This weekend we want to go to...

Ana Chaya Scotney (front left) is a scene-stealing scene from The Breaker Upperers.

Basement theatre: Ana Chaya Scotney was one of the best things about home-grown comedy The Breaker Upperers (and there were a lot of great things about the film) but she's also a story-teller who likes to take to the stage and share other people's experiences. She returns to the Basement with a one-woman show, The Contours of Heaven. NZ Herald theatre reviewer Janet McAllister said Scotney created beauty from documentary to channel verbatim stories of rangatahi struggling with brutal class lines in Hawke's Bay. We weren't at all surprised when it won the Auckland Fringe Festival's Best Theatre and Best Performance awards.
The Contours of Heaven, Basement Theatre, until Saturday, June 30

As winter approaches, it's time for Aotea Square to embrace the chill factor.

Aotea Square: You can't beat the cold, so you might as well make the most of it. In what's become an annual event, Aotea Square gets a winter makeover and goes all Frozen with the arrival of the ice rink so get your skates on. As well as the rink and the ice slide, there's now an ice bar serving cocktails to adults and mocktails to kids. You need a ticket because it's only open to 15 people at a time and there's not a lot of time to linger over your drinks with just a 25-minute time limit but there are ice sculptures to look at. The rink and the ice sculptures aren't the only thing to see. As part of the city's Matariki Festival, there's also a series of free light structures — pouwhenua — making Aotea Square a brighter place to be.
Aotea Square Ice Rink, Slide and bar, until Sunday, July 22

Ōtara Music Arts Centre: Che Fu, King Kapisi, Ardijah, Savage and Pauly Fuemana are some of the notable local musos who have spent time training and recording at the Ōtara Music Arts Centre (OMAC) which has been a musical cornerstone not just of its South Auckland home but the entire country for an astounding three decades. Its unparalleled contribution to our music history was recognised in May's
Vodafone Pacific Music Awards when it received the Special Recognition Award for outstanding achievement and immeasurable service to the community. To mark its 30th anniversary, OMAC throws open its doors and offers a range of activities including exhibitions, concerts and a retrospective of the last 30 years.
Ōtara Music Arts Centre (OMAC), Saturday

Peter Thomas gets his groove on to condust Last Night of the Proms.

Loft at Q Theatre: Described as a "national treasure" and "New Zealand's most indispensable ensemble", the New Zealand Trio plays contemporary classical music. It's back for 2018 with stalwart member cellist Ashley Brown (cello) who's joined by guest musicians Natalie Lin (violin) and Somi Kim (piano) for Weave which, as the name suggests, criss-crosses different musical genre to create textures and colours. NZ Trio isn't the only "classical" act in town, though. You might want to dust off that Union Jack, charge your glass and prepare to sing your heart out as Auckland Symphony Orchestra returns with Last Night of The Proms delivering a showcase of British musical gems from the iconic Rule Britannia to tunes by The Beatles. You could also join Auckland-based chamber choir Viva Voce to celebrate its 33rd birthday. It's not really an anniversary to make a big deal about it's a number that has fascinated mathematicians, scientists, philosophers, theologians and superstitious folk so the choir is basing its celebrations around the magical number.
NZ Trio, Weave, Loft at Q Theatre, Sunday (and Tuesday, June 26)
Last Night of Proms, Bruce Mason Centre, Saturday, at 7.30pm; Auckland Town Hall, Sunday, at 5.30pm
Viva Voce, Auckland Town Hall Concert Chamber, Sunday