Nau mai, haere mai and welcome to Tāmaki Makaurau.
Te Ahurei Toi o Tāmaki Auckland Arts Festival is honoured to welcome artists, producers, programmers, presenters and festival directors from across the motu and the world to our Festival.
Our industry friends are able to purchase tickets for $35* to the shows below, and tickets to A Streetcar Named Desire for $50*
Tēnei te mihi atu ki a koutou katoa,
Nā mātou, nā
Bernie, Ataahua, Robbie and the AAF whānau
*ticket limits may apply, excludes any booking fees
Personal
6-9 March, Rangatira Q Theatre
What’s it like to live in a Deaf family, where using sign language is natural, in a society that sees only your family’s disability with voyeuristic curiosity? One of the most poignant, engaging and perceptively funny theatre pieces we’ve discovered in a while, Personal is artist Jodee Mundy’s story of being CODA (child of Deaf adults). Her experience as the only hearing person in a Deaf family — something she first realised when she was lost in a Kmart as a five-year-old — is cleverly portrayed through performance, storytelling, multimedia and animation, all with a lightness of touch that’s truly captivating.
Tami Nielson, The F Word
Sat 8 MARCH, 7.30PM – Great Hall, Auckland Town Hall
Our award-winning country queen Tami Neilson and her hot rocking band not only perform a stonking setlist of country classics for your listening pleasure, but answer the burning question why songs of feminism were banned from country radio. With the help of Dr Jada Watson, this tongue-in-cheek exposé of gender inequality in country champions the female artists, from Dolly Parton to Patsy Cline to Loretta Lynn to The (Dixie) Chicks, who smashed stereotypes and soared to #1 despite the barriers. We can’t think of a better way to celebrate International Women’s Day than riding in boots-up and lassos-out for Tami’s barnburner of a concert.
Belle - A performance of Air
6-9 MARCH, Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre, Aotea Centre
A defining experience of the Festival, this monumental collision of theatre and aerial transforms the Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre into a whole other world. An all-female cast exhibits spectacular strength and skill, emerging and vanishing from portals of light and shadow, all of it enveloped in a gorgeous soundscape. It’s simply breathtaking. With captivating design and composition from the creative force that is Malia Johnston, Rowan Pierce and Eden Mullholand, in collaboration with Jenny Ritchie, Belle is a visual and atmospheric wonder that left us speechless — and we haven’t been able to stop talking about it since. It’s a performance of air, and so, so much more.
The Necks
FRI 7 MARCH, 6PM – GREAT HALL, AUCKLAND TOWN HALL
The Necks, put simply, are one of the cult bands. The New York Times calls them the “Greatest Trio on Earth.” Described as not quite avant-garde, minimalist, ambient or jazz, they’re really a genre unto themselves — proudly their own thing in a world of trendsetting and attention seeking, which is a huge part of their enduring charm. If you know The Necks, you just know. But if you’ve never heard their music, prepare for obsession. Touring to promote their new album Bleed, the Sydney-based group last played here in 2008, making this long-awaited return to Aotearoa a big deal for fans and the Festival alike.
Smashed - The Nightcap
11-23 MARCH, Spiegeltent, Aotea Square
Thirsty for a fabulous night out? Let the hottest cabaret troupe out of Australia take care of that for you. For our most intoxicating Spiegeltent season yet, we’re pinching ourselves that we’ve lured the queen of late-night variety, Victoria Falconer — award-winning performer, musician, MC and one of the most in-demand artists on the scene — across the ditch for a late summer of fast-and-frisky, saucy-as-hell, anything-goes circus-style cabaret. She’s joined by her specially curated dream team of drag, burlesque, aerial and acrobatic stars, including some handpicked guests from our own backyard, and a rock ‘n’ roll live band to help you tear up the night!
History of House
Wed 12 MARCH, Great Hall, Auckland Town Hall
Soweto Gospel Choir, DJ Groove Terminator
Imagine a dancefloor, the world’s greatest gospel choir and a DJ set for the ages. That’s History of House in a nutshell. Whether your vibe is disco funk, club classics, rave anthems or millennial electropop, this non-stop ride through three decades of dance music has you covered. Whoever had the brilliant idea to put the vocal power of African gospel singers behind one of Ministry of Sound’s biggest DJs sure knows how to bring the house down. From the first beat drop to the last, we know you won’t be able to stop dancing – both inside a pulsing Auckland Town Hall and all the way down Queen Street afterwards.
Lula Washington Dance Theatre
13-16 MARCH, Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre, Aotea Centre
Since 1980, the cultural and dynamic force that is Lula Washington Dance Theatre has performed innovative, creative and provocative dance pieces from a number of choreographers, including their much-celebrated Founder and Artistic Director, Lula Washington. Works that fuse African and Afro Haitian styles alongside dance composition rooted in African American culture; and are set to upbeat and vibrant jazz, funky R&B and original beats, bring to life the stories of this company that hails from straight outta Los Angeles. Feel their passion and energy, witness the talents of this pioneering contemporary dance ensemble and celebrate the international premieres of not one, but TWO brand new works. It will be the experience of a lifetime…and a whole lotta fun!
HEDY! The life & Inventions of Hedy Lamarr
13-16 MARCH, Rangitira Q Theatre
Did you know that a woman invented the tech behind WiFi? And that she was one of the biggest movie stars of her time? A crackerjack of a one-woman theatre show, HEDY! is the rollicking true yarn of Hedy Lamarr, whose bombshell looks — dubbed “The Most Beautiful Woman in the World” by Hollywood’s publicity machine — overshadowed her scientific genius. Creator Heather Massie not only embodies Hedy and a cast of (36!) Tinseltown greats with real spunk, but it’s her drive to inspire the next gen — especially women in STEM — that got us excited about bringing her message and Hedy’s story to young Aucklanders. Performed by Heather Massie
Toiere
Fri 14 MARCH, Concert Chamber, Auckland Town Hall
Operatic arias, te reo Māori and sublime vocal prowess blend together in this concert of treasured and popular waiata. Prepare to be entranced and transported to another realm. Prime your vocal for a sing-along like no other. Toiere will take you on a musical journey to be remembered for years to come.
Gene Kelly - A Life in Music
Sat 15 MARCH, Great Hall, Auckland Town Hall
Patricia Kelly & Auckland Philharmonia
Gene Kelly – A Life in Music is a symphonic cinema tribute to the life and work of legendary dancer, director and choreographer Gene Kelly. Blending beautiful film clips from well-known MGM musicals with less-known pieces, including rarely seen television specials, the show is woven together with captivating, behind-the-scenes stories about the making of these magical works, shared by Kelly’s wife and official biographer Patricia Kelly. This very personal journey into the unique landscape of music and dance is capped by the presence of Auckland Philharmonia, a jewel in our city’s performing arts crown, whose magnificent orchestra plays live to Kelly’s dancing on screen.
Talisk
Tue 18 MARCH, spiegeltent, Aotea Square
Let us introduce you to a folk band about to take over the world. Scotland’s Talisk are one of the best live acts in the UK and on the festival circuit right now, producing raucous crowd energy and stadium-sized sound with a mere concertina, fiddle and guitar. It’s just Mohsen Amini, Benedict Morris and Charlie Galloway on stage with three acoustic instruments — and yet it’s their indescribable ability to concoct the most addictive, trance-like explosion of folk that has propelled them to cult status. Whether traditional music gets your blood flowing or you’re a headbanger at heart, this gig is for you.
Animal - Cirque Alfonse
19-23 MARCH, rangatira, Q Theatre
It’s farm life, but not as we know it. Proudly from the funky backwaters of Quebec, Cirque Alfonse has cooked up a barnyard-themed circus stacked with the weirdest livestock, tractors and giant cowbells as stunt props, and a mechanical bull…just because. Did we mention the unbelievable acrobatic skills, edge-of-your-seat tricks and madcap comedy routines? What makes Animal such a winner of a show is the pure joy and unpredictability its most wholesome troupe of carnies brings to the stage — a multi-generational family of performers and musicians, from super young to sprightly in age, who just know how to put on a show.
Camille O'Sullivan - Loveletter
Wed 19 MARCH, Great Hall, Auckland Town Hall
In memory of her dear departed friends, Sinead O’Connor and The Pogues’ Shane MacGowan, and other legends that inspire, fan favourite Camille O’Sullivan returns to the Festival with this radiant new concert. Camille’s reputation for stunning live shows and thrilling interpretations of great music is immense around the world, and here she’ll sing from the heart and soul — and in the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day — to honour her fellow Irish music icons, along with songs by the late Leonard Cohen, David Bowie and more. Loveletter also marks Camille’s first Auckland Town Hall performance, a venue of breathtaking acoustics tailormade for her most dramatic song renditions.
A Streetcar Named Desire
20-23 MARCH, Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre, industry tickets $50
Tennessee Williams. Blanche DuBois. Stella and Stanley Kowalski. You may know their names, but you won’t truly know Streetcar until you’ve seen it as a ballet. Injecting dance and live music into the beating heart of this iconic play, Scottish Ballet has come up with something special — a vital, achingly intense tribute to the eternally misunderstood Blanche, who struggles to live her personal truth amid family turmoil in 1940s New Orleans. So moved were we by the depth of feeling and storytelling, that we just had to bring this exceptional production and dance company to Aotearoa.
Maya Piata
Thu 20 MARCH, Spiegeltent, Aotea Square
With a musical style inspired by her New Orleans Creole heritage, Ngāti Tūwharetoa whakapapa, African American, and Native American roots, Maya Piata will delight audiences with her unparalleled effervescence and vitality. For the Festival, she performs a mixture of original and well-loved songs in Aotearoa for the first time. Growing up in “The Big Easy” amidst a vibrant live music culture has impacted her career thus far and we can’t wait to share that energy and dynamism with Tāmaki Makaurau.
Whiua ki te Ao
Fri 21 MARCH, Spiegeltent, Aotea Square
Singalongs, guitar parties, karaoke and jam sessions are an inherent part of the culture of Aotearoa. Featuring the stunning vocals of Maisey Rika and a collective of acclaimed and talented songsters, join us as we take a musical journey through a selection of waiata that you grew up with. Get your vocal chords warmed up and primed for a good old-fashioned sing-song to waiata that have been heard in halls and marae all over this country throughout the years. From classics like ‘Pōkarekare Ana’ and ‘Tūtira Mai Ngā Iwi’ to newer waiata from Maisey’s own collection, you will be captivated from the get-go!
Kulāiwi & Kaumakaiwa
Sat 22 MARCH, Spiegeltent, Aotea Square
This talented collective of award winning, talented performers, singers, songwriters, composers and cultural leaders was formed to connect kānaka (Native Hawaiians) to ‘āina (land) through mele (songs), the thread that binds the continuum of cultural knowledge. Soaring vocals, island harmonies, a folk vibe, and fun ‘talk story’ have won Kulāiwi four Hawaiian Grammys including Group of the Year, for their first album, Native Lands.
Award-winning singer and riveting performer Kaumakaiwa, from the renowned Kanakaʻole family, seamlessly melds Hawaiian culture and modern sensibilities in deeply powerful music and chant. A modern Hawaiian, she is a vibrant keeper of culture, and at the same time, an authentic innovator.
Delbert Anderson Quartet
Sun 23 MARCH, Spiegeltent, Aotea Square
Jazz that tells the story of Diné culture is the jam of this wonderfully innovative group. Led by Delbert Anderson, a Navajo (Diné) trumpet master whose playing style channels the spirit of Miles Davis (who was of Cherokee ancestry), Delbert Anderson Quartet infuses traditional Diné ‘spinning songs’ with jazz improvisation, funk lines, hip-hop notes and soulful Latin grooves. Having one of the pillars of the Native American jazz scene visit Aotearoa is a privilege for the Festival’s Indigenous Music Series, and we extend a warm welcome to the Quartet and its musical heritage drawn from Northwest New Mexico, the landscape and surrounding Indigenous tribes.