NAT has an ever-changing line up; that’s the beauty of having an open-access theatre venue! See what your favourite performers are up to and discover new artists, by checking here regularly. NAT doesn’t pre-programme seasons, so this is where you can see what we have going on. We have a bar open from 1 hourish before the show, and you are welcome to take your drinks into the theatre (there’s no BYO!)
Octagon Collective Presents: March Poetry Reading with Tim Jones and Richard Reeve, and Open Mic!
Weds 11 Mar, 7pm
FREE entry!
Bar open from 6pm
Please join us on Wednesday March 11th for the next session of The Octagon Poetry Collective’s monthly readings. Featured guests are Tim Jones and Richard Reeve, and Kay McKenzie Cooke will be MC.
We will run our usual open mic, so please bring one poem if you wish to read, and see Kay on the night to sign up.
Attendance is FREE, but if you have the means please support our co-hosts by purchasing refreshments during the evening.
We are a hate-free zone and decry any bigotry, hate speech, transphobia, homophobia, or racism – bring only your creativity and community spirit.
Richard Reeve is the author of seven collections of poetry. With Mick Abbott, he is also co-editor of an anthology of essays on wilderness, Our Wild Heart: The Possibility of Wilderness in Aotearoa New Zealand (OUP 2011).
Two new books – a collection of poems, Fun and Games, and a poem-sequence, The Elements – are both forthcoming from Maungatua Press.
Richard was the founding editor of Glottis: New Writing and has been an editor of two issues of Landfall. In the noughties, he worked as Humanities editor for Otago University Press. He holds a Ph.D. on ‘New Zealand poetic reality’ but works as a barrister.
He lives in Warrington, to the north of Dunedin with Octavia and the cat Lionel, and has recently taken up running.
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Tim Jones is a writer, editor and anthologist who lived in Dunedin from 1976 to 1993, and now lives in Te Whanganui-a-Tara / Wellington.
He was awarded the NZSA Peter & Dianne Beatson Fellowship in 2022. He writes short and long fiction and poetry, and his recent books include climate fiction novel Emergency Weather (The Cuba Press, 2023) and his new poetry collection Dracula in the Colonies (The Cuba Press, 2025).
Your Collective committee:
Jackson
Mac MacDonald
Jasmine Taylor
Nicola Thorstensen
Ben Wilmot
Sophia Wilson
IT’S BACK! 2 venues, 11 days, 19 productions, 48 shows, not enough sleep…
See who’s coming to the NAT and Knockabout stages, click the links to find out more and BOOK YOUR TICKETS xxxx
Hoani Hotene: Funny, Funny
The hilarious 2025 Billy T Award winner in his Ōtepoti debut.
Price $25.00 – $28.50
Dates 12th to 14th March
Venue New Athenaeum Theatre
MORE INFO
Jez Watts: As Seen Nowhere
Internationally touring comedian Jez Watts (AUS) comes to Dunedin for the first time! All-new show. Full special online now.
Price $18.40 – $25.00
Dates 12th to 14th March
Venue Knockabout Studio (@ the NAT)
MORE INFO
Sadomusical
In maybe their worst idea yet, two veteran musical improvisers create art with feeling – whilst feeling the real pain of electrocution.
Price $14.40 – $18.00
Dates 12th to 14th March
Venue New Athenaeum Theatre
Price $25.00 – $28.50
Dates 12th to 14th March
Venue New Athenaeum Theatre
MORE INFO
Liv McKenzie: Literal Angel
What if literal angels did jokes tho?
Price $24.23 – $28.50
Dates 12th to 14th March
Venue Knockabout Studio (@ the NAT)
MORE INFO
Entertaining Angels Unaware
Wartime Britain: little girls must play guardian angels. Which is crueler: to die for love, or to live on regardless?
Price $10.00
Dates 12th to 14th March
Venue New Athenaeum Theatre
MORE INFO
Magic Tricks for Dogs
Dogs have been using magic to train humans for thousands of years. Boots is ready to show off her skills!
Price $15.00 – $25.00
Dates 15th March
Venue New Athenaeum Theatre
MORE INFO
Outstanding Comedy Lineup
A loud and proud stand-up extravaganza! OutStanding unites Fringe’s wild, witty and wonderful LGBTQI+ comedians — different lineup each night!
Price $20.00 – $25.00
Dates 15th , 19th March
Venue New Athenaeum Theatre
MORE INFO
Ping Pong Baller
Winning in life isn’t about the size of your balls… It’s about how you spin them.
Price $8.00 – $10.00
Dates 15th to 17th March
Venue Knockabout Studio (@ the NAT)
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Ben Miller: Volcano
An hour of jokes about volcanoes!
Price $19.20 – $24.00
Dates 15th to 18th March
Venue New Athenaeum Theatre
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The Night Ali Died
Ali inexplicably leaves his witness protection, sparking a brutally twisting domino effect that ricochets through his quiet British town.
Price $20.00 – $22.00
Dates 15th to 17th March
Venue Knockabout Studio (@ the NAT)
MORE INFO
House of Ick
Bursting with outrageous characters, c*nty musical numbers, visceral messy sketches, and the best cringe you could hope for.
Price $20.00 – $25.00
Dates 16th to 18th March
Venue New Athenaeum Theatre
MORE INFO
Dr Jo Prendergast is #coping
Come laugh through the tough stuff: songs, sketch and standup about #coping in a full-on world!
Price $18.00 – $28.00
Dates 18th , 20th , 21st March
Venues Te Whare o Rukutia & Knockabout Studio (@ the NAT)
MORE INFO
Burlesque Beauties
Indulge in the opulence of burlesque.
Price $25.00 – $35.00
Dates 18th to 20th March
Venues Te Whare o Rukutia & New Athenaeum Theatre
MORE INFO
Darts n’ Crafts
A comedic arts and crafts demonstration from the bogan Ms. Frizzle.
Price Pay What You Want
Dates 18th , 19th March
Venue Knockabout Studio (@ the NAT)
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The Sensemaker
A dystopian battle between a woman and an answering machine. Returning show, winner of 16 international awards.
Price $15.00 – $20.00
Dates 19th , 21st March
Venue New Athenaeum Theatre
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I Want Your Kidney
I’m looking for my next organ donor and it could be YOU!
Price $15.00 – $25.00
Dates 19th to 21st March
Venue Knockabout Studio (@ the NAT)
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Embarrassed Naked Female
A lecture-performance following a stolen video down the rabbit hole of internet creeps.
Price $15.00 – $20.00
Dates 19th to 21st March
Venue New Athenaeum Theatre
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Coro
After sold out shows at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the ultimate Coronation Street Parody returns home to Aotearoa.
Price $20.00 – $25.00
Dates 20th to 22nd March
Venue New Athenaeum Theatre
MORE INFO
OCTAGON COLLECTIVE Poetry Night – 2nd Wednesday of the month, 7pm
FREE poetry readings – special guest artists, and open mic.
WEDNESDAYS - STARTS FEB 11TH!
7PM
Bar from 6pm – no BYO
Returning 2026 – mark your calendars!
Octagon Poetry: 11/2, 11/3, 8/4, 13/5, 10/6, 8/7, 12/8, 9/9, 14/10, 11/11, 9/12
Femme: 14/2,
Improsaurus:
Keep an eye out for dates to be confirmed, and mark your diaries 🙂
New Athenaeum Theatre 