Critically Acclaimed One Man Show Offers Intimate, Personal Look At Gender Transition
Globally political leaders are increasingly using the trans community as a scapegoat and treating us like a hot button issue. Families are divided, friendships strained, and communities polarised. In the midst of heated debates and social media arguments, the tenderness of our individual human stories is being lost.
Feature-length documentary huMan Lessons has been chronicling Adam Rohe's transition for nearly a decade. Now, Adam (he/they) takes control of the narrative in Man Lessons: The Live Show, combining intimate footage with live storytelling for a wild, earnest, behind-the-scenes look at identity, friendship, and the ways they transform us all.
Man Lessons has previously played three seasons, including a sold-out run during Auckland Pride's 2023 season at Basement Theatre. This Matariki, the show has been completely re-crafted into something portable enough to be performed anywhere meaningful conversation is needed.
Matariki marks the darkest time of the year – a moment to look to the rising Matariki constellation and use it to navigate through the night. "We are living through a time of monumental social change," says Adam. "Let's make a space to listen to ourselves, to hear each other's stories, and learn to find our way forward by following our shared humanity."
This coming-of-age story explores what it means to change and to find your place in the world. Offering no easy answers, it instead invites audiences into the messy, beautiful reality of human transformation. It's for anyone who has ever struggled with change or wondered how to be more truthful about who they are, what they need, and where they want to go.
"As honest and sincere a life story as I've ever seen staged" - Rat World Magazine "A deeply moving experience that caught me off guard in its moments of existential dread and uplift." - Nathan Joe, Auckland Pride Creative Director
About Basement Theatre
Described by Metro Magazine as 'the beating heart of Auckland Theatre' and 'a clear industry leader', Basement Theatre is a home to professional and budding theatre artists, comedians, dancers and musicians alike. Renowned for its ability to push the boundaries of artistic expression, Basement Theatre is Auckland's culture-defining powerhouse.
Basement Theatre is a place where urgent and adventurous live performance made by independent artists is incubated and supported, and aims to inspire and challenge New Zealand audiences and arts organisations, and reflect our diverse identities and experiences. Every year, over 200 artists grace our stages, and 15 artists take part in our development programmes. In 2022, 91% of our content was new Aotearoa work and 56% were made by vital voice communities (Tangata Whenua, People of Colour, LGBTQIA+, immigrant communities and disabled people).
Basement Theatre is a Charitable Trust, and puts all profits back into the community through its extensive artist development programmes, and risk-free box office model. The organisation is committed to being a part of what makes the performing arts industry, and artists, in Auckland truly sustainable.
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Scoop
3 days ago
- Scoop
Critically Acclaimed One Man Show Offers Intimate, Personal Look At Gender Transition
Globally political leaders are increasingly using the trans community as a scapegoat and treating us like a hot button issue. Families are divided, friendships strained, and communities polarised. In the midst of heated debates and social media arguments, the tenderness of our individual human stories is being lost. Feature-length documentary huMan Lessons has been chronicling Adam Rohe's transition for nearly a decade. Now, Adam (he/they) takes control of the narrative in Man Lessons: The Live Show, combining intimate footage with live storytelling for a wild, earnest, behind-the-scenes look at identity, friendship, and the ways they transform us all. Man Lessons has previously played three seasons, including a sold-out run during Auckland Pride's 2023 season at Basement Theatre. This Matariki, the show has been completely re-crafted into something portable enough to be performed anywhere meaningful conversation is needed. Matariki marks the darkest time of the year – a moment to look to the rising Matariki constellation and use it to navigate through the night. "We are living through a time of monumental social change," says Adam. "Let's make a space to listen to ourselves, to hear each other's stories, and learn to find our way forward by following our shared humanity." This coming-of-age story explores what it means to change and to find your place in the world. Offering no easy answers, it instead invites audiences into the messy, beautiful reality of human transformation. It's for anyone who has ever struggled with change or wondered how to be more truthful about who they are, what they need, and where they want to go. "As honest and sincere a life story as I've ever seen staged" - Rat World Magazine "A deeply moving experience that caught me off guard in its moments of existential dread and uplift." - Nathan Joe, Auckland Pride Creative Director About Basement Theatre Described by Metro Magazine as 'the beating heart of Auckland Theatre' and 'a clear industry leader', Basement Theatre is a home to professional and budding theatre artists, comedians, dancers and musicians alike. Renowned for its ability to push the boundaries of artistic expression, Basement Theatre is Auckland's culture-defining powerhouse. Basement Theatre is a place where urgent and adventurous live performance made by independent artists is incubated and supported, and aims to inspire and challenge New Zealand audiences and arts organisations, and reflect our diverse identities and experiences. Every year, over 200 artists grace our stages, and 15 artists take part in our development programmes. In 2022, 91% of our content was new Aotearoa work and 56% were made by vital voice communities (Tangata Whenua, People of Colour, LGBTQIA+, immigrant communities and disabled people). Basement Theatre is a Charitable Trust, and puts all profits back into the community through its extensive artist development programmes, and risk-free box office model. The organisation is committed to being a part of what makes the performing arts industry, and artists, in Auckland truly sustainable.
The Spinoff
12-06-2025
- The Spinoff
Event noticeboard: Wry humour, train rides and music in the gallery
The Spinoff's top picks of events from around the motu. In many ways it is a curse to be the person in the family who is supposed to know about art. When I go to art galleries with my mum, she will, without fail, ask me what an artwork means. It might be an abstract painting full of nice colours, a sandwich board sculpture or a poetic video work of bodies swimming through water. It used to bug me, since it is hard to articulate a clean and tidy answer, especially if you can only really guess. Sometimes the only thing you can say is it's a painting about paint, which can come across as a tight-lipped, opaque answer. Recently I've spotted myself doing essentially the same thing. Before spending time with an artwork, I will look for the information label and glean all possible fact and interpretation from it. I might even pick up the printed leaflet and hold it between me and the work. There's a comfort in thinking that we can know and understand something, but it's a little boring. There's no room for new things to make their way into our brain. This week I'm spotlighting a festival that I don't quite understand. I'm going to one of the performances, and even though I've read the description three times I'm not sure what it is. I've decided that's a good thing. Basement Theatre, Lower Greys Avenue, Auckland Central June 11-14 $0 – $35 Even the F.O.L.A festival's website is a little perplexing. Strange symbols pop up and follow around your cursor, the event listings are on little piled up cards that you can move around the screen and the logo is barely readable (but very trendy). F.O.L.A is a festival for experimental live art – the event roster includes things like a free workshop on creating immersive psychedelic worlds with light and liquid, a walk in the rain accompanied by a soundtrack, an outdoor exhibition called Fleapit and a terrifying-looking performance called Glory Whole. There's nudity, swearing and elements of chaos. So why spotlight this strange, and maybe rude, thing? Well, its one of the only festivals in the country which is run by artists (Nisha Madhan, Julia Croft, Nahyeon Lee, and Hannah Moore) and I like that the events are so different to anything else. It really may be your one chance to carry a mysterious box around in the rain, watch artists reverse-mine copper or be guided on how to survive the necropolis. Kerikeri Music: Delaney Davidson Anniversary Tour Turner Centre, 43 Cobham Rd, Kerikeri 7pm Saturday, June 12 $45 The singer-songwriter from Lyttelton is sure to bring a night of wry humour, some theatre of unease and bangers from his extensive back catalogue. Doubtless Bay Dance: The Belle Epoque Ball Mangōnui Hall, 132 Waterfront Drive, Mangōnui, Doubtless Bay 6pm Saturday, June 14 $15 and a plate to share There's a free waltz mini-lesson at 6.30pm and a prize for the most glamorous dancer. Whangārei Misc: Train Day Kiwi North Museum, 500 State Highway 14, Maunu, Whangārei 10am Sunday, June 15 $2.50 per ride 'Catch a ride on a steam train, rumble through the bush on a tram, jump on a jigger, whizz around the miniature train track, or enjoy a nostalgic hayride across the open paddocks.' Tāmaki Makaurau Design, art, books: Object Book Fair Objectspace, 13 Rose Road, Grey Lynn, Auckland 11am Saturday 14 & Sunday 15 June Free There will be hundreds of beautiful and unusual books you won't see anywhere else! THE APARTMENT, 202 Karangahape Road, Auckland 7:30pm Thursday, June 12 $20 (profits donated toward relief aid in Gaza) Check out the city's newest venue. Tonight it will be filled with psychedelic noise soundscapes and powerful acoustic songs. Basement Theatre, Lower Greys Avenue, Auckland Central 6:30pm Saturday, June 14 $30 – $40 As part of the F.O.L.A festival, artists will attempt to reverse-mine community e-waste for copper, preparing it to shoot back from whence it came. Bring along your old cables! Hawke's Bay Music: Devilskin, Re-Evolution tour Opera House, Toitoi, 109 Hastings Street South, Eastbourne Corner, Hastings 6:30pm Friday, June 13 $85.50 Devilskin have earned a reputation for bringing fierce energy and compelling presence to the stage, particularly amongst hard rock and metal fans. New Plymouth Raglan Fundraiser: Beanies for Koha Harbourview Hotel, 14 Bow Street, Raglan 10am Saturday, June 14 Free / Koha towards Raglan St John Ambulance for a beanie If I was in town I'd run not walk to get the beanie with the biggest pompom. Te Whanganui-a-Tara 2pm Sunday, June 15 $15 Join a special Matariki raranga (weaving) session lead by Frank Topia (Ngā Puhi, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Haua) and Linda Lee (Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga, Ngāti Huia, Ngāti Kurī, Ngāi Tākoto, Te Rarawa, Te Aupōri, Ngāpuhi). The Dowse, 45 Laings Road, Hutt Central, Lower Hutt 3:30pm Friday, June 13 Free, RSVP appreciated As part of the spooky exhibition The Brood, Birdparty will play their dark body-moving music in the gallery. Marlborough Photography: Te Ara o Hine Rēhia, Melissa Banks Marlborough Art Gallery, 15 High Street, Blenheim Free An exhibition of photographs that document four different kapa haka groups from Te Tauihu over six years. Greymouth Workshop: Kōwhaiwhai with Ruby Left Bank Art Gallery, 1 Tainui Street, Greymouth 10am Monday, June 16 Koha and kai to share Registration essential For more information, pop into the gallery or Whare Manaaki. Ōtautahi Space Academy, 371 Saint Asaph Street, Christchurch Central 8pm Friday, June 13 $25 – $30 Join Juno Is and her live band to celebrate the release of her psychedelic dream pop album. Ōtepoti Contemporary jeweller Jane Dodd will discuss her current exhibition, The Kingdom, which invites viewers to explore the intricate connections between species.
Scoop
09-06-2025
- Scoop
Cults, Comedy And Closure In An Original Kiwi Musical
Press Release – Good for Her Productions It's a wild mix, but with five cities and a Fringe Touring Award under their belt, dream team Chelsea McRae, Cody McRae, and Mario Sadra-de Jong have proven it's a successful one. Therapy: A Musical Comedy hits Auckland's Basement Theatre this July, based on a true story of a woman seeking a 'quick fix' from her new therapist, before talking about intrusive thoughts, religious trauma and overcoming the loss of a parent to suicide. Described as 'a refreshingly insightful comedy' (Theatreview) and the original music likened to 'New Zealand's solution to Crazy Ex-Girlfriend'(Art Murmurs), the show has resonated with audiences nationwide. This is one to put in your calendar immediately.
