TAHI Festival 2025: NZ's Celebration Of Solo Performance Returns With A New Format And Double The Line-Up
Now in its sixth year, TAHI doubles down on its kaupapa of elevating the solo performer, unveiling a new format and bringing fresh creative energy. With 16 shows across multiple Pōneke Wellington venues, this year's programme spans laugh-out-loud comedy, raw political theatre, poetic cabaret, animal therapy, and intimate living room storytelling.
BATS Theatre becomes the home to new solo works, giving artists a dedicated space to premiere original solo pieces. Meanwhile, established and award-winning favourites will take centre stage at The Hannah, Circa Theatre, Te Auaha, Two/Fifty Seven Willis Street, on the street in a party van, and - in true solo style - an artist's own apartment.
'The festival has evolved over the years,' says Festival Director Sally Richards. 'TAHI has always been about the power of one, but we know no solo artist works alone. Our new model puts that network front and centre. We give artists the wrap-around support they need to take creative leaps, while growing a platform for their work to be seen.'
New this year, TAHI introduces Creative Residencies — a major step in supporting the development of solo theatre in Aotearoa. These residencies offer artists time, space, and mentorship to explore new ideas and deepen their practice in a collaborative environment. In 2025, three residencies will be delivered in partnership with Creative New Zealand and leading arts organisations: a Māori Creatives Residency with Taki Rua Productions; a New Work for 10–14 Year Olds Residency with Performing Arts and Young People Aotearoa (PAYPA) and Toi Pōneke Arts Centre; and an Emerging Artist Residency with BATS Theatre.
HATCH, TAHI Festival's high-energy student showcase, returns to spotlight the next generation of solo performers. In partnership with Wellington City Council, Te Auaha, Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama School, and Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington, HATCH supports emerging artists through workshops, mentorship, and creative development, culminating in a student showcase at BATS Theatre.
'BATS is proud to be the whare for TAHI Creative Residencies and HATCH, and to serve as the vibrant hub for this year's festival,' says Tania Marie Tapiki Smith, General Manager at BATS Theatre.
TAHI began in 2019 and was last presented to Pōneke audiences in 2023 with eight shows. Now, in 2025, it returns 10–20 September with double the programme, a broader creative
footprint, and the same commitment to courageous storytelling from some of the most exciting solo voices from Aotearoa and beyond.
The full programme and ticketing information can be found at tahifestivalnz.com.
About TAHI Festival
TAHI New Zealand Festival of Solo Performance is NZ's only festival dedicated to solo performance. Founded in 2019 by Dr Sally Richards, TAHI exists to support, showcase, and celebrate solo artists across genres and generations. Now in its sixth year, TAHI continues to foster new work, champion established voices, and build a vibrant national community for solo theatre makers. Learn more at tahifestivalnz.com.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scoop
3 days ago
- Scoop
TAHI Festival 2025: NZ's Celebration Of Solo Performance Returns With A New Format And Double The Line-Up
TAHI Festival is back 10-20 September with a brand-new format, expanded partnerships, and twice the shows compared to 2023. Now in its sixth year, TAHI doubles down on its kaupapa of elevating the solo performer, unveiling a new format and bringing fresh creative energy. With 16 shows across multiple Pōneke Wellington venues, this year's programme spans laugh-out-loud comedy, raw political theatre, poetic cabaret, animal therapy, and intimate living room storytelling. BATS Theatre becomes the home to new solo works, giving artists a dedicated space to premiere original solo pieces. Meanwhile, established and award-winning favourites will take centre stage at The Hannah, Circa Theatre, Te Auaha, Two/Fifty Seven Willis Street, on the street in a party van, and - in true solo style - an artist's own apartment. 'The festival has evolved over the years,' says Festival Director Sally Richards. 'TAHI has always been about the power of one, but we know no solo artist works alone. Our new model puts that network front and centre. We give artists the wrap-around support they need to take creative leaps, while growing a platform for their work to be seen.' New this year, TAHI introduces Creative Residencies — a major step in supporting the development of solo theatre in Aotearoa. These residencies offer artists time, space, and mentorship to explore new ideas and deepen their practice in a collaborative environment. In 2025, three residencies will be delivered in partnership with Creative New Zealand and leading arts organisations: a Māori Creatives Residency with Taki Rua Productions; a New Work for 10–14 Year Olds Residency with Performing Arts and Young People Aotearoa (PAYPA) and Toi Pōneke Arts Centre; and an Emerging Artist Residency with BATS Theatre. HATCH, TAHI Festival's high-energy student showcase, returns to spotlight the next generation of solo performers. In partnership with Wellington City Council, Te Auaha, Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama School, and Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington, HATCH supports emerging artists through workshops, mentorship, and creative development, culminating in a student showcase at BATS Theatre. 'BATS is proud to be the whare for TAHI Creative Residencies and HATCH, and to serve as the vibrant hub for this year's festival,' says Tania Marie Tapiki Smith, General Manager at BATS Theatre. TAHI began in 2019 and was last presented to Pōneke audiences in 2023 with eight shows. Now, in 2025, it returns 10–20 September with double the programme, a broader creative footprint, and the same commitment to courageous storytelling from some of the most exciting solo voices from Aotearoa and beyond. The full programme and ticketing information can be found at About TAHI Festival TAHI New Zealand Festival of Solo Performance is NZ's only festival dedicated to solo performance. Founded in 2019 by Dr Sally Richards, TAHI exists to support, showcase, and celebrate solo artists across genres and generations. Now in its sixth year, TAHI continues to foster new work, champion established voices, and build a vibrant national community for solo theatre makers. Learn more at
Scoop
4 days ago
- Scoop
Here. Together. Now.
Press Release – NZ Improv Festival The New Zealand Improv Festival is proud to present their 2025 programme Here. Together. Now. celebrating the stories of Aotearoa,the connections between us, and the joys and innovations of improvisation, this September 26 through October 4 at BATS Theatre in Wellington. Featuring an expansive programme of thirty-four workshops and twenty-two shows across the Festival, there's something for the newest improv watcher to the more well-hewn, with performers and directors coming together from across the motu and around the world to explore performance on BATS' stages for nine nights only. Bull Rush, currently featured at Basement Theatre in Auckland every Friday night joins us for their side-splitting, sexy, scintillating improv. Local comedy favourites Ginge & Minge present Redemption, where game players give their comedy ideas a second chance. Māori and Pasifika improv group Kōrero Paki return to the stage for their third outing of mean kōrero and wild comedy; and these three shows are just a selection of the bounty that's on offer. 'Coming into our third and final year as co-directors of the Festival, we really wanted to dig into what makes improv special as an art form.' Festival Co-Directors Jim Fishwick and Matt Powell say, 'In a time where political and corporate forces seek to pull us apart, we want to demonstrate the power of improv to bring people together in the moment, performer and audience alike, to create new things that no individual could have made by themselves.' With some of the key improv principles of listening, acceptance, and support feeling more important now than ever, our 2025 Improv Fest programme will warm the heart and tickle the funny bone, and we can't wait to see how things unfold. The New Zealand Improv Festival runs from 26 September through 4 October 2025. Tickets for the New Zealand Improv Festival are available now. Check out our show programme at BATS's website, and sign up for our workshop programme too.
Scoop
4 days ago
- Scoop
Here. Together. Now.
The New Zealand Improv Festival is proud to present their 2025 programme Here. Together. Now. celebrating the stories of Aotearoa, the connections between us, and the joys and innovations of improvisation, this September 26 through October 4 at BATS Theatre in Wellington. Featuring an expansive programme of thirty-four workshops and twenty-two shows across the Festival, there's something for the newest improv watcher to the more well-hewn, with performers and directors coming together from across the motu and around the world to explore performance on BATS' stages for nine nights only. Bull Rush, currently featured at Basement Theatre in Auckland every Friday night joins us for their side-splitting, sexy, scintillating improv. Local comedy favourites Ginge & Minge present Redemption, where game players give their comedy ideas a second chance. Māori and Pasifika improv group Kōrero Paki return to the stage for their third outing of mean kōrero and wild comedy; and these three shows are just a selection of the bounty that's on offer. 'Coming into our third and final year as co-directors of the Festival, we really wanted to dig into what makes improv special as an art form.' Festival Co-Directors Jim Fishwick and Matt Powell say, 'In a time where political and corporate forces seek to pull us apart, we want to demonstrate the power of improv to bring people together in the moment, performer and audience alike, to create new things that no individual could have made by themselves.' With some of the key improv principles of listening, acceptance, and support feeling more important now than ever, our 2025 Improv Fest programme will warm the heart and tickle the funny bone, and we can't wait to see how things unfold. The New Zealand Improv Festival runs from 26 September through 4 October 2025. Tickets for the New Zealand Improv Festival are available now. Check out our show programme at BATS's website, and sign up for our workshop programme too.
