Punctum

And that’s it for A Short History of Asian New Zealand Theatre! Thanks to all our audiences for coming through to see the show. A big shoutout to the team behind the work who make the magic happen. Until next time! 👋 💋
—

Writer & Director: Nathan Joe ()
Producer: Nahyeon Lee () & Pennie Chang
AV Design: Darry Chin ()
LX Design: Zane Allen
Bike Design: John Harris ()
SX Design: Louise Burling ()
Set Design: Talia Pua ()
Operator: Rae Longshaw-Park ()
Photography: Jinki Cambronero ()
Graphic Design: Tim Wong
Cast: Amanda Grace Leo (), Jess Hong (), Kalyani Nagarajan (), Nathan Joe & Ravi Gurunathan (.gee)

Closing night for A Short History of Asian New Zealand Theatre — one last chance to see the show with performing tonight!

Get your tickets quick to avoid missing out!

—
A SHORT HISTORY OF ASIAN NEW ZEALAND THEATRE
by Nathan Joe ()
30 JUL - 3 AUG, 8 PM
Basement Theatre ()
🎟️ Ticket link in bio

📸:

Only two shows left to see A Short History of Asian New Zealand Theatre! Closing Saturday, you’ve only got a couple chances to see each actor sweat it out on stage 💦

FRI 2 AUG - Kalyani Nagarajan
SAT 3 AUG - Amanda Grace Leo

–
A SHORT HISTORY OF ASIAN NEW ZEALAND THEATRE
by Nathan Joe ()
30 JUL - 3 AUG, 8 PM
Basement Theatre ()
🎟️ Ticket link in bio

📸:

Every night is different - each night has a new actor, encountering the script for the first time.

The season is selling fast - our closing night performer is Amanda Grace Leo (), get your tickets quick to watch her sweat! 💦

TUE 30 JUL - Nathan Joe
WED 31 JUL - Ravi Gurunathan
THU 1 AUG - Jess Hong
FRI 2 AUG - Kalyani Nagarajan
SAT 3 AUG - Amanda Grace Leo

–
A SHORT HISTORY OF ASIAN NEW ZEALAND THEATRE
by Nathan Joe ()
30 JUL - 3 AUG, 8 PM
Basement Theatre ()
🎟️ Ticket link in bio

That’s the second show done and dusted with .gee ‼️ With a new performer every night, no show is ever the same. Only three shows left.

TUE 30 JUL - Nathan Joe
WED 31 JUL - Ravi Gurunathan
THU 1 AUG - Jess Hong
FRI 2 AUG - Kalyani Nagarajan
SAT 3 AUG - Amanda Grace Leo

–
A SHORT HISTORY OF ASIAN NEW ZEALAND THEATRE
by Nathan Joe ()
30 JUL - 3 AUG, 8 PM
Basement Theatre ()
🎟️ Ticket link in bio

Only one chance to see Kalyani Nagarajan () take on A Short History of Asian New Zealand Theatre - all while cycling for 60 minutes. On Thursday 1 August - get your tickets quick!

TUE 30 JUL - Nathan Joe
WED 31 JUL - Ravi Gurunathan
THU 1 AUG - Jess Hong
FRI 2 AUG - Kalyani Nagarajan
SAT 3 AUG - Amanda Grace Leo

–
A SHORT HISTORY OF ASIAN NEW ZEALAND THEATRE
by Nathan Joe ()
30 JUL - 3 AUG, 8 PM
Basement Theatre ()
🎟️ Ticket link in bio

Opening night tonight! If you miss out, Jess Hong will grace our stage on Thursday 1 August.

Five shows only. Tickets selling fast - get in quick!

–
A SHORT HISTORY OF ASIAN NEW ZEALAND THEATRE
by Nathan Joe ()
30 JUL - 3 AUG, 8 PM
Basement Theatre ()
🎟️ Ticket link in bio

A Short History of Asian New Zealand Theatre opens tomorrow! Do you have your ticket yet?

Although opening night is sold out, the next chance to catch the show is the dreamy Ravi Gurunathan as the guest performer on Wednesday 31 August. Get your tickets now to avoid missing out!

–
A SHORT HISTORY OF ASIAN NEW ZEALAND THEATRE
by Nathan Joe ()
30 JUL - 3 AUG, 8 PM
Basement Theatre ()
🎟️ Ticket link in bio

Check out this little behind the scenes moment between Jess () and Nathan () from our photoshoot!

We are only 3 days away from opening. Book to avoid missing out!

Do you remember a time when you fell in love with theatre?

“2013!!! It felt like the year I really saw a lot of professional mainstage theatre. I saw Silo’s ‘Speaking in Tongues’, ATC’s ‘The Glass Menagerie’, Indian Ink’s ‘Kiss the Fish’. Not to mention independent Asian works like PAT’s FOB and Renee Liang’s ‘First Asian AB’. That was a really special year for me. The range of styles and forms was really exciting to me. But, most importantly, I saw that Asian voices might be possible within this excitement.” - Nathan Joe

–
A SHORT HISTORY OF ASIAN NEW ZEALAND THEATRE
by Nathan Joe ()
30 JUL - 3 AUG, 8 PM
Basement Theatre ()
🎟️ Ticket link in bio

WEDNESDAY NIGHT PERFORMER: RAVI GURUNATHAN
31 JULY, 8PM

Completing the roll call is our final performer – the playful Ravi Gurunathan who you may have seen in I Am Rachel Chu and A Fine Balance.

What was the first Asian Theatre show you saw?

“I'm pretty sure one of the first Asian theatre shows I saw was one that I was in, being ‘The Mourning After’. All of the shows we went to see in high school were predominantly white theatre shows.”

–
A Short History of Asian New Zealand Theatre by Nathan Joe
by Nathan Joe
30 JUL - 3 AUG, 8 PM
Basement Theatre
🎟️ https://bit.ly/a-short-history

📸: Jinki Cambronero
🖊️: Tim Wong

FRIDAY NIGHT PERFORMER: KALYANI NAGARAJAN
2 AUG, 8PM

Hang out with us on Friday with Kalyani! You might recognise her from screen on sitcom Raised by Refugees or stage in A Fine Balance and Tea, or even for her improv comedy work with legendary troupes Snort and Heartthrobs. This busybody will make you laugh, cry and everything in between!

How would you describe your relationship with Asian Theatre in three words?

Only play mums... ... ... ... ... ... haha & confused, uplifted, out-of-place ???

–
A Short History of Asian New Zealand Theatre by Nathan Joe
30 JUL - 3 AUG, 8 PM
Basement Theatre
🎟️ https://bit.ly/a-short-history

👀 Psst! Go on the Basement Theatre website to see the entire line-up.

📸: Jinki Cambronero
🖊️: Tim Wong

CLOSING NIGHT PERFORMER: AMANDA GRACE LEO
3 AUG, 8PM

Our next guest is Singaporean stage, screen, voice actor & singer, Amanda Grace Leo. One of the stars in both Nathan Joe’s I am Rachel Chu (2018-19) and Scenes from a Yellow Peril (2022) we bring back this absolute icon for one more Nathan Joe showdown.

What was the first Asian Theatre show you saw?

Well, most of my formative theatre training was done in Singapore at school so I was inundated with "Asian" theatre but a cool fact is the first piece of Kiwi theatre I ever watched was Indian Ink's Guru of Chai... but in Singapore, as I was doing said formative theatre training in school. I was so impressed and couldn't wait to return back to Aotearoa. Can you imagine when I returned to Aotearoa in 2012 and quickly saw almost no Asians onstage...

–
A SHORT HISTORY OF ASIAN NEW ZEALAND THEATRE
by Nathan Joe
30 JUL - 3 AUG, 8 PM
Basement Theatre
🎟️ https://bit.ly/a-short-history

👀 Psst! Go on the Basement Theatre website to see the entire line-up.

📸:
🖊️: Tim Wong

THURSDAY NIGHT PERFORMER: JESS HONG
1 AUG, 8PM

Returning to the stage, hot off the back of her performance in Netflix’s Emmy-nominated 3 Body Problem, is the effervescent Jess Hong.

What was the time you fell in love with theatre?

“The first memorable experience was when I performed as the cross-dressing, free-wheeling, poetry-loving Rosalind/Ganymede in As You Like It, for Summer Shakespeare in the Park. I felt a freedom with that character that I hadn't felt before.

At showtime, our green room was very green indeed, just a little taped off corner between trees. It was all very joyous and community-driven. But I fall in love with theatre every time I do a project I care about, which, fortunately, is all the time.”

–
A SHORT HISTORY OF ASIAN NEW ZEALAND THEATRE
by Nathan Joe
30 JUL - 3 AUG, 8 PM
Basement Theatre
🎟️ https://bit.ly/a-short-history

👀 Psst! Go on the Basement Theatre website to see the entire line-up. (https://basementtheatre.co.nz/whats-on/a-short-history-of-asian-new-zealand-theatre)

OPENING NIGHT PERFORMER: NATHAN JOE
TUES 30 JULY, 8PM

Introducing the multi-hyphenated creative - writer, director and performer Nathan Joe.

How would you describe your relationship with Asian Theatre in three words?
“Hopeful, fraught, gratitude.”

'A Short History' invites a different Asian artist each night to plot themselves on the continuum as they unveil, revisit and resurrect history through tasks, text and memories while cycling. 🚲

–
A SHORT HISTORY OF ASIAN NEW ZEALAND THEATRE
by Nathan Joe
30 JUL - 3 AUG, 8PM
Basement Theatre
🎟️ https://bit.ly/a-short-history

Did you miss us? 

Returning to the stage in two weeks, Punctum presents Nathan Joe’s new production:
A SHORT HISTORY OF ASIAN NEW ZEALAND THEATRE
30 July - 3 August, 8PM
Basement Theatre ()
Ticket link in bio.

PERFORMANCE ESSAY MEETS SPIN CLASS. 

Starring a different Asian Artist every night, A Short History is a spiritual sequel to the award-winning I Am Rachel Chu, an insight into the murky memories of Aotearoa into theatre and personal histories. 

PRODUCTION
Writer/ Director: Nathan Joe ()
Co-producers: Nahyeon Lee () & Pennie Chang ()
AV Design: Darryl Chin ()
LX Design: Zane Allen
SX Design: Tei. ()
Bike Design: John Harris ()
Set Design Assist: Talia Pua ()
Operator: Alylai Flynn ()
Cast: Amanda Grace Leo (), Jess Hong (), Kalyani Nagarajan (), Nathan Joe & Ravi Gurunathan (.gee)

—
📷 Geoffery Matautia

아스라이 (Aseurai)’s dreamy visuals captured by 💙

💫

Have you watched ’s 아스라이 (Aseurai) yet? Link in bio! ✨

And with our survey wrapped, that’s a close on Chick Habit. Thank you to all our beautiful artists, collaborators and audiences who joined us on this wild ride. See you at the next one! x

📸:

A huge “thank youuu” to those who have answered our audience survey so far - for those who haven’t, it’s open for one more week!

Link in bio - you can also go in the draw to win a zine prize pack 💞

📸:

Did you have a rad time at Chick Habit? Want to tell us about it?!

We’re seeking feedback from our Chick Habit audiences about how the show resonated with you. Feedback is crucial to hear how the show landed and to help us continue our work into the future. Click the link in our linktree to complete the survey!

You can also be in the draw to win a zine prize pool including the OG Chick Habit zine by Nuanzhi Zheng (pictured), a sticker pack from and a drinking game zine from ! Just get your feedback in by 3 December and leave your details.

'Chick Habit' opening night glam - thanks again for joining us & see you soon. 2/2

📷: Harry Matheson ()

Before we move on, here are some highlights from 'Chick Habit' opening night to relive some of our favourite moments 💫 1/2

📷: Harry Matheson()