Independent artists are our ride or dies. Without them, Tāmaki Makaurau would be a pretty dull place. Our Spring season is a huge reminder of that - you’ll see big bold works made by artists that don’t shy away from asking questions and pushing into the edges of experimentation. You’ll also see a lot of joy which we think is ABSOLUTELY what’s needed.
These makers will leave their mark on Tāmaki long after they’ve packed out, and we’ll be right behind them, advocating loudly. We hope you can be a fearless ally of Tāmaki’s artists too by showing up for them at Basement this Spring.
This season is also the first programme at Basement put together by the team through our new whānau-based collaborative approach. We were blown away by every single submission and feel super lucky to have been given a glimpse into so many incredible creative worlds. We’ve collated a programme that reflects bravery, urgency and adventure - so go on, explore it!
SEPTEMBER
GENDER MARXIST, 5-9 SEPTEMBER, Pōneke based composer and comedian Mx. Well crashes through the gender binary and smashes into a future where we are all hot and free!
CLUB WAACK 12-16 SEPTEMBER, Travel with Prowl Productions to the fantastical world of the 1970’s queer phenomenon, waacking. A love letter to this street dance style pioneered by the Black and Spanish gay community in Los Angeles, told through a distinctly New Zealand queer lens.
LA CATRINA 12-16 SEPTEMBER, Amplifying the resounding voice of the Latin community, La Catrina will immerse audiences in a thought-provoking and exhilarating theatrical journey that delves into the depths of the vibrant culture of Laenye Productions. Created by Esaú Mora, Matías Avaca, Daniel Fernandez and China González.
BAD(ISH) TEACHER, 19-22 SEPTEMBER, After a sold-out season in the Comedy Fest, Gabby Anderson is bringing her Billy T Nominated show back to Basement. Marking, meetings, and testing her jokes on Year 9s (brutal reviews), Gabby Anderson is a teacher who tries to do it all! Choose What You Pay.
OUR JURISDICTION 19-23 SEPTEMBER, Emma Broad, Evie Logan and Lulu Qiu occupy this fabricated existence, presented by Deborah Fletcher and Fiona Saunders.
BUNGA’S PARADISE, 26-30 SEPTEMBER, Follow 'Isope 'Akau'ola in this contemporary dance theatre work that is both a challenge and a love letter to the promises of Milk and Honey that were once set during the Dawn Raids era in Aotearoa. Bunga's Paradise is an attempt to envision and hope for a new world for Pasifika. Choose What You Pay.
THE COOL MUM 28-30 SEPTEMBER, Jo Ghastly’s expertise comes from being a self-proclaimed “Cool Mum”. You can become cool - the Jo Ghastly way. Choose What You Pay.
OCTOBER
OI FRED! 3-7 OCTOBER, A solo written and devised by Tane Te Pakeke-Patterson (Director) and Tom Webster (Writer & Performer) that touches on what it would be like to speak to a long-lost family member across the void, whilst still assessing the absence of an individual in our lives.
HOW TO THROW A CHINESE FUNERAL, 3-14 OCTOBER, Proudly Asian Theatre and Hand Pulled Collective invite the audience into the overlooked, domestic lives of migrant Chinese women. Choose What You Pay.
CODE & CHAOS,10-14 OCTOBER, Is AI coming for our gig? Join Hot Shame as they embark on a mission to see if artificial intelligence is a jazzy new tool or just a plagiarising pile of sh*t. Choose What You Pay.
BASKET CASE, 24-28 OCTOBER, A fast-paced, black comedy about life, death and everything after. Our trio of unlikely heroes? Three recently severed heads - victims of Madame la Guillotine. Directed by Ben Hobbs.
CHICK HABIT, 24-28 OCTOBER, Olivia, a small-town nobody, seeks justice after her high school punk-band-turned-whisperpop-duo receives international acclaim for stealing her songs. Oh, and she's also being haunted by the ghost of her dead mother. Written by Nuanzhi Zheng, Produced by Pennie Chang for Punctum, Directed by Nahyeon Lee, Set Designed Minsoh Choi and Sound Designed by Karen Hu.
GHOUL RUSH 31 OCTOBER - 4 NOVEMBER, Cackle like a witch with Bull Rush this Halloween with a brand new series of themed improvised shows and this time... it's SPOOKY! Choose What You Pay.
NOVEMBER
LOVE/LOVE/LOVE/LOVE/LOVE 7-11 NOVEMBER, Welcome to Romance: Tessa’s POV. Continuing her ongoing research into the glory, madness, and intensity of what it means to fall hopelessly, deeply, and unapologetically in love, Tessa Redman introduces herself to Eora with a blatant conversational dance about (you guessed it) love.
REHAB, 7-11 NOVEMBER, Based on lived experience, this unscripted dark dramedy explores early recovery for an eclectic mix of addicts and alcoholics within a residential rehab. Choose What You Pay.
CHAIRS! 14-18 NOVEMBER, A fresh bunch of Unitec grads a bringing back their show for a second run. CHAIRS! is all about earning to prioritise yourself in the healing process, but acknowledging that getting there involves a lot of awkwardness, a lot of vulnerability, and a lot of dishes.
AN ALMIGHTY YES 14-18 NOVEMBER, Empowered by her ghastly prognosis Emma Lange gets to the truth faster and delivers a thunderstorm of optimism and joy. Choose What You Pay.
