A Master of None: Brown Fala is a personal exploration by Lila Crichton into the art forms that have shaped and raised him--drawing deeply from Samoan roots and the rich influences of Māori and Black culture. Through original music, movement, and storytelling, this show celebrates healing, renewal, and the power of community. Inspired by the intricate art of mat-making, or "fala," it's both a tribute to tradition and a call to adaptation and sustainability.

Created for the diaspora, A Master of None: Brown Fala honors the beautiful cultures that have supported our existence and survival. With a multidisciplinary ensemble, the performance blends traditional and contemporary influences, inviting audiences into a shared experience of connection, cultural pride, and transformation.

This show offers an authentic, heartfelt look into Samoan identity, for anyone seeking inspiration in the interconnected art forms that unite our communities and keep us resilient.

'Dreams of the Small Gods' is a captivating live performance about the triple nature of woman; as animal, as human and as goddess or spirit being.  

During the show the audience sees the solo female performer morph from animal into human. In the human incarnation she is visited by the horned mask - 'Magnus', who calls on her to transform herself. With his help she becomes a mythological creature, part human, part animal and part primal deity.  

Inspired by the timeless wisdom of faerie-tales, mythology and ancient cultures, Dreams of the Small Gods blends aerial circus, performance art and masked ritual to create a surreal, hypnotic world. In a requiem for wisdom lost, it questions human ideas of holiness and profanity and explores the relationship between humans, animals and those we name as our gods. 

AWARDS & PRESS:

Made in Scotland showcase 2022
Autopsy Award Scotland 2022
Jury's Choice Award at FinFringe 2024
Mind Blown Award at Reykjavik Fringe 2024
"Sensual, kinetic and tactile, Dreams of Small Gods is a beautiful consideration of the power of folklore and an absolutely mesmerising intervention into the genre of physical theatre." ☆☆☆☆☆ The List, 2020

"If you're looking to experience a beautiful piece of aerial artistry or a performance that explores what lies beyond (or rather, within) the human, Dreams of the Small Gods brilliantly provides a spectacular display while inspiring an embodied connection to human and non-human spirituality." ☆☆☆☆ Theatre Weekly 2022

" A labour of love founded on extensive research and inspired by classic mythology, folklore and faerie-tales. Bringing it all together is Oberski's distinctive skill as a powerful acrobat and poignant conceptual artist." ☆☆☆☆ Everything Theatre 2022

CatGPT is the mostly true story of one man's heroic attempts to bring back to life his beloved dead cat Lentil. For Welshman Robin Wealleans the kitty's earthly demise was just the start of version 2.0 and a long quest to reboot his cat with tech and creativity. The unhinged story of how he succeeded against all odds with sophisticated robotics, sensors, complex AI and visuals has to be seen to be believed. After a disasterous freezer mishap, his cat is now back in control, reimagined as L3NT1L and with all the augmented features a cat would love, from laser pointers to a meow synthesiser and minibar. The unlikely duo first hit the catwalk at Edinburgh Fringe in 2024, followed by a sellout interactive UK Xmas tour and recent quirky shows in Tokyo. CatGPT now take their Welsh feline mysteries to the only Welsh bar in the southern hemisphere. L3NT1L and his hapless human tour in an improvised and interactive show with 2.6 million possible permutations, bizarre merchandise and even a comic. Meanwhile the sinister Lentil Industries appears to have a different agenda. Expect a hilarious show about loss, neurodiversity and trying to make sense of it all. Along the way you will learn about cats, determination and the pros and cons of AI.

"This show is one of the best things of any kind that I've ever seen. You'll never even know you're alive until you understand reality can easily accommodate something like this" - Martin Rowson, The Guardian

'World Champion Crazy Cat Man' Phil Hartnol, Orbital

'The only thing scarier than a cat is a robotic AI cat with a world domination plan' Charles White, NASA

'It's comedy, high art and sci-fi all rolled into one, wrapped in a story of love and loss' Sara Robinson, Western Mail

'Not feeling ready to let go, Robin decided to bring Lentil 'back to life' by building an AI replica of him - and hilariously named it Catgpt' The Daily Mail Online

'Cheese wraps and blueberries' evolved from the developmental work of 'Not Just a Mother' Nelson Fringe 2023 and centres around a mother, Charlotte. Through a series of humorous anecdotes about her 2 young children and an encounter with an acquaintance, the monologue explores various themes related to motherhood in society.

The new work dives deeper into the challenges and frustrations of parenting, the impact of unsolicited advice, the overwhelming weight of responsibility, along with the conflict between social expectations and individual experience, which hinges on the unrealistic ideal of perfection.

Despite the challenges and frustrations Charlotte faces as a mother, she ultimately celebrates the profound love and joy that come with being a mother. Charlotte's description of the intense bond she shares with her children, her willingness to sacrifice for them, and her ability to find wonder in their everyday experiences demonstrate the deep emotional rewards of motherhood.

Faguette1 [fag-ghet] - french word for faggot
Faguettedom1 [fag-ghet-dom] - french word for safe space for queer people
_______________________________________

*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."

LIV WARD IS MISSING, BUT THE SHOW MUST GO ON! THERE'S ONLY ONE CRUSTACEAN WHO CAN FIND THEM; THE LOBSTER (which is definitely not Liv in a $5 lobster costume).

JOIN THE LOBSTER (and Liv) ON A COMEDIC, AND BORDERLINE TRANSCENDENT JOURNEY FROM THE SOUTHERN NECROPOLIS OF TEMUKA, AOTEAROA, INTO UTOPIAN FAGUETTEDOM™. LED BY EVERYONE'S FAVOURITE SPIRITUAL GUARDIAN/EX-RNZ HOST, KIM HILL, WILL THE LOBSTER FIND LIV BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE? IS LIV A FAGUETTE™? WILL RADIO NEW ZEALAND: THE MUSICAL, EVER EXIST?

LIV WARD, WINNER OF THE 2024 WELLINGTON RAW COMEDY QUEST AND NATIONAL RAW QUEST FINALIST, IS ON A JOURNEY TO LEARN ABOUT QUEERNESS AND TRANSNESS. THIS SHOW IS RECOMMENDED TO HOMOS AND ALLIES ALIKE. IN THE TIME YOU STARTED AND DROPPED OUT OF YOUR BACHELOR OF ARTS, LIV LEARNT HOW TO TELL A JOKE AND ENTERTAIN THE MASSES (in a non-religious way).

"An up-and-comer to watch." - The Post
"A new Lyn of Tawa, or Billy T. James." - Simon Sweetman
"The voice of a generation, if a generation was chronically gay." - Kim Hill (in Liv's dreams)

IF YOU MISS THIS SHOW, IT'S A HATE CRIME!

P.S. This show is sponsored by Big Clitoris and oat flat whites. Also if you want a free ticket please email me at stuffedolivesc@gmail.com - I gotchu!

Who are you without the mask? Free your mind, let your conscience be free.

New kids on the block exploring ideas of conformity and confinement with hip hop movement and physical storytelling.

WINNER - OUTSTANDING NEWCOMER (INDIVIDUAL) - 2024 Auckland Fringe Awards

"Green works their magic on, over, around, in, and under the hoop. It's impressive work, strong, elegant, lithe, courageous too".

Step into the enchanting world of 'Essence Unfolding', a circus / contemporary dance fusion, with a smattering of poetry/spoken word created by young creative, Orlando Green.

Come and experience the heartache, the joy and the journey of discovery of a person struggling with identity - but ultimately, the journey of growing into one's self.

"From the opening second, "Essence Unfolding" is a beautiful, moving, profound and ultimately hopeful piece of work. The narrative that is built from Ollie's movement both in the air and on the floor is completely coherent - from the choreographed stumbles and falls that preface the fall into mental health struggles through the setbacks of recovery, to the grace and clarity of the denouement" -- Matt Keane, theatreview

"Green is especially impressive when they embed a unique gymnastic flexibility in and around the dance facets of the narrative while never missing a beat of the complex poetic rhythms that anchor the performance in an intense reality." -- Lexie Matheson, theatreview

Read the full review here

Trigger Warning: Contains content around mental health.

"Have no fear of perfection, you'll never reach it."

Flawless body, flawless hair, flawless skin, flawless performance, flawless manners, flawless smile... otherwise, who are you?

Flawless is a contemporary circus work about the impossible pursuit to be the perfect woman, which our society has conditioned us to value.

Society places relentless pressure on women to be kind, accommodating, smart, outwardly happy and, of course, attractive... that is perfect.

Flawless uses aerial art, mirrors and movement to explore perfectionism and the stresses and self-criticism that comes with it.

This is a show for those of us who are learning it's okay to be human.

Observation and scrutiny of the body is part of circus accentuating perfectionist tendencies. Flawless instead uses circus to shine a light on perfectionism in the hope of breaking away from it.

Flawless is a debut work by Frankie & Lola (Leanne Jenkins and Frances Muir). Leanne and Frances are the aerial artists from Company Hiraeth's award winning show 'Loops.' Loops was recognized in New Zealand Fringe 2022 with the Grand Design and Melbourne Tour Ready awards.

Following a sold out season that premiered to consecutive standing ovations and critical acclaim in Tamāki Makaurau, multi-disclipinary artist Liv Tennet brings her captivating solo dance narrative to the NZ Fringe Festival. She delves into matrescence, transformation, and the existential quest of one woman grappling with the possibility of having it all...and the question of what "all" actually is.

With a sound track as eclectic as her toddler's palate, and drawing on a wide range of dance genres, For You to Know and Me to Find Out explores the all-familiar juggle of the working mother through movement.

Drawing on her own experience of simultaneously trying to keep a small human alive, whilst also keeping her own artistic identity alive, we get a glimpse of the joyous, maddening, exhausting and ultimately fortifying experience of being a "cool mom".

Jokes. She's lost her cool.

Tbh she's dropped so many things she's scared of picking them back up.

Somewhere, someone is dreaming of smashing eggs... someone is scrolling their newsfeed... in Texas a gun owner shoots a barn wall full of bullets... Somewhere a menu is prepared... everywhere molecules reproduce themselves... And a butterfly flaps its wings...

HEY SIRI is a fast paced, rapidly evolving theatre experience which confronts the myth of memory, the manufacture of meaning and the truth of uncertainty. A chaotic world where childhood archetypes, Snapchat filters, live music and metaphysical questions whirl through space and time. Can Siri answer the questions that this wild activity brings up for us? Can anyone?

HEY SIRI is the latest play from multi award-winning playwright Micky Delahunty -- the creator most recently of JIMMY (Fringe 2024) Interrupting Cow (BATS 2023) and #UsTwo (Fringe 2020).

After thirty years off the stage, this is Micky's third acting role in recent times. In HEY SIRI they are joined by granddaughter Lucy, stretching the age range of this five strong cast to between thirteen and seventy-two years. Also onstage will be Jono Weston (JIMMY, Fringe 2024) and Parekawa Finlay (Who Hears the Cries of the Children, Fringe 2023; Hāpaitia, Fringe 2023; JIMMY, Fringe 2024).

Performed by this energised onstage ensemble, HEY SIRI takes a fun flight from the everyday into a world of metaphor, fallacies and illusions.

Two bananas wake up duct-taped to the wall of a prestigious art gallery and meet their maker. Will anyone get paid?

Birthed from the burnt-out brains of Katie Burson and Georgie Llewellyn, How to Art is a physical theatre-clown-fruit mash-up about making art, surviving, and chasing mass a-peel. Jesters, collectors, and narcissists reign in this low-brow exploration of the cost of creativity and the art of living.

In an industry that values youth, perfection and mass production, can two bruised bananas go the distance? Dripping in desperation, can they find their place before they're put up for sale?

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

“Totally fabulous, accessible, relentlessly funny, and splendidly performed…one of the funniest shows I have ever seen anywhere – it’s slapstick, knockabout, clown-like physical comedy” - Lexie Matheson, Theatreview

Hot on the heels of its critically acclaimed debut season at Basement Theatre, Auckland, How to Art is the debut production from Ratbags, a new collaborative hothouse for multidisciplinary performance-making in Tāmaki Makaurau. How to Art has been developed over the past two years with generous support from artistic residencies at Wellesley Studios, Capital E, and TAPAC.

In its Wellington premiere, How to Art features performances by Katie Burson, Georgie Llewellyn and Browyn Ensor, production design by Rob Byrne, costume design by Dan Collings, larger-than-life props by Tse-Yu Lin, sound composition by Lucas Haugh, and lighting design by Alylai Flynn. Produced by Charlie Underhill for Ratbags.

Join the team for a free Touch Tour before the matinee performance in the Te Auaha Cinema on Saturday 1 March, 3:45pm.

www.ratbags.co.nz

Join us for an unforgettable experience showcasing talented Indigenous stand-up comedians, of both Māori and First Nations descents. IndigE-girl Comedy, based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, brings together the wildest Aunties from Turtle Island and Aotearoa for a unique cross-cultural experience. Whether you're familiar with Indigenous culture or new to it, this show offers a unique opportunity to appreciate the artistry of Indigenous comedians from Canada and New Zealand who use humour as a powerful tool to foster connection.

This hilarious blend of First Nations and Māori comedy will leave you in stitches while celebrating Indigenous voices. Experience sharp-tongued wit, side-splitting stories, and punchlines that hit harder than your niece's dry bannock. Don't miss out on this chance to laugh until your ribs hurt.

Featured Comedians:
Debbie Courchene,
Cheyenna "Shy" Sapp,
Alana Obey,
Kura Turuwhenua,
& Janaye Henry.

My name is Itay Dom and you may have seen me getting eliminated from Guy Mont-Spelling Bee and The Bachelorette.

I need to test some jokes for my 2025 NZ Comedy Festival show that's nominated for the Billy T Award.

Hope to see you there!

Jim's been wandering the desert for some time, stopping to rest in seedy motels and perform at local dive bars. He's in search of something - what he's unsure. Connection? Identity? Either way, he mustn't stay too long in one place or his past might catch up with him.

Sophie Maree presents Jim's No Cowboy, a campy western that plays on the trope of the 'Lone Cowboy' persona whilst exploring what happens when someone spends their life fighting against their true identity. 

Featuring a live band and mix of covers and original music, the play is set over the course of one night in a run-down drag bar; the only sign of life amongst a sea of desert. Jim and his bandmates are set to play their final gig in this small town with plans to head out first thing next morning, however someone from Jim's past appears desparate to reach him before he leaves. If Jim can help it, he'll be far away by then. 

Cast:

Jim/Singer-Guitarist - Sophie Maree

Bassist - Kelsi Stroud

Drummer - Sibel Atalay

A one-stop shop of unmissably fresh talent!

The festival's sampler of fresh emerging talent is back for its sixth year running! Kick-off your 2025 Fringe season with a fix of brand-new work. A double-bill of "Special, clever, charming and mesmeric" performances from exciting artists emerging onto the Capital's performing arts scene.

The Leftovers – by Maya Gatling
The Leftovers is a moving, educational performance inspired by the experiences of African Americans in 1800s New Orleans. Follow the lives of Betty, a mammy nurse in a plantation household, and Alonzo, an aspiring musician from Massachusetts. Through their stories, audiences gain insight into the resilience, ambitions and struggles of lives often overlooked by history.

The Butterfly Effect – by Emma Taylor
Every movement ripples outward, altering the course of something greater. Through a series of interconnected pieces, The Butterfly Effect works to explore how dancers and audiences can unknowingly influence the world around them. This original contemporary dance work takes viewers on a journey through cause and effect, revealing the profound impact of every decision, no matter how small.

"an incredibly insightful and significant show" - Salient, 2024

'courageous... fulfilling... beautiful' - Art Murmurs, 2024

Mic Drop is based in Te Aro, where the streets are cold, and the bars are too damn hot. Where dreams are made through rhythm, and stories are told. Enter the Aro boys, three high schoolers with only one goal in life. To conquer the Wellington Rap Scene.

Meet Amir, Jarred and Mattiu. Together, they take on lunchtime rap battles and spit bars that bring them closer to proving they've got what it takes. But when an unexpected problem arises, the boys must find a way to work together and take on a challenge more significant than themselves. Despite all of these shenanigans, at the heart of this story is a conflict between ego and friendship.

Packed with fresh new beats, Mic Drop is the story of chasing a dream even when all the odds are against you. If you have ever chased a dream or fought to rise above, this show will make you hopeful for the Aro Boys as they Rise, Fall, and Drop the Mic.

It's the most important night of a 13-year-old's life: the year 8 school disco. When three kids accidentally murder their principal during their big night they must hide the body before they miss out on one of those really thin slices of pizza. you know what I'm talking about right? It's like why are you cutting the pizzas so thin? we only get one slice each anyways. is the school really that desperate for money that they're rationing the pizzas like the germans are still flying over our heads?? I paid $20 to be here anyway and you're still charging me $2 per glowstick and god forbid I wanna get a lolly bag. are the teachers taking the money for themselves?? because its clearly not going to the pizzas! and its definitely not going to the decorations theres like three balloons and one of those party light things that they plug into the wall. something needs to be done about this, I cannot live in these conditions anymore.

A scientist stands on the verge of discovery, Sisyphus pushes his boulder, and a little boy gazes at the moon, wondering where the stars have gone.
What do we do when we're stuck in the mud and can't get out?
What if it's our own fault we're stuck?
Is the mud pulling us down, or do we secretly just want to wallow?
Ezra plays with physical theatre, clown and prose to puzzle over how to make meaning from an otherwise chaotic and messy world. Through a unique blend of physical theatre, clown, and prose, the show navigates the fine line between hope, despair, ambition and failure - a glorious mess of exuberance, crushed dreams, and unending frustration.
Stories begin distinct and separate, but as the show progresses and their journeys unfold, the boundaries between them begin to blur. A strange fixation with a mysterious golden liquid draws them all together, weaving a frantic tapestry of intertwined stories with the search for 'substance' at its centre.

"The performance remains engaging and his script is clever, entwining the separate
narratives so they become almost seamless."
THEATREVIEW

Celebrate IWD with Award-Winning Comedy thoroughbreds Sajeela Kershi (Star of Brendon Burns Edinburgh Award winning show, Winner of AWA & Argus Angel for artistic excellence) originally Pakistani. Suzy Bennett (Winner Funny Women, Finalist Comedy Idol. Jimmy Carr/Russell Kane support) from Devon. They gallop into Wellington to perform their hilarious new show. These relatable 'women of a certain age' are 'every woman' who deserve your 'R.E.S.P.E.C.T' (preach Sista's Turner/Khan/Franklin!)
Saddle up & see UK's critically acclaimed, TV/Radio regulars (BBC, Comedy Central, C4) as they tackle Politics/Poppadoms/Pasties & everything between! Satirical, Sardonic & Silly!
Say neigh to a dull night in the stable and trot down to the Te Auaha for a hands down most fun filled fringe hour of horsing around.

"Magnetic, loveable & extremely witty"(Spectator)
"Best female comics appearing on the fringe"****(one4review)

"Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional". . . the human condition never looked so silly.

Irish comedian and scientist Donal Vaughan is bringing Science Magic to New Zealand for the first time. Come along and learn science tricks using everyday items. A science comedy show for all the family. Always exciting and sometimes very messy, learn about science and laugh your pants off while you do. And the best part is all the tricks can be performed by you when you go home. Suitable for kids 5+
5***** "This show is a must-see for kids who love science and mess, & a must-see for kids who think science is boring - Donal will prove them wrong." - Claire Davill, Play & Go Adelaide
5***** "Completely engaging with belly laughs included, it's an unmissable show" The Advertiser
4**** "Refreshing to see great stunts and to hear about the science of how they work." - Clayton Werner, The Clothesline

Secret Time Travel Meeting isn't just a comedy show--it's a hilarious, thought-provoking journey into the wild possibilities of time travel.

Hosted by stoner comedian and author Shawn Wickens, this event combines smart humor, absurd physics theories, and interactive audience engagement. Inspired by a stoned purchase of the domain TimeMachineBlueprints.com, Wickens soon after stumbled upon a mostly blank copy of the actual Time Machine Blueprints--a cosmic joke that sparks fresh ideas about the unknown possibilities of tomorrow.

***** 'Must see!' (Baltimore Sun)
'Thought-provoking, surreal, earnest' (ShepherdExpress.com)

Wickens explores everything from the ethics of time travel to quantum strangeness, making complex ideas accessible and, above all, funny. With his laid-back delivery and sharp wit, he turns science fiction into comedy gold.

Whether you're a fan of sci-fi, stand-up, or just enjoy a good laugh, Secret Time Travel Meeting promises a uniquely optimistic take on what lies ahead. The show has earned rave reviews and made stops at major venues and festivals, including the Royal Saskatchewan Museum, Atlanta Fringe, and SoloCom NYC.

"If these shows go well, I'd definitely be open to coming back again... in the future," Wickens jokes.

With its mix of laughter, science, and optimism, Secret Time Travel Meeting is ideal for audiences seeking a different kind of night out. You'll leave with a smile on your face, a head full of questions, and maybe even a belief that time travel isn't just possible--it's inevitable!

Join Dunedin comedian Nicola Brown for a journey through the nebula of modern day bullsh*t. In this multi award-winning solo show Nicola navigates medical mayhem, while dodging declarations of love from romance scammers (who've failed to notice how gay she is) and grappling with the extraterrestrial chaos brought about simply by existing as a woman in 2025.

Who is Nicola? Good question. Described as having a "whimsical sense of depressive irony", she's perpetually observing the psychopathology of everyday life. She loves to help people cackle at this hectic world we live in. She has performed throughout Aotearoa and overseas over the past five years and won Dunedin Comedy's Best Storyteller award in 2021. (She still holds that title, as it's been a long time between Dunedin awards ceremonies.)

If you've ever felt like your life is being intruded on - physically, emotionally, astrologically or online - this is the show for you. Prepare to be (pelvic) floored and ride shotgun with Nicola as she boldly goes where no comedian has gone before - metaphorical space. The countdown is ON!

***

"Masterful skill as a comedian... Brown uses her platform to challenge the gender bias in healthcare, using her sharp wit to cut a satirical-shaped hole in the medical patriarchy" - Theatreview

"Nicola Brown had us cackling in our seats and cheering her on from the very first minute" - Backstage Christchurch

"An intimate, brilliant, comedy hour that might just save your life" - Flat City Field Notes

***

Winner: Outstanding Comedy Award - Auckland Fringe Festival (2024)

Winner: TAHI Festival Outstanding Solo Performance Award - Auckland Fringe Festival (2024)

Winner: Auckland Fringe Tour-Ready Award - Dunedin Fringe Festival (2024)

Supported by the NZ Fringe Touring Fund

The kids of Little Stars Youth Theatre are excited to bring you their production of Macbeth. But when an emergency broadcast announces the incoming end of the world, the young cast evacuates, leaving only their director behind. The show must go on... right? This comedic solo piece explores the paradox of live performance in a seemingly doomed world. As Jill attempts to save the show, it devolves into an anxiety spiral on death and identity, featuring audience interaction, an epic guitar solo, and Heelys.

Event: Temporal Aria

An Exquisite Dance of Control and Release

Step into a world where gravity bends and the boundaries of the human body are pushed to their limits. Temporal Aria is an evocative contemporary circus show that blends the ancient art of hair suspension with acrobatics, handstands, and contortion to explore the delicate balance between control and release.

Through breathtaking feats of strength and grace, the performer navigates the tension between being bound and free, both physically and emotionally. Suspended by her hair, she defies gravity, embodying vulnerability and resilience. Each act unfolds as a poetic expression of the human relationship with control--how we hold on, let go, and ultimately find balance.

Set against a mesmerizing soundscape, Temporal Aria invites audiences to witness the fluid intersection of art and acrobatics, where every movement is a testament to the performer's mastery over body and mind.

Prepare to be captivated by this stunning display of power, artistry, and the beauty of surrender.

Order up! From the creative minds of Corrie Milne, RV Quijano, and Louise Jamieson, 'The Blue Plate Special' has prepared to serve you a little bit of everything with a fifties flair. Follow these three heartfelt stories as they express the significance of human connection.
 

Show 1: bed & breakfast.

Welcome to Visto's Bed & Breakfast -- a short-stay accommodation where the broken-hearted stay to relax, recuperate, and heal. Whether it be from romance, friendships, or a loss of belonging, guests check in from all walks of life with all kinds of heartbreak. Come along and witness the stories of these guests, and the baggage they've brought with them.

Show 2: Heartaches

What would you do to see the people you've lost again? For young housewife Evelyn it involves enlisting in an experimental government program that lets her relive her memories of her late husband. Heartaches is a story of grief and loss that explores the struggles of letting yourself move on.

Show 3: Shake Shake Shake!

Step back to the 1950s at the Shake Haven, where rock and roll reigns supreme! In this lively diner, a waitress and chef serve up their famous milkshakes as locals jive away their worries. But when a troublesome gang arrives, expect jazz, swing, and heartwarming serenades in this toe-tapping show!

Haere mai! Come in and peruse our vast selection of assorted goods and supplies essential for living and leisure. Products of high quality! Best service in the country! No upfront costs!

We have everything you need, all under one roof! Grab yourselves a bargain whanau.

This interactive installation invites you to question the materiality and identification with form in everyday life. Collections heralding from old world Aotearoa to the modern day provide signposts to bring about a shift in consciousness, and consider, what is "everything we need"? Take a closer look at this unusual assemblage.

A comedy/drama play featuring breathtaking circus acts, The Fabulous Fabelinskys is set in a travelling show in the 1890s. Papa and Mama and their two adult daughters are a star attraction, except Papa has just died, leaving his family to negotiate not only how to keep the show on the road, but how to survive in a world that's not safe for women. This is a story about family, love, sacrifice, and self-belief that is equal parts funny, poignant and moving. Featuring world-class hula hooping, stunning aerial acts, physical theatre and clowning...you’ll laugh, you’ll gasp, you’ll cry, but most importantly you’ll fall in love with the Fabelinskys!

Directed by Jen McArthur and starring current 2025 Billy T nominee Booth The Clown, NZ Fringe 2022 "Best In Fringe " winner Rachel Atlas, NZ's hula hoop sensation Laura Oakley, and featuring original music played live by reknowned circus star Jackson Cordery, this is a fusion of spectacular local talent that will take your breath away!

Cast

Mama: Rachel Atlas
Annie: Laura Oakley
Maisie: Booth the Clown

Crew

Writer: Rachel Atlas
Director: Jen McArthur
Producers: Rachel Atlas and Laura Oakley
Sound Design: Jackson Cordery
Technician/Lighting Designer: Dean Holdaway
Costume Design: Gogo Amy
Photography: Matt Barnes
Rigging: Yoocrew, Nic Balkum

After knocking back a whiskey at the bar, knocking out the chief of police and locking up an avian adversary, a grizzled and melancholic detective finally wipes crime clean from the city. Now he must face his trickiest case yet, what does he do now that he has no crime to solve? Follow Detective Frank Holloway as he navigates a world without peril as you witness what a hero does once his story finishes. Moving on perhaps comes easier to some than others. 

The Last Crime is a passion project of style, comedy and maybe even a smidgen of meaning. It was born out of a scene concept in 2023 which, while performed, was brimming with unrealised potential. The original script that inspired The Last Crime was a small parody scene fished from a hidden corner of the internet simply titled 'Film Noir'. It was performed as part of a Theatre Directing course at Victoria University that due to a combination of factors, didn't live up to the imagery and humour envisioned. The Last Crime is a channel through which ideas, goals and visions born of that original scene might finally be realised. 

The Last Crime promises to be an engaging and entertaining performance of familiar Film Noir tropes such as the femme fatale, staggering amounts of booze and ominous chalk outlines. While the original Film Noir script was entirely a comedy, The Last Crime introduces an existential weight behind the comical punches of the story. Themes of change, resisting it and the destructive outcome of doing so are prominent features of our play and are just as important as the gags. 

Which is dirtier, the city, or the people who call it home? It's your call, come to The Last Crime and find out.

Enter the hanging gardens of Babylon - an ancient sanctum where all lost things go. When the Wayfarers discover a forgotten lyre, the once perished artform of music is brought back into the world. We call forward the unsung tunes of Kate Bush, Tracy Chapman, Florence + The Machine and More.

Singers Flora Dryburgh, Anna Smith and Raureti Ormond bring to you a blooming oasis of sounds in their night of concert.

Join us for an evening beneath the vine curtains as we reignite the beauty of song.

This is a sung-through themed concert featuring live music. 

The Magic Shop
Sometimes we wish for something more for ourselves - a dash of assertiveness? A measure of self-love? A heaped cup of self-belief? A tad more motivation?
You're in luck, The Magic Shop is open and these are up for grabs. But no cash or card is accepted - you can only barter.
What are you willing to give up? A bit of rescuing? Saying yes too often? An outdated story about yourself?
Join acclaimed sociodramatist Cissy Rock in this brand-new interactive and playful performance. Step into the shop and see what's on offer.

Welcome to the Tiny Show!

Meet a quiet clown and her troupe of toys as she recounts fables and tales.

Encounter a jealous witch, a lonely wolf and a very sorry piggy. Be dazzled with sassy looks and spine-tingling harmonies. This clown can sing, dance and eat pink wafers like no one else.

Grab a teddy and lean in close for a tiny, intimate theatre show for the whole family to enjoy.

The Tiny Show debuted at the Whangarei Fringe festival 2022, where it received the 'Best Performer award'.

Suitable for Deaf and hearing audiences aged 3 years and up.

Performed by Tomasin Fisher-Johnson.

What would you do if you came home to find your flatmate standing over a corpse?

Libby and Jax have been best friends forever. Ride or die, cradle to grave - no matter what, they will support each other... Which is how they found themselves outside, late at night, burying a body in their backyard.

Sammy - Libby's cousin and Jax's ex - has met an untimely end. As Libby breaks down, Jax furiously tries to cover up what happened. The pair bicker, freak out, and generally create a mess of hiding evidence, pushing their bonds of friendship to the limits.

Three Feet Under is a new New Zealand comedy about friendship, mistakes, loyalty... and burying a body in your backyard.

Written By Helen Vivienne Fletcher
Directed by Crystal Pulkowski
Performed by Helen Vivienne Fletcher and Ivana Palezevic

Access Info

Friday 28th February's performance will be audio described for blind and low vision audience members, with a touch tour starting at 6pm. Sighted companions coming to the show are welcome to attend the touch tour as well.

Te Auaha Tapere Iti is wheelchair accessible.

Mother Earth is amuck. Heartstrings pluck pluck.
Bc of laws that are unjust and suck. :(
Logan and Bethany have HAD it, sis.
FB-friends-turned-FRACK-tivists.
We strum songs cuz some lack the wrists This side's greener - trust and believe.
~touch grass~ and see!!!

Hair. Eyes. Mind. Three Maori stories are interwoven into a sharp cathartic expression of indigenous frustration. Whanake is an hour-long dramatic play that revels in the uncomfortable history and uncertain future of Aotearoa. Our shared experiences and histories culminated in this one hour performance.

Hair. A story of vulnerability as Awanui goes for their first haircut and has a shocking encounter that leaves them shaken as they narrowly escape by a hair.

Eyes. Mana, a young student, is brought to a new school where they struggle to be heard and seen.

Mind. Two young Maori are forced to play games at the hand of the host. Their worldviews and lives are challenged as they realise not everyone has an open heart or an open mind.

Presented by an emerging company made up of Maori and Pasifika artists and students based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara.