This weekend we want to go to . . .
Neck of the Woods
Kiwi soul/RnB singer Aaradhna is on a six-date nationwide tour, offering Kiwis a final chance to catch her live before she takes a break to write new music. The VNZMA-winning artist released her acclaimed album
Brown Girl in 2016, and she describes this tour — titled Winter’s End — as a way to symbolise one era closing and another beginning. Soul singer Emily Muli has joined Aaradhna for the tour, which arrives in Auckland tonight before heading to Christchurch’s Club Tavern tomorrow and finishing at Wellington’s San Fran on Saturday. Aaradhna — Winter’s End Neck of the Woods, tonight
The Civic
As Captain Kirk, he explored the “final frontier”; as TV lawyer Denny Crane, he pushed life, love and the law to the limit. At 87, actor William Shatner continues to do both and has no intention of taking his foot off the pedal any time soon. The TV and movie legend returns to NZ to share more stories, songs, jokes and musings from a life lived long and well. If you need some inspiration to get you through to the weekend — and who doesn’t love an inspirational quote — Shatner once said “. . . to have joy and have awe and wonder at the world around us is to say ‘yes’ to life!” Shatner’s World, The Civic, Saturday
Basement Theatre
With White Man Behind a Desk, Robbie Nicol has carved out a niche as New Zealand’s witty answer to John Oliver, taking on issues unique to our country and delivering them through a sharp comedic lens. WMBADx: Idea Worth Spreading is
his new comedy show, reportedly an “entirely humourless” seminar aiming to set things straight, as Nicol has reached an epiphany, deciding politics and comedy should never mix again. The show finishes up its two week season this weekend, running until Saturday at the Basement Theatre. WMBADx: Idea Worth Spreading, Basement Theatre, until Saturday
Auckland Town Hall
What does trout fishing have to do with classical music? There’s a connection — sort of — with composer Franz Schubert having penned a piano quintet popularly referred to as the “trout quintet”. Chamber Music New Zealand has programmed Schubert’s piece alongside a new commission by local composer Ross Harris described as “a meditation on the trout fishing rivers near Turangi”. You can hear both, alongside Rossini, when internationally acclaimed pianist Piers Lane joins members of the NZ String Quartet and bassist Hiroshi Ikematsu, formerly of the NZ Symphony Orchestra now with the Tokyo Metropolitan, perform tomorrow evening. Chamber Music New Zealand, Auckland Town Hall, Friday
Bruce Mason Centre
It’s the final weekend of the school holidays. While parents and caregivers breathe a sigh of relief — maybe — the kids are likely to be taking a deep breath as they prepare for the back-to-school. Before Monday-itis, here’s a show that gives the whole family a chance to come up for some air. It’s a circus-style adventure that brings to life the very air we breathe. Made by the creative team from Cirque du Soleil, it blows into town direct from New York having played to thousands of spectators across the world. Expect to be kept enthralled. Air Play, Bruce Mason Centre, Saturday and Sunday