The Civic: Expect to be amazed, said the Sunday Telegraph, and if you've never seen Stomp before then you most certainly will be. Eight performers use non-traditional instruments — everything from supermarket trolleys to Zippo lighters, plastic bags to garbage can lids, and even the kitchen sink — to hammer
out explosively feel-good rhythms. This celebration of the universal language of rhythm is loud, it's primal and it's mind-blowingly energetic. It also goes to show the power of what a small show, made on a shoe-string budget, can become given that Stomp started 26 years ago at the Edinburgh Arts Festival and has grown into an international behemoth with up to five productions running at any one time.
Stomp, The Civic, until Sunday
The Cloud: This could be an expensive weekend for those of us who have stopped worrying about what to wear — and spending money on clothes — and swapped to buying contemporary art instead. The Auckland Art Fair is the country's premier international showcase for contemporary art, showcasing the most interesting pieces from around the Pacific rim. Some 42 respected galleries from NZ, Australia, parts of Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands and the west coasts of North and South America will be there featuring exciting artists who draw on stories and experiences unique to this side of the world. Then there's Piki Mai: Up Here ^^ which includes a small number of young galleries, artist-run space or recent graduate exhibitions.
Auckland Art Fair, The Cloud, until Sunday
Q Theatre: For the next 10 days, Q switches its focus from presenting live theatre, dance and comedy to film when the 13th Doc Edge International Film Festival moves in. The selection is stunning — 74 films covering current issues from Europe, the Americas, Asia, the Middle East and, yes, our own neck of the woods — and some 30 international film-makers and guests for a selection of free public talks. As if this wasn't enough, Story Edge World Exhibition also features virtual reality, augmented reality and digital interactive websites from some of the flicks playing here. We're particularly excited about Believer, the documentary about Dan Reynolds — a normal Mormon kid who became a star with Imagine Dragons — and openly gay former Mormon Tyler Glenn, lead singer of Neon Trees, who took on the church to speak up for the LGBTQIA+ community.
Doc Edge International Film Festival, Q Theatre, until Monday, June 4
