Unequivocally my FAVOURITE venue in Auckland! There is something quite magical about this place…read more From the beautifully themed entrance lobby to the star covered ceiling in the theatre itself the Civic never fails to impress. Their line up of musicals, orchestral performances, theatre and Opera are the best of the best too! Close to public transport and parking close by it is an easy place to get to as well which is a convenient bonus

I have a special bond with the Civic, when I was a kid my grandmother worked there and I would…read moreoften get to go into the Civic and the Wintergarden theatres and run through the back halls and rooms, this was during the days of the St James theatre when no-one had even heard of a multiplex. I've been up to the top and seen the stars, I've played with the glowing eyed lions. In part I think the bond I have with the Civic is a little more intense but no less symbolic then the one the rest of Auckland has with it. The Civic is possibly more iconic than the Auckland Town Hall and it seems to sit astride the heart of the Auckland CBD. Inside the Civic, the entrance hall remains mostly unchanged with the exception of the candy bar that used to sell Tangy Fruits, with a glass of wine or beer being the order of the day. Yes folks the Civic ascended from its cinema roots and matured to be an actual Theatre. In all its changes, its not lost its Grandiose 1940's charm and while the seats are still packed in there, you can sit in the Civic and know you're part of Auckland's long history with the Arts. Wellington is still considered the cultural capital of New Zealand, but its got competition here.

We came here for a presentation of the Opera "La Cenerentola" and a pre-show talk as well this…read moremonth. I found the Center to be very clean and modern in style. The staff were friendly enough and everything there seemed to be well organized. The seats in the auditorium were comfortable enough to sit for a while and the acoustics were fine. My biggest problem was with direction. It happened to be raining and we had to walk around the entire building to find the entrance. There weren't many signs displayed and I found the ones that were posted not to be helpful. The floor-plan is very open and so our talk was overshadowed and a bit interrupted by a musical event happening on another floor. The event itself was fine, however I was tempted to use an emergency exit as we had front row seats and it seemed to take much longer than usual for people to exit the auditorium. Now that I have a better idea of the layout, I would be willing to attend another event here.

Since this place got renovated within the last year, it's pretty snazzy. All the seating redone,…read moreceiling and side panels redone. Can't say if I've noticed much of the acoustic difference. But this place is pretty nice to have an event (show, talk, theatre, performance). I love the foyer area upstairs. There's a cafe and just outside on the steps you can chill and people-watch in the Aotea Square which is alive most times of the year.

Q Theater is a nice venue, however I found it quite confusing. You walk in and don't know whether…read moreto yield right and order food, or go left. Where is the box office? Why are there no signs designating show times? I was seeing a comedy show there a few weeks ago and didn't know what to do when I arrived. After I made a circuit around I stopped at a desk at front that appeared to be the box office. I asked what to do for the show and was told to keep an eye out for when folks gather in a certain area - which would indicate the show I wanted to see would start. Ummm, ok. I'd arrived early so I decided to grab food. I ordered a burger and fries and a cider. Those items came out and I found myself with nowhere to sit. Q Theater was packed! I ended up asking a nice lady if I could sit with her just to eat. Luckily she allowed it. The burger wasn't good, but I think it's because I come from the land of burger. The cider was decent. The comedy show itself was good but was in a small basement space with folding chairs. That's on par for what I paid so, can't complain there.

Blood, sweat and lots of fundraising (over 10 years) have brought us 'Q Theatre'!…read more Purpose-built space with the 'Rangitira' theatre that holds 400+ people, which is the largest auditorium at Q. The 'loft' is more of an intimate performance space with capacity for 110 people. There is also the 'vault' that is a cute rehearsal space that you can hire for $20 per hour. Having experienced both auditoriums, they both cater to maximise good visibility, adequate lighting, comfortable seating in a truly 'thespian' way. Q also have a cafe/bar which is heavily stocked with daily specials, artisan menu and great wines by the glass. You can sit in the foyer, in the bar, or outside for a catch-up with a friend, or pre-drink before a show. Lastly Q is in Queen Street - houses productions by Silo Theatre and Auckland Theatre Company and is one 'hip' venue to acquaint. Yelping Ab Fab.

I like Herald Theatre. It's small but that makes it intimate. We went to a show last night and sat…read morefront row - level with the performers - and it was awesome. You could see their full facials. Love it. The stage isn't huge so it's probably more suited to smaller performances/productions but all in all, it's a nice little venue. Oh, and they do have a bar as well as a small range of ice creams. Not really any food so make sure you eat before you go!

The Herald Theatre is one of the best parts of the Aotea Centre and shows some really great local…read moreproductions. It's intimate and quiet and while I've only sat near the front I imagine all of the seats get decent views of the stage. It has a nice foyer with a bar and all the stage elements are state of the art - we saw a play here last year involving a bathtub and water falling from the ceiling, all of which was pulled off with superior style and drama. Theatre tickets are really economical in the greater scheme of things and if you're not a theatre-goer, give it a go; it's a really engaging and often moving art form that should not be underestimated.

Grab your girlfriends and get along to the monthly Chicks at the flicks at Event Cinemas in…read moreAuckland - choose from Albany, Manukau, Newmarket, Queen St, St Lukes, Westgate and Westcity. It is $29 for a ticket to the chosen movie which includes a goodie bag (filled with a magazine, vouchers, make up samples etc), wine before the movie and plenty of Gu dessert to feast on too. Then when you go into the cinema there are always spot prizes being given away - anything from a case of wine to a $50 clothing voucher. So in case you haven't clicked yet, you get a lot of free stuff, and a good movie with your best buds. It is pretty much a guaranteed fun night out! If you become a VIP member at Event Cinemas then you can get a ticket for the reduced price of $25 (and you can get your friends tickets for this price too).

I went to the Basement Theatre for the first time in the weekend and was immediately annoyed that I…read morehadn't been earlier. It's preeeetty cool. Tucked off Greys Ave, The Basement backs onto a public car park and is hidden from the street. While this adds to it's "underground" appeal it can make it tricky to find if it's your first time. My advice is to enter from the Q Theatre on Queen St, head down the LHS stairs at the back and then keep an eye out for the brightly coloured stools and blue barrels, which are used as tables outside. As others mentioned, The Basement is known for giving emerging artists a platform to perform. They host a wide range of acts from comedy to acting to poetry to dance. It's also home to SNORT, an improv show that's on every Friday at 10pm. It's supposed to be hilarious but word on the street is it regularly sells out so if you're keen to go, definitely get there early. In fact, I would recommend getting there early no matter what show you go to to have a drink beforehand. The bar is stocked with delicious beer, wine and spirits and there's a cool area out the front for you to sit and drink.

"I think there is no world without theatre." - Edward Bond…read more I totally agree. Gosh, I remember when 'Basement Theatre' when it was a rundown, grungy space used by Silo Theatre! How times have changed. There have been many new developments recently with the space, to encourage emerging artists to perform at the theatre at affordable, community-friendly rates. There are 2 theatres - upstairs studio seats 65 people & downstairs seats 100 patrons. The bar has a good selection of craft beers and NZ wines. Please note there is limited space to stand or sit around the bar, however you can go outside when the weather permits. Tickets prices start from $10-$25. I have attended many plays here over the years from the absurdist to apocalypse to comedy to classic drama. Definitely worth a visit to experience something different! Yelp!

Asked our tour leader for suggestions for live theatre in Auckland and she recommended ASB…read moreWaterfront Theatre. Murder on the Orient Express was playing . We were excited to get great seats our tour leader was able to obtain. The performance was great , we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The theatre is well thought out , the acoustics perfect. Seats comfortable and a nice lobby with snacks and drinks . Great location from major hotels .

Saw a show here in a whim and am incredibly impressed with the friendly and helpful staff, good…read moreservice, well designed performance spaces and, OMG, enough stalls in the ladies room. I don't think I've ever attended a performance where there was not a line for the ladies room. I know that's a strange thing to fixate on, but I'm impressed. This theatre will be a template for me in the future in judging performance spaces. Well done.

Great new live venue. Awesome staff who know their drinks. Has an outdoor area with views of the…read morecity. I had a fun night of live music and interesting folks, recommend to all.

Cool "underground" venue. Came here to see a great DnB DJ, which I enjoyed very much. The drink…read moreprices are reasonable, typical club prices. There is a lot of room. There is NO COAT CHECK, which was annoying, but at least no one stole my coat. Nice staff.