What's On

Here Are The Shows You Can’t Miss At The Auckland Fringe Festival 2021

By Urban List Writers
2nd Feb 2021

Members of the band Maimoa stand on the top of Mount Eden.

Auckland is alive with festivals during February as Auckland Pride takes over the city in all its glory throughout the month, but it doesn’t just stop there, with Auckland Fringe bringing independent arts to Tāmaki from 14 February – March 6.

From main-stage to driveways, Fringe showcases the best of Auckland’s incredible arts scene and offers some of Auckland’s most outrageous and unique events with theatre, comedy, dance, music and everything in between in an impressive programme of over 100 events.

So without further ado, here are the events that you can't miss at this year's Fringe festival, and don't forget to check out the full programme at the Auckland Fringe website.

Maimoa

Trailblazers of Māori pop music, Maimoa are a music collective made up of some Aotearoa’s cutting-edge Māori and Pasifika artists. Maimoa are set to be the next big thing and their gig as part of Auckland Live’s Fringe Town programme will be an unmissable event. Make sure you're there to claim bragging rights! 

When: 20 February, 8PM
Where: Great Hall, Auckland Town Hall

Te Whare Kapua: The Cloud House

In their 30th year Massive Company present Te Whare Kapua, a brand new work written by Miriama McDowell and directed by Sam Scott. Dealing with themes of being alone versus loneliness, and letting go and holding on, Te Whare Kapua features emerging performers Jasmine Fotuaika, Sophia Mullender, Elsie Polosovai, Josiah Va’a, and Skye Kelly in this dynamic and poignant new work.

When: 16 – 20 February, 7PM
Where: Mangere Arts Centre

Ghost Machine

A show about life. Performed by a ghost. For the love of god. An existential crisis played out live, performed by a woman entirely inside a duvet cover. Ghost Machine is the multi-award winning show by Laura Davis which has toured internationally since 2015 to widespread critical acclaim.

When: 23 – 27 February, 6.30PM
Where: Basement Theatre

Maggie Cocco's Science For Sociopaths

American singer-songwriter Maggie Cocco will perform songs detailing the course of a relationship in collaboration with live painter, Olivia Garelja, in what will be an emotional, multi-sensory, and interactive experiment. Audience members will even be invited to participate in the live painting too!

When: 27 February, 7PM
Where: Old St Michael’s Church, Henderson

Everybody Eats

Everybody Eats take over the Town Hall their most ambitious project yet, feeding 1000 people. Are you in? This multi-award-winning, pay-as-you-feel restaurant concept takes food that would normally be thrown away and turns it into restaurant-quality meals. Be part of this one-off event featuring celebrity chefs Michael Meredith and Tom Hishon and enjoy delicious kai, and live entertainment. Enjoy your meal free or pay what you can at the end. 

When: 21 February
Where: Great Hall, Auckland Town Hall

Cook Thinks Again

Join Captain James Cook on a walking tour of significant historical sites around Auckland's Waterfront. As he walks, he finds himself thinking again about his contribution to New Zealand history. A fun and accessible opportunity for locals and out-of-towners to reflect on the effect of colonisation and its legacy.

When: 13 – 21 February, 10:30am and 1pm
Where: Meet outside ASB Waterfront Theatre

The Third Culture Kid

As part of Auckland Fringe’s international film night, check out the Third Culture Kid. This is the story of a Pakistani-born Muslim boy growing up in Australia, battling the push and pull of cultural forces from home and society to forge his own identity. Combining story-telling, spoken word poetry, and live hip hop performance, this story is a rallying cry for every millennial migrant growing up different.

When: 28 February
Where: Movespace

Prefer to stay in? Here’s everything you should be watching right now.

Image credit: Maimoa for Auckland Fringe Festival

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