Season Launch Party, 5pm to 6:30pm, Friday July 25 at Basement Theatre to raise a glass to all the artists putting their hearts on the line this Spring Season and kanikani those winter blues away! Following the party, there is a stacked lineup of Winter Season shows on in the Theatre and Studio – so stick around and make it a night out at Basement.

We can’t wait to see you there!

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Bull Rush
25 July, 10pm. Theatre.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.

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My AI Twin
29 July – 02 Aug, 6.30pm. Studio.Xan, an elected councillor to local government, is making a bid for the mayoralty of her city. Overwhelmed by the demands of campaigning in a world dominated by social media she decides to use an AI twin as an online physical presence to connect with more people.Through comedy and irony, the play explores the challenges, particularly for women, of standing for election, the ethics of using AI twins which digitally replicate real people, and the pressures of campaigning in an age of social media. This is all particularly topical as we come into local body elections in September.Shirin Brown has written and directed a number of short plays. #Me Not was performed at the Short and Sweet Festival and the Waiheke Short Play Festival and was highly commended by the New Zealand Playwright’s Association. This is her first feature length play and we’re excited to see it premiere at the Basement.

There will be a Q+A on both Thursday and Friday night straight after the performance at 7.30pm.

Thursday Q+A: Cast and Crew
Friday Q+A: Surprise guest discussion about women in politics and local government elections.

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Man Lessons
29 July – 02 Aug, 6.30pm. Theatre.For nearly a decade, feature-length documentary Man Lessons has been in production following Adam Rohe’s gender transition.Now, Adam (he/they) steps into the driver’s seat of the storytelling, combining intimate documentary footage with live storytelling to bring you a wild, earnest behind-the-scenes.What began as the chronicling of Adam’s gender transition became something messier – a vulnerable exploration of identity, friendship, and what it means to grow into personhood.

This is a coming-of-age story that transcends the patriarchy, values wellbeing over sanity, and absolves you of the pressure to ‘just be yourself’.

New Playwright of the Year nominee – Wellington Theatre Awards, 2022
Spotlight Award nominee – Whangarei Fringe, 2022

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Live Reel: Casinoheist Angrygarcia
30 July, 8.30pm. Studio.This month, Live Reel is headed to Vegas baybay!!!We’re rolling the dice to see whether six comedians can recreate a feature-length movie from memory live onstage in 75 minutes.This July Live Reel presents CasinoHeist AngryGarcia– a completely improvised and misremembered retelling of Ocean’s Eleven by people who recall loving it 25 years ago and some people who will watch it for the first time the night before.

Come along on July 30th for a night of hilarity, heist planning, and Ross and Monica’s Dad helping Clooney and Pitt win big!

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Hot New Jokes
1 August, 8.30pm. Studio.Hot New Jokes is back by popular demand after a sold-out show in March! Get ready for a night of fresh material and bold new bits from some of Aotearoa’s finest comedy talent. Hosted by the hilarious Itay Dom, with sets from crowd favourites Tom Sainsbury, Pax Assadi, Courtney Dawson and more!Line up:
Itay Ben-Dom (MC)
Courtney Dawson
Tom Sainsbury
Pax Assadi
Angella Dravid
Jack Ansett
James Mustapic

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Tafatolu
12 – 16 August, 8pm. Theatre.‘Tafatolu’- is a visceral, musical, and physical adaptation of the stories passed down from our tupuna, tuaā, and fanga-kui. Stories born from Pasifika mythology inspired by the traditional samoan theatre style of fale aitu. Venturing into a realm unknown we bear witness to the awakening of our ancestral knowledge and gods who have lied dormant within us awaiting their turn to dance!

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GUIDO: A Play Reading
13 August, 8.30pm. Studio.One room. One night. One reckoning.Set in 1920s Dunedin during the height of New Zealand’s colonial legacy, Guido is a taut two-hander that traps two men in a private study—while the echoes of a high-society party hum just beyond the door. Over the course of a single night, memories rise, power shifts, and the truth presses in from all sides.Performed in the raw intimacy of Basement Theatre, Guido is a claustrophobic descent into memory, guilt, and the long shadow of power. What happens when the past comes back—uninvited?

A haunting queer, migrant, and POC-centred story of survival, silence, and reckoning—set in 1920s Aotearoa.

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Mother Is A Daughter Is A Mother
14-16 August, 6.30pm. Studio.WHO ARE YOU IN RELATION TO ME?Exploiting what it means to be a Mother,
when you are still a Daughter.
Birthing art as a result of fermentation.
Inducing labour in the hope of catharsis.Mother. Daughter.
Pulsing to the tune of destruction and restoration.
A portrait of life creation.
Or is it art creation?
Probably neither.

MDM explores the outside concepts of Motherhood and Art.
Prepare to be cradled, confronted and confused (???)

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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!