Latest news with #BasementTheatre
Scoop
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- 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.
Scoop
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Cults, Comedy And Closure In An Original Kiwi Musical
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. THERAPY: A Musical Comedy is on for one week only at Basement Theatre, from 8 to 12 July. Tickets on sale now:
RNZ News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
Does the underground still exist? A conversation with Samuel Te Kani
Does an underground still exist? Or is it just one more consumer choice in an ever growing banquet of ticketed events? Testing this may be Tāmaki Makarau's biennial Festival of Live Arts (FOLA) , at the Basement Theatre from June 11 to 15. The festival dubs itself the black sheep of the Auckland festival family and "a haven for misfits, punks and menaces of the art world". Indeed, in an accompanying media release artistic directors Nisha Madhan and Julia Croft state that "neoliberal and capitalist structures have failed to create space for Live Art, and artists in general". Someone never shy to comment, Samuel Te Kani has two projects as part of FOLA. Of Ngāpuhi and Ngāti Porou, Te Kani is an art critic, thinker, erotic science fiction author, filmmaker and a self-described K Road icon. Firstly, online from Wednesday he is reshowing a video essay, Surviving the Necropolis: an artists guide and then on Friday is a free live event with his cohost on podcast Rats in the Gutter , comedian Johanna Cosgrove. The Devil Wears Rats sees the pair provide a live commentary for a screening of the major motion picture The Devil Wears Prada . Mark Amery spoke to Samuel Te Kani.
NZ Herald
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
Sketch, stand-up and improv comedy with Brynley Stent, Donna Brookbanks and Eli Matthewson – Billy T' Billy
Ahead of the festival, the NZ Herald is spotlighting some of the festival's performers in Billy T' Billy, a podcast bringing comedians together for a look at the industry. And for the final episode of the season, comedians Brynley Stent, Donna Brookbanks and Eli Matthewson talk about their experiences working in different forms of comedy. All three were members of Snort, an improv troupe who performed at Basement Theatre in Auckland most Friday nights for 10 years. Matthewson said the friendships formed between the members was one of the lasting aspects of that troupe. " It provided this opportunity to let loose and it's amazing how I think everyone kind of figured out who they are as comedians through just doing those shows. '$5 cash on the door. It was all in an ice cream container. I remember one night everyone was sitting on the, we had like 200 people in absolute fire risk that were sitting on the floor. It's truly some of my most special memories.' Brookbanks said: 'I think that's what you were saying about how we all kind of found our comedy voice through that, is I think that's another thing that made Snort work so well, aside from the friendship, was that we were all so different in terms of comedy style.' Many of the members went on to write for sketch shows Jono and Ben and Funny Girls, which aired on Three. Stent said working on those shows meant pitching 'some of the weirdest shit'. 'One of my most vivid memories from [those] times is just doing alts, which is where they'll have a script and then you come as the writers with 10 different alternative jokes for every joke, and you pitch them. 'So you go around the circle and you say them out loud and I reckon 90% of them stink up the joint. And so like you have to say to some of your most like best friends, slash the people you respect the most in the industry, you just have to say these jokes and have crickets.' Matthewson said it's a skill that's applicable to working on solo shows: " I tend to go through all my stand-up bits and I approach it the same way. I am like, 'okay, have I thought of every angle?', and I try and beat the jokes that I have." Listen to the full episode for more of the pros and cons of sketch, stand-up and improv.
