Jess Tyson’s guide to AAF2025

Hey Jess! What show are you most looking forward to and why? 

This question is very hard to answer because there are so many shows I'm looking forward to for different reasons! Watching SIX with my girl mates was such an awesome experience because the show was so spectacular and the theme of female empowerment was so in line with what my friends and I love! Of course, I'm really looking forward to shows with Māori artists and performers so going along to Ngā Whakamāoritanga and Whiua ki te Ao will be a major highlight for me.

If you had to step in, and join the cast of a show - which would it be? 

I would love to be in Belle – Performance of Air because if I was in it it would mean that I would be as strong and skilled as the dancers and aerial artists in the show. The performers in that show are incredibly talented and I wish I could be as amazing as them! 

What is your go to bar and dinner spots before heading to a show in the city? 

My go to dinner spot would be the Asian fusion restaurant Lucky Eight in Ponsonby. The food there is so delicious, especially the prawns! Each tapas plate is only $8.88 so you can buy heaps and get so much variety! The cocktails there are really yummy too. Another favourite dinner spot is Eight at the Cordis hotel. It's all you can eat with food from different cuisines from around the world. The restaurant is super classy and the staff are the best!

How do you recommend I dress for a show within Te Ahurei Toi o Tāmaki Auckland Arts Festival?

I usually love to dress to the theme of the show so that would be a good starting place! Also, don't feel shy to wear something that makes you stand out from the crowd! Sometimes people feel too shy to get dressed up and stand out but I always encourage them, the brighter the better! Of course wear something you are comfortable in because sitting in something uncomfortable for hours watching a show is not ideal at all! You can always match your makeup to your outfit too!