--- title: "23 The Octagon Events, Tickets & Venue Guide" description: "Discover events and tickets at 23 The Octagon in Dunedin, from Fringe theatre to comedy and poetry, with access, parking and venue tips." canonical: "https://www.ticketfairy.com/events-in-dunedin--otago--nz/23-the-octagon" --- 1. [Ticket Fairy](https://www.ticketfairy.com/) 2. [Events](https://www.ticketfairy.com/events) 3. [Events in Dunedin, Otago](https://www.ticketfairy.com/events-in-dunedin--otago--nz) 4. 23 The Octagon Events # Events and Tickets at 23 The Octagon Events at 23 The Octagon range from experimental theatre and comedy to poetry, cabaret and science, with practical tips for planning your visit. Search events... [![DIVORCED DAD 83 – Dunedin - 11th May flyer](https://www.ticketfairy.com/uploaded/thumbnails/db_file_img_141915_300xauto.jpg)](https://www.ticketfairy.com/event/divorced-dad-83-dunedin-11th-may-11may2026) ### [DIVORCED DAD 83 – Dunedin - 11th May](https://www.ticketfairy.com/event/divorced-dad-83-dunedin-11th-may-11may2026) 7:00 PM, Mon, 11 May May 11 23 The Octagon Dunedin ### ### Events and Programming 23 The Octagon is best known as the address of the New Athenaeum Theatre, usually called the NAT, a small, flexible performance venue inside the historic Dunedin Athenaeum and Mechanics’ Institute building. Its programme is deliberately open-access rather than built around long, pre-announced seasons, so the mix changes frequently as independent artists, local companies and touring performers book the space. The venue says it supports both established and emerging practitioners, with associate activity spanning dance, theatre, poetry and improvisation. Regular and recurring activity includes monthly Octagon Collective poetry nights with guest readers and an open mic, Improsaurus improvised comedy, and cabaret or burlesque presentations. The 2026 programme also demonstrates the NAT’s range: September includes *Stitched*, a new play by Ellie Swann, an Improsaurus show, poetry nights, and further comedy and cabaret activity later in the year. The venue’s bar generally opens about an hour before performances, and drinks bought there may be taken into the theatre; outside alcohol is not permitted. The Dunedin Fringe Festival is a major source of programming. Recent NAT shows have included solo theatre, physical theatre, dance, LGBTQI+ comedy, burlesque, science-themed performance and experimental work. Examples from 2023 and 2024 include *Out at Sea*, *The Sensemaker*, *Our Jurisdiction*, *Dan Bain: Anxiety Knife*, *Whore’s Eye View*, *Helios* and *How to Build a Gate*. Science Festival events have included *Myth Bust*, *Spontaneous Reactions* and other presentations using the theatre as an intimate lecture-performance space. The 2025 programme included Nick Tipa’s solo wrestling-inspired play *Babyface*, Sarah and Blaise Barham’s *All Heroes*, and Jan Bolwell’s *Supping with the Devil*. Reviews repeatedly describe the theatre as well suited to close, actor-led work: *Babyface* used music, choreography, lighting and a compact set to create a high-energy production, while *All Heroes* combined live music, sound, lighting and projection in a small-scale setting. Dunedin Fringe 2026 brought another broad selection, including *SadoMusical*, *OutStanding Comedy Lineup*, *Embarrassed Naked Female*, *The Sensemaker*, *Dr Jo Prendergast is #coping*, *I Want Your Kidney* and events in the separate Knockabout Studio. The venue also hosted Shakespeare-inspired solo theatre in June, while the wider 2026 calendar includes literary events and the inaugural TAHI Ōtepoti programme. Ticket prices are usually modest by theatre standards. Recent published examples range from free poetry readings and pay-what-you-want activity to approximately $10–$35 for Fringe theatre, comedy and cabaret. Many shows use full-price and concession tiers, while current NAT listings show presale prices around $20–$30 and door prices around $30–$35 for some productions. Prices, age ratings and availability are set by the individual producer. ### Tickets and Booking There is no single permanent season or central box-office model for every event. Ticket arrangements are normally published with each show, with advance bookings encouraged for Fringe productions and other limited-run work. Some events offer door sales if seats remain, while others may close bookings before the performance. The NAT’s own listings identify presales, door prices and opening times when those details are available. For popular shows, book as soon as the event is announced, particularly during the March Fringe season. Small capacity means a production can sell out with a comparatively short run; *Babyface*, for example, had remaining performances reported as sold out during its 2025 Fringe season. Concession tickets are common, but eligibility varies by organiser. Check the individual event’s age rating and content warnings before booking. The venue is also available for hire by the hour for rehearsals, auditions, workshops, photo shoots and screen tests. The theatre team describes itself as able to offer varying levels of production support, advice and collaboration opportunities, although a technician is not automatically included in the published venue information. ### About 23 The Octagon 23 The Octagon is not a conventional purpose-built theatre address. It is the Dunedin Athenaeum and Mechanics’ Institute, a Category 1 historic place whose theatre occupies space within the former library and cinema areas of the building. The address can therefore refer to the New Athenaeum Theatre, the Athenaeum Library, or the separate Knockabout Studio, depending on the event listing. The building’s history begins with the Dunedin Mechanics’ Institution, founded in 1851 to provide education, lectures and reading opportunities. It became known as the Dunedin Athenaeum and Mechanics’ Institute in 1859. The present Octagon building was designed by architect David Ross, constructed in 1869–70 from bluestone and brick, and opened in May 1870. Its original facilities included a library, reading room, ladies’ room and classrooms. The building has changed several times. Lower-room alterations took place in 1874, rear additions followed in 1876, a library fire caused damage in 1879, and substantial interior and ventilation changes were made in 1902. The Athenaeum remained an important educational and social institution as public libraries and other forms of adult education developed. It continues to operate a private subscription library from the heritage building. The theatre’s more recent history is tied to the former Otago Cine Club space. The basement had also been used by the Fortune Theatre Company between 1973 and 1978, before Fortune moved to the former Trinity Methodist Church. The present New Athenaeum Theatre was established through a community-led initiative in the mid-2010s, with the Dunedin Collaborative Theatre Trust formed in 2016 and the theatre operating from the Athenaeum building from 2017. ### Seating and Layout The NAT is a flexible black box rather than a fixed auditorium. Published venue information describes a main performance floor approximately 8.5 metres by 9 metres, with about 4.5 metres of height. One documented arrangement used low-raked stalls with 63 seats along one side, while the overall capacity has been variously described as 70 seats in the current configuration, 50–90 depending on staging, and up to approximately 100 in earlier venue reporting. The safest assumption is that capacity and sightlines change from show to show. For a conventional play or stand-up show, the central or front-middle area usually provides the most balanced view of the stage. For physical theatre, dance or work staged in the round, there may be no single best seat. Ask the event organiser whether the performance uses the low rake, flat-floor seating, cabaret placement or another arrangement. Wheelchair positions are also dependent on the layout selected for the performance. The Knockabout Studio is a different space in the same building. It is a basement room reached by 28 stairs and is used for Fringe comedy, solo work and experimental performances. It should not be confused with the wheelchair-accessible New Athenaeum Theatre. ### Getting There and Parking The venue address is 23 The Octagon, Dunedin 9016. The theatre entrance is not a prominent street-facing auditorium entrance: follow the corridor between Thistle and The Craic from the Octagon. The corridor doors are approximately 1,300 millimetres wide. Allow extra time if you are meeting friends, as the small entrance can be easy to miss among the surrounding hospitality premises. Parking in the Octagon is limited. Dunedin City Council street and off-street parking controls vary by location and time, so check the sign or meter at the space you use rather than relying on an old rate. Council parking information for 2026 lists paid central-city facilities and separate daily, hourly and permit charges; it does not establish a dedicated NAT car park. Mobility parking is available in several central locations. The council’s mobility scheme allows eligible permit holders one hour of free parking in many council car parks and in time-restricted areas of P30 or longer. Listed central spaces include two parks at 8 The Octagon and other spaces around George Street, Moray Place, Filleul Street and the railway station area. For public transport, use the central Dunedin Bus Hub on Great King Street. It is the main interchange for the city’s Orbus network, and city-bound services run through the hub, making it the most useful arrival point for visitors coming from surrounding suburbs. From there, continue towards Moray Place and The Octagon on foot. Check the current timetable before a late performance because return services become less frequent at night. ### Inside the Venue Expect an intimate, informal theatre environment rather than a large commercial auditorium. The theatre has a foyer and box-office area, a flexible performance room, shared green-room and dressing facilities for hirers, and tea and coffee facilities for practitioners. The venue’s bar generally opens before the performance, and drinks purchased there can be taken into the theatre. There is no BYO service. Entry procedures vary by production. Some shows use a staffed box office and door sales; others rely mainly on advance booking. Arrive around 20–30 minutes before a popular performance, earlier if you require an accessible position or need to collect tickets. There is no verified public information confirming a coat check, merchandise counter, event-wide bag policy, guaranteed Wi-Fi or a standard photography policy, so follow the instructions issued with the individual production. The surrounding building contributes much of the atmosphere. A narrow Octagon entrance leads into a much larger, layered heritage interior, and the theatre’s black-box format allows productions to change the audience relationship from one event to the next. That adaptability is central to the venue’s identity, but it also means that comfort, seating, stage position and entry arrangements can vary. ### Nearby Amenities The venue sits in Dunedin’s central hospitality and civic district. Restaurants and bars are concentrated around The Octagon, Princes Street, Stuart Street and Moray Place, making it practical to eat before a performance without travelling across the city. A nearby restaurant guide identifies options directly in or beside the Octagon, including wine-bar dining and shared-plate restaurants. Book a table in advance when Fringe or festival audiences are in town. Central accommodation is also within walking distance. Hotels around The Octagon include properties on Princes Street, Smith Street, Moray Place and nearby central blocks. The Dunedin Railway Station and the city’s principal sightseeing area are also close enough to combine with a daytime visit, although evening transport should be planned separately if you are staying outside the centre. ### What Makes This Venue Special The NAT combines two unusually different histories: a 1870 adult-education institution and a modern, community-led performance venue. Heritage New Zealand describes the Athenaeum as one of the oldest surviving main-centre athenaeums in the country still used for its original purpose, and as a rare urban survivor of the mechanics’ institute tradition. The building is also part of one of Dunedin’s most significant historic streetscapes, alongside the Regent Theatre, St Paul’s Cathedral, the Municipal Chambers and the Robert Burns statue. Its cultural importance is less about scale than access. A 2020 sector report recorded 61 shows, 236 artists, more than 2,000 audience members and over 145 volunteers across a 12-month period. Later city reviews have placed the NAT alongside other community-access venues that support affordable, emerging and experimental work. That makes it an important development space for artists who need a central room but cannot justify a large theatre hire. The venue has also acted as a practical part of Dunedin’s theatre ecosystem. After Fortune Theatre closed in 2018, the NAT helped accommodate displaced productions and touring work. Its Fringe history shows how the room can host intimate comedy one night, movement-based work the next, and literary or science performance after that. Reviews often focus on the closeness between performer and audience, which is one of the venue’s defining strengths. ### Visitor Tips and Information The New Athenaeum Theatre is wheelchair accessible, with wide corridor, box-office and theatre door openings, a small ramp over the foyer threshold, and wheelchair-accessible gender-neutral toilets between the Octagon and the box-office entrance. The accessible toilet corridor door is approximately 830 millimetres wide, the toilet-stall door approximately 730 millimetres, and the stall approximately 1,700 by 1,900 millimetres. Service dogs are welcome. The number of wheelchair users admitted depends on the performance layout, so confirm arrangements before buying. Those access details apply to the NAT, not automatically to Knockabout Studio. Knockabout is a basement venue reached by 28 stairs and is described as not wheelchair accessible, with limited airflow and a potentially dusty environment. Check the exact room named on your ticket, particularly during Fringe when several events use both spaces at the same address. There is no general dress code. Age limits and content warnings are show-specific: recent events have included R16 and 18-plus ratings, while some poetry and literary events are free and open to all. Do not bring outside alcohol. For the most relaxed visit, arrive early, allow time to find the corridor entrance, and treat the advertised seating plan as provisional unless the event specifically promises reserved seats. ### Future Plans The city’s 2025–34 planning documents include a proposed wider Athenaeum redevelopment, not a completed upgrade to the current theatre. The concept involves a 120-seat black-box theatre, a 600-person live-music or performance space, a foyer, redeveloped library space, café-bar facilities, a recording studio and offices. The plan identifies a $4.25 million council grant for Athenaeum renovation in the 2028/29 financial year, subject to agreements and approvals. These proposed spaces should not be confused with the NAT’s present capacity or technical facilities. The Dunedin Collaborative Theatre Trust identifies 2027 as the tenth anniversary of finding a venue in the Athenaeum building. Until any redevelopment is delivered, the existing NAT remains a small, flexible performance room whose value lies in accessibility for independent artists, central location and close audience connection. ### Frequently Asked Questions #### Is 23 The Octagon the same as the New Athenaeum Theatre? 23 The Octagon is the street address of the Dunedin Athenaeum and Mechanics’ Institute building. The New Athenaeum Theatre occupies part of that building, while other events may use the Athenaeum Library or Knockabout Studio. Always check the room named in the event information, because access, stairs and seating differ between the NAT and the basement studio. #### What types of events are held at 23 The Octagon? The venue presents independent theatre, Fringe shows, comedy, improv, poetry, cabaret, burlesque, dance, spoken word, science events and occasional touring work. Its open-access model means the programme changes frequently rather than following a fixed commercial season. Monthly poetry and recurring improv activity provide some continuity, but most productions are booked individually. #### How many people can the New Athenaeum Theatre hold? There is no single published capacity for every configuration. Documents describe a 70-seat current performance space, a 50–90-seat range depending on staging, and earlier arrangements of up to approximately 100 seats. One documented layout used 63 low-raked seats. Treat the capacity as event-specific, especially where the show is staged in the round or uses a flat-floor arrangement. #### Does the venue have fixed theatre seating? No. The NAT is a flexible black-box space. Seating can be low-raked, flat, arranged along one side, or adapted for a particular performance. This flexibility is useful for experimental theatre, dance and comedy, but it means sightlines and comfort vary. If you need a particular viewing position or wheelchair space, ask the organiser before booking. #### What is Knockabout Studio? Knockabout Studio is a separate basement performance room in the same Athenaeum building. It is used for some Fringe comedy, solo theatre and experimental work. The room is reached by 28 stairs and is not wheelchair accessible. Do not assume that a ticket listing the New Athenaeum address refers to the wheelchair-accessible NAT room. #### Is the New Athenaeum Theatre wheelchair accessible? Yes. The NAT has an accessible route from the Octagon corridor through the box office, foyer and theatre, with wide door openings and a small ramp over a threshold. Wheelchair spaces depend on the chosen performance layout, so the number available can change. Service dogs are welcome, and accessible toilets are provided close to the entrance. #### Are there accessible toilets at 23 The Octagon? Accessible gender-neutral toilets are located between the Octagon and the entrance to the NAT box-office area. Published measurements give an approximately 830-millimetre hallway door, a 730-millimetre toilet-stall door, and a stall measuring about 1,700 by 1,900 millimetres. These details relate to the NAT route, not necessarily every space inside the wider building. #### Where is the entrance? The NAT entrance is off The Octagon, down a corridor between Thistle and The Craic. It is not presented as a large, standalone theatre frontage. Look for the corridor entrance and allow a few extra minutes if you are unfamiliar with the building. The corridor doors are approximately 1,300 millimetres wide. #### Can I buy tickets at the door? Sometimes. Door sales depend on the organiser, remaining capacity and the event’s ticketing arrangements. Current NAT listings show both presale and door prices for some productions, while other shows may sell out in advance. For Fringe performances, advance booking is the safer option because the room is small and popular shows can reach capacity quickly. #### What do tickets usually cost? Recent examples range from free poetry readings and pay-what-you-want events to approximately $10–$35 for theatre, comedy and cabaret. Concession prices are common, particularly during Fringe. Prices vary by producer, performance time and booking stage, so use the published event price rather than assuming every NAT show follows the same scale. #### Does the venue have a bar? Yes, the NAT says its bar generally opens about an hour before a performance. Drinks purchased there may be taken into the theatre. The venue does not permit BYO alcohol. Food availability is not consistently specified in the venue’s public information, so do not rely on a full meal being available inside; the surrounding Octagon has numerous pre-show dining options. #### Is there a dress code? No general dress code is published. Normal smart-casual clothing is suitable for most performances, although the audience atmosphere can vary from literary events to late-night comedy, cabaret and experimental theatre. Some productions carry age restrictions or content warnings, so check those details rather than relying on clothing or presentation as a guide. #### How early should I arrive? Arrive 20–30 minutes before the advertised start time, and earlier for a popular Fringe show, a ticket collection, mobility arrangements or a first visit. The entrance corridor can be easy to overlook, and flexible seating may be filled on a first-come basis. Late seating may be delayed or refused if it disrupts the performance. #### Where can I park? There is limited parking in The Octagon and no dedicated NAT car park identified in the venue information. Use nearby council street or off-street spaces and check the current sign or meter for restrictions and charges. Eligible mobility-permit holders can use the council’s central-city concessions, including listed mobility spaces around The Octagon and nearby streets. #### How do I reach the venue by bus? Use Dunedin’s central Bus Hub on Great King Street, which is the main interchange for the city’s bus network. From the hub, walk towards Moray Place and The Octagon. Routes and late-night frequencies vary, so check the current timetable before travelling home, particularly after comedy, cabaret or evening theatre finishes. #### What are the theatre’s technical facilities? Published venue specifications describe a flexible black-box room with a Theatrelight LED rig, TL Nova24 control desk, two wall-mounted 1,100-watt speakers and a 12-channel mixer. The same information notes LED-only power, no dimmer packs, and no technician included as standard. Hirers should confirm the current inventory and bring or arrange any specialist equipment required. #### Is 23 The Octagon a heritage building? Yes. The Dunedin Athenaeum and Mechanics’ Institute is a Category 1 historic place. The building was designed by David Ross and opened in 1870 after the institute’s earlier history dating from 1851. Its bluestone-and-brick construction, classical Octagon façade and surviving library details form part of Dunedin’s significant nineteenth-century civic streetscape. #### Will the venue be redeveloped? A wider Athenaeum redevelopment is planned in council documents but is not the same as a completed current venue upgrade. The concept includes a 120-seat black box and a 600-person live-music or performance room, alongside library, café-bar, recording and foyer spaces. Council funding is identified for 2028/29 subject to agreements and approvals, so treat those facilities as future proposals. #### Why is the NAT important to Dunedin’s arts scene? The NAT gives local, touring and emerging artists a central, affordable room that can accommodate theatre, comedy, dance, poetry and experimental work. Its community-led operation helps fill the gap between small informal spaces and Dunedin’s large theatres. Its connection with Fringe, literary events and independent producers makes it an incubator as much as a performance venue. --- This page is on Ticket Fairy, a ticketing, marketing and operations platform for live events and the venues that host them: festivals, club nights, concerts, conferences and tours, and night clubs, beach clubs and concert venues. It grows revenue with fan rewards that turn an audience into a sales channel, and runs the money side with payments and payouts, Vault business banking, and working capital advanced against ticket sales. [How Ticket Fairy ticketing works](https://www.ticketfairy.com/event-ticketing) · [Ticket Fairy for AI assistants](https://www.ticketfairy.com/llms.txt)