The birth of Frankenstein, sexy ghosts and King Fling: The Spinoff event guide

The Spinoff’s top pick of events from around the motu. Here’s the week August 28 – September 4.

Welcome to The Spinoff event guide formerly known as the event noticeboard. If you’re new to the guide then welcome to your weekly, curated selection of gigs, events and exhibitions from across Aotearoa. If you want to pitch your event for future guides then please use this handy form.

Tāmaki Makaurau

A promotional image for a theatre show about Mary Shelley: showing actors in gothic costume in dark stage set with red gothic lettering.

Theatre: MARY: The birth of Frankenstein by Jess Sayer

ASB Waterfront Theatre
Multiple times, August 21 – September 7
$22–$74

1816 – The Villa Diodati, Geneva, Switzerland. Mary Shelley is 18 years old and is dared to write a ghost story. Read Sam Brooks’ review on The Spinoff, right here.

Kirikiriroa

A promotional image for a drag king show showing images of drag kings in black and white.

Drag: Twisted Coven presents King Fling Drag Show

Biddy Mulligans, 17b Hood St
9pm Friday, August 29
$29

“The Kings are ready to ascend to their thrones and entertain like never before!”

Tauranga

A film still from The Life Aquatic directed by Wes Anderson.

Film: Cult Cinema Club: The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

Village Cinema, 17th Avenue
5pm Saturday, August 30
$20

One of the best Wes Anderson films.

Martinborough

Carl Shuker's latest book The Royal Free. With an image of London in the background.

Literature: Humanities Happy Hour with Carl Shuker

Tonic Bistro, 8 Kitchener St
6pm Thursday, August 28
$20

The latest in a regular series “where we invite writers, historians, folklorists and other humanities scholars to discuss their work and field your questions in our cosy library of libations.” Read a conversation about Shuker’s latest novel, The Royal Free, here.

Te-Whanganui-a-Tara

Image of a woman with her eyes closed. She is listening and there is a swirl of colours behind her.

Music: NZTrio – Fantastique

St Andrew’s on the Terrace
7.30pm Saturday, August 30
$28.92–$54.55

“A lavish tapestry of styles and emotions is explored in Fantastique, a programme of contrasts.” Featuring Turina’s Circulo, Shostakovich’s Piano Trio No.1 in C minor, Chen Yi’s Tibetan Tunes, and a new commission by one of Aotearoa’s most acclaimed composers, John Psathas.

Whakatū

Theatre: Indian Ink Theatre Company presents Paradise or the Impermanence of Ice Cream

Theatre Royal
7pm, August 29–31 (plus 4pm showing on Sunday, August 31)
$25–$60

“India’s skies once teemed with vultures. Now they’ve vanished – and Kutisar needs one to guide him to paradise.

Award winning Jacob Rajan delivers a dazzling performance, complete with puppetry, a dash of Bollywood disco and serious laughter.”

Ōtautahi

Installation/Visual art: Illuminate Light & Sounds Experience

Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Evenings, August 28 – 31
$15 (children under one are free)

A large-scale light installation in the gardens with food trucks

Wānaka

Comedy/Theatre: George Fenn is: Sexy Ghost Boy

Rhyme and Reason Brewery
7.30pm, August 29–30
$15–$40

“Described by witnesses as a hot mess mash up of Mr Bean and Marina Abramović, this show has split the sides of audiences across New Zealand.”