Basement Theatre

2013 Basement Submissions Now OPEN!

Basement — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:59:29 +0000

Want to put on a show at The Basement next year?

Please get in touch if you’ve got something up your sleeve. We love collaborating with an artistic mixtape of theatre makers, dancers, visual artists, poets, musicians, comedians and everyone in between. We are a safe place to be experimental, brave and innovative and WE WANT YOU!

Please go here for a submission form & more information or you can email sophie@basementtheatre.co.nz if you have any questions.

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Punk Rock’s debut set to shock

Basement — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 03:16:29 +0000

by Rebecca Blithe | Aucklander – Thursday, March 22, 2012 3:00

Nathan Mudge, plays the lead school boy in Punk Rock, a play about teenage angst by British playwright Simon Stevens.

Kellie Blizard

It’s called Punk Rock, but it’s not a play about punk rock. Although music from the era of rebellion provides the aural portrayal of teen angst, it’s been argued the title is merely a decoy for the shattering tale of a group of British students struggling through their final year of high school and bracing for the next phase of life.

The work of celebrated UK playwright, Simon Stephens, Punk Rock’s New Zealand debut promises anyone whose entry into adulthood whispers, to have it brought ringing back to their ears.

Premiered by the Outfit Theatre Company, the play has been described as The History Boys meets Catcher in the Rye with its byzantine depiction of students under pressure from their parents, their peers and their own ambitions as they prepare for their mock exams at an elite private school in England.

Nathan Mudge, 20, plays the lead role of William Carlisle, a charming, intelligent and ultimately violent character whose discontent with his boring bourgeois existence leads him to commit an unthinkable deed in the play’s final act.

“He’s a bit all over the place, he’s very complex,” says Grey Lynn resident Mudge, who recently finished work on The Motor Camp with the Auckland Theatre Company. “It’s not often you get to play a 17-year-old who’s as complex as William. You’re watching how each character responds to pressure. It’s so nice to be in a play that’s so real.”

So real that his character wets his pants on stage.

“I’m wearing some weird apparatus under my clothes,” says Mudge, who’s also had to adopt an English accent for the role.

“I tried it out on a taxi driver last night. He seemed to believe it.”

Although the play is set in England, Mudge says the experiences of the students are largely universal.

“I went to a private school, whether you’re part of it or not there’s always that elitist group. I was always going to go to law school and then I decided to go into acting. It wasn’t until I got out of Palmerston North and high school that I started to make decisions for myself and that happens in the play as well. It’s those characters wanting to get out of a small town and live their own lives.”

While dealing with some heavy topics, there is also humour, with UK reviews coining it both shocking and funny.

Alongside William there’s the jock, the bully, the nerd, the scholarship student from a poor family and the dream girl.

The play’s producer, Ema Barton, says they chose the work because it “kind of jumped out at us. Every scene is opened with a piece of music. When you look at the lyrics to all of the songs, it’s about rebelling against constraints.”

She says the company has approached high schools to attend the production.

“It would be really interesting [for students]. It poses a lot of questions about the pressures on teenagers. It doesn’t necessarily answer any questions, it just makes you think about what has brought them to these really dark circumstances. You don’t necessarily expect it. You’re feeling the stress and it’s just a matter of time. It’s going to be a real shock for the audience.”

ROCK UP
WHAT Punk Rock
WHEN March 27-April 7 (No show Monday, April 2)
WHERE The Basement, Lower Greys Ave, Auckland CBD
HOW MUCH Adult $30, student/senior $20 PREVIEW (Tuesday, March 27) $15. Tickets at www.iticket.co.nz
(R15: Contains strong language and violence.)
WEB www.outfittheatre.co.nz

NZ INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL 2012 at The Basement

Basement — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 00:35:34 +0000

The Comedy Fest is coming….

29 April – 30 May

and we have over 20 shows at The Basement – BAM!
Including…

Andrew O’Neill, Cal Wilson, Greg Ellis, Jason John Whitehead, Jeremy Randerson, Graham Candy, Late Laughs, Medlock, Musgrove & Sainsbury, Rose Matafeo, Terry Frisby, Samuel Christopher & Mark Covich.

Check out the full line up here….

www.comedyfestival.co.nz

Little Histories and Mannequins.

Basement — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 00:34:27 +0000

Dear Basement Friends,

Oh boy. This week we have two world premieres at our place. Little Histories of Life Ordinary and Dialogue With a Mannequin.

Little Histories of Life Ordinary – opens tonight!
20-24 March
8pm

Dear Frankie,
Have you been to space yet? In the future do they have x ray sunglasses? Today I read that snails can live to 40 years old. I bet Gonzalez is an old man now. Today I read that astronauts who go into space come back to earth younger than when they left. Will you come visit me when you go to space?
Kapow!
Frankie

Dear Frankie,
No and No. Yes, Gonzalez is still alive and well. He particularly enjoys the cabbages. Today was slower than usual and my television has trouble turning on. This concerns me.
I will see you soon I am sure… and look after your teeth.
Sincerely,
Frankie.

Devised and performed by Sam Bunkall (Romeo and Juliet, Dog Sees God, Glorious) Josephine Stewart-Tewhiu (Pitman Painters, Ruby Tuesday, Chalk) Julia Croft (Paper Sky, The Keepers, Bliss) and Alisha Lawrie-Paul (Short and Sweet, Trivial Pursuits) and mentored by Sophie Roberts (I Love You Bro, Dog Sees God, Broken China, Wolf’s Lair). Design by Ella Mizrahi and Celia Harrison (Art in the Dark).

Messy, chaotic, surreal and darkly funny. Little Histories of Life Ordinary will twist your imagination, like cheese eaten right before bedtime.

Book tickets

Dialogue With A Mannequin
21-31 March
7pm

Starring Cyan Corwine

The Carebears once said that growing up was something to be treasured – - but when in the midst of it, growing up feels less like a bedazzled box and more like a cage that we can’t wait to be on the other side of; to be a grown-up and free from the curious confusion that riddles our young minds. Of course, when we achieve that oh-so-freeing status, we wish only to return to those carefree versions that we once were. Anything but the present seems to be the driving force in so many people’s lives.

Dialogue with a Mannequin follows a young girl in her whimsical journey towards adult-hood, in learning to look inside rather than out as she stumbles and strides through life. The flights of fancy that play out in her mind spill onto the stage and give the audience a chance to crawl inside the various misfires and musings that usually lay hidden.

Book tickets

If you would like to go in the draw to win tickets to either show – like us on facebook and tell us which one you’d like to see x

In other news – our flash new toilets are nearly finished!

See you soon,

Love The Basement x

Burlesque Rocks – Friday 16th March 9pm at The Basement

Basement — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 23:21:15 +0000

ATTENTION PLAYWRIGHTS

Basement — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 03:09:49 +0000

The call for submissions of full length plays for Auckland Theatre Company’s The Next Stage is now open.

Previous plays that have been part of The Next Stage include: BLACK CONFETTI by Eli Kent, ON THE UPSIDE DOWN OF THE WORLD by Arthur Meek, LE SUD by Dave Armstrong, MY NAME IS GARY COOPER by Victor Rodger, SILENT NIGHT by Yvette Parsons and, HATCH by Geoff Chapple.

Three plays will be selected for a 10 day workshop process followed by a season of three public presentations on November 16, 17 & 18. More details are right here.

Basement Mail – ELIXIR

Basement — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 03:09:03 +0000

Dear Basement Friends,

Tonight is the opening of our first dance show for 2012. Trip Stumble Fall premiere their newest work Elixir.

Trip Stumble Fall Productions presents
Elixir
24-26 February
8pm

Elixir was initially inspired by the world of Zine; self-produced magazines created by anyone who is so inclined; about anything that tickles their fancy. Each page a creation in itself; separate poems, drawings, and rants about one such chosen topic. This random assembly of thoughts is strangely attractive and complementary, and is something which this dance work has explored.

Exploration of different energies that inhabit humans as a result of love,when they’re in search of it, or when it just happens to appear beside them is Elixir. Solidarity, humour, playfulness, attraction, joy, angst, dejection, idealism are the essence, breath, & flavour of life.

$15-$20

Elixr has sold out tonight, but you can still buy tickets for Saturday and Sunday here

The Basement Fashion Fiesta!

3rd March from 3pm.
Fashion show at 5.30pm.

As part of Fashion in the BIG little City on March 3rd 2012, The Basement Theatre will be holding our very own fashion show. Fashion! Skaters! Street Art! Cold Beer! Tacos! Come kick of your Manolo’s after a day of fashionisting. See some clothes, indulge in some tasty treats and re-charge for the nights festivities! There’s also going to be pop up shops and some sweet deals for all. We have exciting new designers as well as some old favourites including our friends and yours HUFFER and Lopsey boutique. Come be fashionable with us. Its free x

Love, The Basement  xo

Saturday 10th March – Alaska, Great North, Jupiter Project

Basement — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 09:59:07 +0000

Studio vs Theatre

Basement — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 02:52:53 +0000

Hey Basement friends,

In case you don’t know we have two spaces.

The studio (which seats 60-80 people)

and

The theatre (which seats 100+)

The studio is upstairs and is cheaper for companies to hire – that doesn’t mean the show is any less awesome. Sometimes it’s more awesome! However it does mean no aircon. So we thought we had better let you all know, that it does get very warm up there in January and February when the shows sell out and there’s lots of hot bodies.

Bring your fan and a bottle of water. Maybe wear a singlet and shorts?

We’re sorry it gets so hot, we’ll try to leave the fire escape open and one day when we are a rich little theatre we promise to buy you aircon for upstairs too.

Bring on March when the nights are cooler!

Love The Basement x

“Love is a Street Fight” – Not your typical love story (Entertain Me Review)

Basement — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 01:52:06 +0000

As the title suggests this theatre performance explores the ups and downs of this crazy little thing that we call “Love”.

Entering into the upstairs studio of the Basement on Tuesday I was expecting short theatre that had merely a romantic and comedic appeal but I was mistaken. I’m Not Content Productions were presenting “Love is a Street Fight”, a surrealistically dark look at the hardships and struggles of relationships from the past and present.

It’s safe to say the performance was not what I was expecting, but I still thoroughly enjoyed show. The six stories are incredibly diverse while keeping with the theme of “love”: One minute we were witnessing a fathers gripping and tragic passion for his family – the next schizophrenic confusions casting mayhem for a couple . The stories are all written by local emerging talent and manage to end on cliff-hanger’s that leave you wanting to see more.

Whether it was a couple struggling to get through an abusive past or a seedy man trying to fill his empty heart with a trip to the local gentleman’s club, this play has it all.

The nine-member cast transform into different characters along the way. The characters vary tremendously throughout the performance. Two men imprisoned together, medical experiments and a relationship on the brink of destruction are just a few of the themes touched upon.

The lighting was suited perfectly to every individual play casting dark and grungy tones through the times of struggle and drama. This was teamed with airy music to help capture the emotions of those in the audience.

It’s a play that, even though you will hate to admit it, everyone can relate to in some way. Whether the characters portray a relationship that you’ve had in the past or a relationship of someone close to you – It is a show that will surely tug on your heartstrings and leave you questioning what makes love so addictive and compelling.

So don’t be fooled of the Valentine’s Day release date, this is no lovey-dovey performance. Instead it is six incredibly diverse 15-minute journeys into the dark-side of attractions and relationships. I shall mention no more but I highly recommend jumping on iicket and buying a pass to this performance!

By Kate McRobie

http://www.entertainme.co.nz/reviews/LoveStreetFight20120216