The Liberal Agenda - The Basement Auckland

Kia ora Basement whānau,Nau mai haere mai ki ngā whakaari hou i tēnei wiki!

In the Theatre, catch Firing the Canon – Play Reading Week, a free play reading series produced by Sam Brooks and presented by Smoke Labours Productions showcasing essential and exciting New Zealand plays with fresh interpretations by new and familiar artists.

In the Studio, Therapy: A Musical Comedy, the award-winning Kiwi musical that blends true crime fun facts, cult realisations, and intrusive thoughts with a heartfelt journey through mental health, all while making you laugh and reflect deeply. Also in the Studio, catch hilarious performances with Don’t Quit Your Day Job, Asian Comedy Takeover, and Bull Rush.

Mā te wā,
Basement Theatre x

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)

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Firing The Canon – Play Reading Week
08 – 12 July, 8pm. Theatre. Free. Firing the Canon presents a selection of plays from Aotearoa New Zealand’s massive back catalogue – plays that are important to our history, plays that represent the best of the best, and plays that are just plain cool – and pairs them up with Basement Theatre artists new and familiar. Some of these plays are having their Auckland debut, some their Basement debut, and some are old favourites having fresh and exciting new outings. The common theme? They’re all from New Zealand, and they speak not to just the history of theatre, but to our own history.The plays are:
Glide Time by Roger Hall (Tuesday July 8)
Smashed by Tāwhi Thomas (Wednesday July 9)
Rēwena by Whiti Hereaka (Thursday July 10)
The Packer by Dianna Fuemana (Friday July 11)
Cow by Jo Randerson (Saturday July 12)

All these readings are free, produced by arrangement with Playmarket NZ, and proudly supported by Auckland Council and the City Centre Targeted Rate.

Read more about this event: Why do so many New Zealand plays have such short lives?

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Don’t Quite Your Day Job
10 July, 8.30pm. Studio. Choose What You Pay. Which comedian can cut a job in the “real-world”?There’s plenty of people who will say ‘comedy isn’t a “real job”’ but this is the only show which tests comedians to see if they’re capable of doing anything else. Through a series of quizzes and improv situations all based around one area of work, each comic will be vying to see who can walk away with the Champions title of “Employee of the Month”.

Hoani Hotene hosts, while two teams of comedians know their knowledge and improv skills to show that they’re more than just punchlines and the rule of threes. If you enjoy shows like QI and Thank God You’re Here this is the show for you!

July’s Don’t Quit Your Day Job features:

Panel:
Janaye Henry
Courtney Dawson
Rhys Mathewson
Anthony Crum

Improvisers:
Bailey Poching
Rebecca Mary Gwendolyn
Luci Elisara

Theme:
Painters

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Asian Comedy Takeover
11 July, 8.30pm. Studio.The Asian Comedy Takeover is back for July! A line-up comedy night with some of your favourite Pan-Asian comedians in Tāmaki taking the stage at Basement Theatre. Hosted by Jess Karamjeet, with more acts to be announced!PACSA (Laughs) aka the Pan-Asian Comedy School Aotearoa, trains Pan-Asian creatives in the art of stand-up comedy. For more information, visit @pacsa_laughs on IG or jess-karamjeet.com

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Bull Rush
11 July, 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.

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The Ballad of Briar Grant
15 – 19 July, 6.30pm. Studio.Hayley’s whole life has always revolved around her best friend, Briar Grant. When their relationship abruptly combusts, Hayley finds herself unexpectedly shipped off to an orchard in the South of France. Stranded in the most beautiful place on Earth, the world seems to be playing a joke on her. The Kiwi woman she’s wound up working with is also named Briar Grant.The Ballad of Briar Grant is a new dramedy by Jack McGee, presented by Squash Co. Arts Collective, about two very sad divas taking it out on one another amongst the apple trees. Together they’ll play out decades old conflicts that have nothing and everything to do with each other.

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How To Art – Fundraiser Season
17 – 19 July, 8pm. Theatre.Winner of the NZ Fringe ‘Melbourne Fringe Tour Ready Award’ 2025, How to Art returns for three nights only!Two bananas wake up duct-taped to the wall of a prestigious art gallery and meet their maker. Three artists, two auctions, one audience… Will anyone get paid?

Birthed from the burnt-out brains of Katie Burson and Georgie Llewellyn, How to Art is a post-post-post-ironic-clown-fruit-mash-up about making art, surviving, and chasing mass a-peel. In a world that values youth, perfection and mass production, can two bruised bananas go the distance? Ripe with potential, can they find their place before they’re put up for sale?

Jesters, collectors, and narcissists reign in this low-brow exploration of the cost of creativity and the art of living.

You’ll never eat a ladyfinger the same way again. (We certainly can’t).

Find out how starving these artists truly are. Watch out, Picasso.

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Throwing Pains: Poems by Claudia Jardine and Friends
17 July, 8.30pm. Studio.First, she brought you Biter, and now she’s bringing you… something that’s still kinda taking shape.Come join Ōtautahi-based poet Claudia Jardine as she shares some new work that might make you want to throw up, but that’s growth.

In a show of solidarity, fellow poets Amber Esau and Sophie van Waardenberg have agreed to come along as special guest readers for this hour of poetry. Bless them.

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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.

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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!