Pōneke performing arts Jun 9-15, 2025
Nau mai, haere mai to my weekly round-up of every public performing arts event in Pōneke/Wellington (that I know of). I list the next 4 weeks of shows below, and also keep a chronological spreadsheet for the rest of 2025 and into the future.
Recently announced
Raureti Ormond’s Kia Mau show He Ingoa is back with a few more performances later this week.
George Fenn presents The Sexy Ghost of Xmas at BATS the week of Matariki holiday.
Sanjay Patel brings his show Stupid to the Fringe Bar for one night in August.
This week
Continuing this week is: The Handlers at Circa as part of Kia Mau Festival.
Also on this week are: Lōemis Festival (no theatre/dance this year), the Matariki Glow Show, Ed Gamble, and Jerome Chandrahasen (his excellent 2024 show).
Plus it’s the final week of Kia Mau Festival with Cook Islands bands ‘Avaiki Nui Social Returns, Shifting Centre’s The Circle, the sold-out WTF: What The Fa'afafine!?!, plenty serious TALK TALK from Wiradjuri woman Vicki van Hout, Michaella Steel’s Tūī Girls, Nathan Joe’s A Short History of Asian New Zealand Theatre, additional performances of Raureti Ormond’s He Ingoa, Puana from Ka Papahana Hana Keaka Hawai‘i, A Nighttime Travesty from Naarm-based A Daylight Connection, and closing night I Feel Love spearheaded by MĀ and Louisa Williamson.
* = continuation of season
Advisory: Please double check the dates/times/venues of events when you book tickets!
Mon 9-Sun 15 June
Not Kia Mau Festival:
Mon 9-Sat 21 Jun - Lōemis Festival
Tue 10 Jun, 10am, 12pm & 2pm - Matariki Glow Show | The Glow Show Company @ Opera House
Wed 11 Jun, 7pm - Ed Gamble - Hot Diggity Dog. @ Opera House
Fri 13 & Sat 14 Jun, 6:30pm - Jerome Chandrahasen - On Words @ Fringe Bar
Kia Mau Festival:
Mon 9 Jun, 7pm - ‘Avaiki Nui Social Returns @ Michael Fowler Centre
*Tue 10-Sat 14 Jun, various times - The Handlers | Poata Alvie McKree (writer), Sepelini Mua'au & Carrie Green (directors) @ Circa Theatre
Tue 10-Fri 13 Jun, 8:30pm - The Circle | Shifting Centre @ Te Auaha
Wed 11-Fri 13 Jun, 6pm - WTF: What The Fa'afafine!?! | Hibiscus Tupua-Wilson @ Te Auaha (SOLD OUT)
Wed 11, Thu 12, Sat 14 Jun, 6:30pm - plenty serious TALK TALK | Vicki van Hout @ Soundings Theatre, Te Papa
Wed 11-Sat 14 Jun, 6:30pm - Tūī Girls | Placeholder Productions (Michaella Steel) @ Te Whaea
Wed 11-Sat 14 Jun, 7pm - A Short History of Asian New Zealand Theatre | Punctum Productions (Nathan Joe) @ Te Auaha
Wed 11-Fri 13 Jun, 7:30pm (& 2pm Fri) - He Ingoa (return season within Kia Mau) | Raureti Ormond @ Circa Theatre
Wed 11-Sat 14 Jun, 8pm (6pm Sat) - Puana | Ka Papahana Hana Keaka Hawai‘i @ Te Whaea
Thu 12-Sat 14 Jun, 8:30pm - A Nighttime Travesty | A Daylight Connection (Kamarra Bell-Wykes & Carly Sheppard) @ Hannah Playhouse
Sat 14 Jun, 8:30pm - I Feel Love | Maarire Brunning-Kouka & Louisa Williamson @ Great Hall, Massey University
Mon 16-Sun 22 June
*Mon 16-Sat 21 Jun - Lōemis Festival
Wed 18 Jun, 7pm - Champorado | James Roque @ BATS Theatre
Wed 18, Thu 19, Sat 21 Jun, 7:30pm - The Sexy Ghost of Xmas | George Fenn @ BATS Theatre
Wed 18, Fri 20, Sun 22 Jun, 7:30pm (2:30pm Sun) - La Bohème | NZ Opera @ St James Theatre
Wed 18-Sat 28 Jun, 8pm (6pm Sun) - The Tīwhas: A Matariki Spectacular @ Circa Theatre
Mon 23-Sun 29 June
*Tue 24-Sat 28 Jun, 8pm - The Tīwhas: A Matariki Spectacular @ Circa Theatre
Thu 26 Jun-Sat 5 Jul, 10am & 1pm - The Home Inside | Wonderlight @ BATS Theatre
Fri 27 & Sat 28 Jun, 7pm (& 2:30pm Sat) - Romeo and Juliet | Ballet International Gala @ St James Theatre
Sat 28 Jun, 7:30pm - Tofiga - Shuuush Your Mouf @ Opera House
Mon 30 Jun-Sun 6 Jul
Not the Pōneke Festival of Contemporary Dance:
*Mon 30 Jun-Sat 5 Jul, 10am & 1pm - The Home Inside | Wonderlight @ BATS Theatre
Tue 1-Sat 12 Jul, 10am & 11:30am (3pm & 4:30pm Sun) - All the Things I Wish I Could Be | Tom Knowles & Jeff Parsnips @ Circa Theatre
Fri 4 Jul-Sat 2 Aug, various times - The Sound Inside | A Mulled Whine & Stellavision (Adam Rapp, Stella Reid) @ Circa Theatre
Sat 5 Jul, 10am, 1pm, 4pm - Peppa Pig's Fun Day Out LIVE! | TEG Life Like Touring @ St James Theatre
Pōneke Festival of Contemporary Dance: (link)
Tue 1 Jul, 6pm - Quiet Rituals | Jake Starrs, Stella Grace Seawright, Grace Ella Lewis @ Te Auaha
Tue 1 Jul, 7:30pm - Thin Paper, Autonomous Synapses, Nomads, Tokyo(ing) | Footnote New Zealand Dance @ Te Auaha
Wed 2 Jul, 6pm - The Shedding of Velvet | Yaga Arts (Janina Smolira) @ Te Auaha
Wed 2 & Thu 3 Jul, 7:30pm - Koolish Zein | BalletCollective Aotearoa & Tawa College @ Te Auaha
Fri 4 & Sat 5 Jul, various times - The Tantrum | Java Dance @ Te Auaha
Fri 4 Jul, 7:30pm - Get Your Sandwich Out of My Inbox | Dance Plant Collective (Weichu Huang, Natasha Kohler, Brittany Kohler) @ Te Auaha
Sat 5 Jul, 7:30pm - Outliers | Projekt Team @ Te Auaha
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