After delighting Auckland Pride audiences in 2025, award-winning theatremaker Hamish Annan brings Before We Begin back to Basement Theatre for a three-night send-off season.
A naughty, playful, surprisingly tender experimental solo about consent and queer intimacy. It’s some of the safest interactive theatre you’ll see — and also some of the naughtiest.
Fundraising for our Australian premiere at Adelaide Fringe, we’re inviting Tāmaki audiences to support our international debut.
Before We Begin asks for permission. It waits until you’re ready. It hopes you’ll like it.
Through escalating invitations — holding hands, slow dancing, flirty Instagram DMs, and maybe kissing a stranger — performer and audience navigate consent in real time.
It’s sexy decision-making with strangers. It’s a live date. It’s a joyful and tender exploration of permission and patience, negotiated with the audience. It’s an important conversation that never feels like one. Say yes, say maybe, say absolutely not. Nothing happens without your say-so.
“We’re not as good at consent as we think we are, especially in queer spaces,” says Annan. “We all get it wrong. This show is a way of practising what getting closer to better might look like. We need to talk about this. And f**k me, it’s hard.”
At Auckland Pride, audiences called it “hilarious, naughty, playful, vulnerable.”
“A joyous, brave & heartfelt exploration around consent.” — Sara Wiseman, Actress
Annan’s previous solo Access won the NZ Fringe Touring Award and received ★★★★ from ArtsHub Australia, who called it “Breathtaking.” Before We Begin is an Adelaide Fringe Foundation Fund recipient.
Ready to play?
BEFORE WE BEGIN
5 – 7 March, 2026 | 8:30 pm (60 min) | Basement Theatre Studio | $17 – $30+
TO BOOK TICKETS, visit basementtheatre.co.nz