Basement memories
TOM SAINSBURY
“When we were advertising LUV, it was accidentally reported that we were part of Silo Theatre. Silo then promptly came, with an angle grinder or blowtorch or something, and brutally removed their name from the premises. I remember sparks flying everywhere and knew that the old guard was gone and now was the time of Basement. “The Basement does incredible work that no one else in Auckland is doing. You can attend five nights a week and delve deep into artistic fringey-ness and always walk out with your brain firing. I’ve seen so many plays there now and my life is so much richer for the experience.”
DAN MUSGROVE
“The Basement is the most exciting space for new and developmental work in Auckland. It hums. The fact that so much can happen in such a confined space and all in one night makes for a festive energy. And it’s all about the performance. You can get super-close to the actors, which is always great, unless they haven’t washed their costumes, which can happen. It opens you up to a whole creative community. Whether you’re attending as an audience member, making work to perform in the space, or helping out at the box office or bar, these spaces create new inspiration and accidental and well-planned collaborations.”
MORGANA O’REILLY
“I remember Charlie talking about this grand plan. He wanted to use the space and the bar after our beloved Silo had moved on. So we riffed on that. There was a group of us working in and around The Silo at the time, we were all throwing in ideas on what this crazy place could and should be. While an audience was in the theatre watching a show, we would sit around throwing ideas for names and events about.
Favourite memories? So many! Too many! Working the bar while we hosted a silent disco was a weird thing. I remember walking through the dance floor, clearing glasses, but there being no music, just shuffling and the odd ‘whoop’ coming from the crowd.
Go have a drink and watch a show that will make you laugh, or vomit, or cry, or be bored and make you think you hate theatre. Whatever your response, good — it’ll make you have one. And if you’re there on a lucky night, a dance party might break out . . . “