Paperboy

1 PERFORMANCE Wired Q Theatre, Wed 24-Sun 28 Jan, 2018 Dance, music and Māori mythology are fused together in this spellbinding collaborative show by Auckland’s Okareka Dance Company and Brisbane’s Collusion Music and Dance Ensemble. Drawing upon the ancestry within both Australia and New Zealand, Wired explores the nature of touch, and what it means to touch and be touched and reconnect in a disconnected world. 305 Queen St, central city 2 FESTIVAL Auckland International Buskers Festival Auckland waterfront, Fri 26-Mon 29 Jan, 2018 Street performers are seriously underrated in Auckland. The Buskers Festival is your chance to give them the attention they deserve: spill your loose change into the hats of acrobats, jugglers and more. Central city 3 ART Art of Banksy Aotea Centre, Fri 5 Jan-Tue 6 Feb, 2018 Quite the enigma is Banksy. The painter, graffiti artist and…

Friday session Friday, 5.30pm I’ve walked out of my studio on Parnell Rise feeling either dejected at not having finished anything or stoked that I’ve polished off something meaningful. Generally, I’ll head into Britomart and meet yo-pro friends for after-work drinks. After a substantial venting session we’ll scan the internet for gigs and head to something. Live music Friday, 10pm At shows I often find myself staring at the lights and production asking myself, “How do they do this?”, usually forgetting to enjoy the show. My friend Louis has found a new girl out on the dancefloor somewhere and I’m doing my best to wingman the situation. Post-concert we usually end up somewhere jovial and trashy i.e. Danny Doolans. 204 Quay St, Viaduct Fresh air Saturday, 2pm I go for a run. It helps clear…

I’m currently reading The Idiot by Elif Batuman. Hilariously painful relationships, awkwardness, miscommunication. I couldn’t put down Donna Tartt’s The Secret History, an indulgence when I should have been studying for exams in the early 1990s. All the intensity when you’ve just hit your 20s. My fave series as a kid Enid Blyton all the way: The Famous Five, The Magic Faraway Tree (for which Blyton was recently described as the Jimi Hendrix of writing), The Secret Seven. A politically challenging read The Road to Hell by Elizabeth Stanley, which really made me understand the systematic and institutional abuse of children in state care in New Zealand. My heart goes out to the people who bravely told their stories in this book. Book I’d recommend to a friend Jeanette Winterson’s Why Be Happy When…

FESTIVAL Tāmaki Herenga Waka Festival Dive into the history of our city with the Tāmaki Herenga Waka Festival Honour Tāamaki Makaurau’s rich Māaori history and contemporary culture over Auckland Anniversary Weekend by celebrating the 19 mana whenua groups who are linked to the city. Across three days, waka-centred activities such as paddling demos and getting out on the harbour in a waka can be enjoyed alongside live music, kapa haka performances and a generous offering of kai. Fresh highlights for 2018 include a digital space offering games and lessons in basic te reo Māaori, and daily waka parades with commentary on waka history and culture. Viaduct Events Centre and Viaduct Harbour, Sat 27-Mon 29 Jan, 2018 A TITANIC PRIZE Jack, I'm flying Titanic Live takes the epic to new heights with a live orchestra Celebrate the 20th…

Julius Caesar In a world where ambitious politicians vie for the ultimate prize, sometimes the only way to stop your rival is by revolution. But what is the price of revolt? Shining a mirror on dirty politics, Pop-up Globe’s Pembroke’s Company bring you a female-led, gender-reversed production of the gripping tragedy, Julius Caesar. From 11 Jan The Merchant of Venice Friendship, forbidden love, cunning disguises and ancient enmity culminate in a thrilling trial scene in The Merchant of Venice. Witness Pop-up Globe’s all-male Buckingham’s Company take on Shakespeare’s most controversial comedy. From 12 Jan Macbeth A haunting and timeless tragedy that explores the darkest corners of the human mindset in a world where the supernatural is real and the quickest way to the top is by murder. Macbeth, presented by Pop-up Globe’s Southampton’s Company sees…

COMING UP What’s ahead for Tāmaki Makaurau Public transport improvements and more It’s all go in the city with lots to look forward to in the new year. Work to improve Franklin Road (artist’s impression above left) has stopped while the Christmas lights are on but after Boxing Day, work will start up again and, early next year, a roundabout will be built at the intersection at Wellington Street, along with pedestrian crossings. Also after Christmas, part of Albert Street will become a “floating road” to keep traffic moving and allow work to continue on the City Rail Link (CRL) tunnels underneath. If you’ve been around the construction area recently, you may have noticed the waka train image (above top) on the hoardings – the CRL trains won’t look like that (sadly); it’s…