The Herald's entertainment team take a look at the best events taking place over the first weekend of Auckland Pride Festival.
Lily Allen
Honest and raw as ever, Lily Allen is riding her comeback all the way Downunder, performing in Auckland this weekend. After 2014's Sheezus, a record Allen has actively distanced herself from, saying it was largely label-mandated pop, the British singer returned to her DIY roots and released No Shame, a more inspired record that unpicked some often harrowing details of the last few years of Allen's life including her divorce, substance abuse and heartbreaking miscarriage. Her vocals are as stunning as ever, and her stage presence wholly unique, so Lily Allen fans can expect a show that brings them back to why we fell in love with her in the first place.
The Basement Theatre is back for 2019, opening its summer season with a party this Friday night. Kicking off proceedings is Dara who spins disco, funk and soul tunes; Disasteradio follows with his synth-pop greatness, while Sam Harmony, of Friendly Potential, follows with his legendary late-night dance bangers. The evening is curated by gig series Moral Support, so you can expect one hell of a party to usher in the theatre's groundbreaking new summer season.
• Basement Theatre, tomorrow, 8pm
Homos, or Everyone in America explores gay liberation today. Photo/Getty Images
Homos, or Everyone in America
Auckland Pride is back with an action-packed programme as bright as, well, a rainbow. We're particularly excited about the play Homos, or Everyone in America as it marks director Shane Bosher's return to Auckland theatre after an 18-month absence. Bosher's known and noted for picking plays that explode the attitudes, emotions and prejudices that sit at the heart of contemporary life and this is no exception. Expect no-fault hookups, debates about marriage equality and self-outing teenagers in what's billed as a "post-gay guide for survival".
• Homos, or Everyone in America, Loft at Q Theatre, until Saturday, February 16
Proud Centres
And sticking with Pride, Auckland Council is putting on Proud Centres, in which they open up their community centres across the city for Pride-focused events. This weekend and next, they're collaborating with Queer Scenes on special queer film screenings, beginning with best picture-winner Moonlight on Friday. A summery screening of Call Me By Your Name follows on Saturday at Freyberg Square in the CBD. Both are weather-dependent outdoor screenings, kicking off at 9pm. Come along early for Glory Nails, a pop-up nail salon for everyone, beginning from 8pm.
• Proud Centres, Wesley Community Centre, tomorrow, 9pm; Freyberg Square, Saturday, 9pm
Pop-up Globe's The Taming of the Shrew closes this weekend.
Pop-up Globe:
It's the last chance to see the first two of Pop-up Globe's summer plays - and the weather couldn't be more perfect to spend an afternoon or evening at the world's first full-scale, temporary working replica of Shakespeare's second Globe Theatre. The rom-com The Taming of the Shrew and the darkly delicious Richard III conclude this weekend but fear not! Two new shows start in February, the controversial comedy Measure for Measure and Hamlet, arguably Shakespeare's most famous production. As the good folks from Pop-up Globe like to remind us, this isn't Shakespeare as you learned it – or not – at school. It's bawdy, hilarious, brutal and bloodsoaked.
Pop-up Globe, Ellerslie Racecourse, The Taming of the Shrew and Richard III, popglobe.co.nz for dates and times
