---
title: "Hannah Playhouse Events & Tickets Wellington"
description: "Discover Hannah Playhouse events and tickets in Wellington, plus seating, transport, parking, accessibility, venue history and practical visitor tips."
canonical: "https://www.ticketfairy.com/events-in-wellington--wellington--nz/hannah-playhouse"
---

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4. Hannah Playhouse Events

# What’s On at Hannah Playhouse: Events & Tickets

Events at Hannah Playhouse range from theatre, dance and comedy to music, cabaret and work-in-development, with practical advice for planning your visit.

[Hannah Playhouse Website](http://www.hannahplayhouse.org.nz/)

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7:30 PM, Thu, 6 Aug

Aug

06

Hannah Playhouse

Wellington

###

### Events and Programming

Hannah Playhouse, also known as The Hannah, is one of Wellington’s most flexible small-to-medium performance venues. Its programme combines public performances with rehearsals, residencies and development seasons, so a visit may involve a finished production, a play reading, a work-in-progress showing, a festival event or an experimental presentation. The venue’s current kaupapa gives particular attention to independent and mid-career Aotearoa New Zealand artists.

As at 18 September 2026, the published programme continues through October with comedy, poetry, literary events, theatre, music and audiovisual performance. The announced calendar includes play readings and new-work showings, the Wellington Jazz Festival, a flamenco album launch, Ray O’Leary’s comedy, Jon Toogood, Anthonie Tonnon’s immersive audiovisual work and events presented through Verb Wellington. The range is a useful guide to the venue: it is not limited to conventional plays, and frequently hosts work that crosses disciplines.

The 2026 season has already included contemporary dance, physical theatre, comedy, cabaret, music, poetry, film and artist discussions. Listed examples include *Winter’s Saga*, Ballet Collective Aotearoa’s *FEVER | DREAM*, *MATA MATA*, *Only Bones*, *Revel*, comedy festival seasons, *Fresh Off the Page* readings and the development season *My Mother Should Have Had an Abortion*. The venue has also hosted events designed to test ideas rather than present a fully completed production.

Recent programming shows how the venue has been used since 2021:

- **2021:** Footnote New Zealand Dance presented *Dance Danced Dancing*, a performance built around improvisation and movement tasks, with the stripped-back auditorium and exposed concrete forming part of the visual environment.
- **2022:** Footnote’s ChoreoCo presented Elijah Kennar’s experimental dance work *Mea Uma*. The Wellington Theatre Awards were also held at the venue, reinforcing its role as an industry gathering place as well as a public theatre.
- **2023:** The programme included Pasifika dance-theatre, Māori and LGBTQIA+ performance, contemporary circus, early music and multidisciplinary work. Examples include *My Grandfather Is a Canoe*, *Arawhata*, Company Hiraeth’s *Loops* and The Queen’s Closet’s *The Judgment of Paris*.
- **2024:** The venue hosted music-poetry performance, contemporary dance, cabaret, Indian storytelling, immersive theatre and musical theatre. Productions included *Poets Before Me*, *Double Goer*, *REVEL*, *Guru of Chai*, *Disaster* and WITCH Music Theatre’s New Zealand production of *Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812*.
- **2025:** The calendar included Fringe and festival work, comedy, opera, cabaret, new plays, music and major musical theatre. Notable examples were Wellington Opera’s *Mate Ururoa*, Kia Mau Festival work, *REVEL*, *Suitcase Show*, *Amélie the Musical* and *The Griegol*.
- **2026:** The venue has continued the same balance of presentation and development, with comedy, dance, literary performance, play readings, music, poetry and experimental theatre appearing alongside larger public seasons.

Ticket prices vary by producer and format. Recent examples suggest that small Fringe and development events often sit around NZ$20–$35, while cabaret, touring comedy and larger productions commonly range from approximately NZ$35–$65. Some shows use separate concession, balcony, premium and deluxe tiers. *Loops* was advertised at NZ$20–$30, *Poets Before Me* at NZ$24–$30, and *REVEL* at approximately NZ$35–$65 depending on the seating tier.

### Tickets and Booking

There is no single venue-wide ticketing system. Each production chooses its own booking provider, ticket release schedule, pricing structure and refund conditions. The most reliable approach is to select the show from the current event listing and follow the booking instructions supplied for that production. Door sales may be available, but they are controlled by the presenting artist and depend on remaining capacity.

For popular seasons, booking early is sensible, particularly when a production has a short run, limited seating or a strong festival profile. This is especially relevant for immersive work, one-night concerts, development showings and comedy seasons. Some productions use general admission, while others offer allocated seats or distinct balcony and premium sections, so check the seating description before paying.

There is no universal box-office presale or venue membership benefit described in the published visitor information. Presales, concession limits, group pricing and door arrangements are production-specific. Refunds and exchanges are also governed by the terms attached to the individual booking rather than by one standard Hannah Playhouse policy.

### About Hannah Playhouse

Hannah Playhouse is a purpose-built professional theatre at 12 Cambridge Terrace, Te Aro, on the corner of Cambridge Terrace and Courtenay Place. The building is a three-level Brutalist theatre with a gross floor area of approximately 1,360 square metres. Its principal auditorium is designed to be reconfigured, allowing productions to alter the relationship between performers and audience.

The current public description gives the auditorium a capacity of 243 seats in its default end-on arrangement, including the balcony. The technical information separately itemises 166 stalls seats, 38 rear-balcony seats and 34 side-balcony seats, with a wheelchair position, producing a slightly different total in that particular seating plan. The safest practical assumption is that the theatre holds about 240–243 seated patrons in its standard layout, with exact capacity changing when the room is reconfigured. Standing-room-only events can accommodate up to 300 people.

The theatre began with Downstage, Wellington’s first full-time professional theatre company, formed in May 1964. Downstage first performed in and around the Walkabout Coffee Bar on the same corner, where performances and casual dining created the social model that later shaped the purpose-built theatre. The Hannah Playhouse Trust was formed in 1968, and construction began in 1971 after significant support from philanthropist Sheilah Winn and public fundraising.

The building opened in October 1973. Its first opening-night production was *As You Like It*, staged in a traverse dinner-theatre arrangement that demonstrated the building’s central idea: the auditorium could be transformed for different productions. The theatre was named after Winn’s maternal family, the Hannahs, founders of Hannah’s Shoe Company.

Downstage remained the resident company until it folded in late 2013 after almost 40 years in the building. Capital E National Theatre for Children then used the Playhouse and hired it to other companies until early 2020. Wellington City Council’s Creative Capital unit took over management in October 2022 in partnership with the Hannah Playhouse Trust, with a renewed focus on using the building as a performance laboratory.

### Seating and Layout

The standard end-on layout has tiered stalls in rows A through I, a rear balcony and a side balcony. The stalls provide the most direct and accessible viewing, while the balcony gives a higher, wider perspective on productions that use the stage conventionally. There are no published VIP sections as a permanent feature of the venue; premium areas are arranged by individual productions when offered.

For a close, immersive experience, the front and middle stalls are generally the most useful choices. They keep performers near eye level and reduce the need to negotiate the theatre’s stairways. The middle or rear of the stalls can provide a more balanced view when a production uses projections, aerial work or a broad scenic picture. Balcony seats can be rewarding for dance and large visual compositions, but the balcony is reached only by stairs.

The auditorium’s flexibility is its defining feature. Seating platforms can be rearranged, and productions may use end-on, traverse, thrust, in-the-round or other configurations. A new flexible seating block has improved the venue’s ability to change layouts, although exact sightlines and seat numbers should always be checked against the individual event description.

The stalls are tiered, with 22 steps between the front and rear. The balcony entrance involves another 20 steps. Because the building may be transformed for a particular show, a seat described as “front” or “premium” does not always mean the same physical location from one production to another.

### Technical and Production Specifications

The standard stage dimensions in the usual end-on configuration are approximately 10.8 metres maximum width, 6.3 metres maximum depth and 400 millimetres stage height. The technical sheet gives approximately 5 metres from the stage floor to the underside of the grid. Stage dimensions change when the room is reconfigured, and concrete turret walls affect the available width.

The venue’s standard lighting inventory includes eight Pixel Par fixtures, 12 Selecon PC1200 high-performance units, two Selecon Pacific 23–50 fixtures, an ETC Ion XE20 console and a 10-way DMX splitter. Lighting positions are arranged across a grid over the auditorium and stage, with additional scaffold pipe available for creating new positions when required.

The standard sound system comprises four RCF TT 22A 12-inch two-way powered loudspeakers, two Bose 502 subwoofers, a Behringer X32 Compact digital mixing console, a Behringer S16 digital stage box, six passive DI boxes and a substantial stock of XLR cabling. Additional sound equipment can be arranged with the house technician.

For audiovisual work, the venue lists a Panasonic PT-FRZ60 6,000-lumen data projector and a hanging projection screen measuring approximately 3,660 by 2,060 millimetres. Communications equipment includes portable two-way radios with headsets, a tannoy system to dressing rooms and the green room, and an auditorium video feed to backstage areas.

There are two dressing rooms on level two, each suitable for approximately four to five people, with sinks, wardrobes and performance lighting. The performers’ lounge includes a kitchen, and backstage facilities include bathrooms, a shower, laundry equipment and a green room. Deliveries and collections use the public loading zone at the front of the building; there is no hirer or casual car parking on site.

### Getting There and Parking

The public theatre entrance is on Cambridge Terrace, around the corner from the Tasting Room frontage on Courtenay Place. The nearest bus stop is on Courtenay Place, a short walk from the entrance. Published venue information lists a broad group of services serving the stop, including routes 1, 2, 4, 14, 20, 21, 23, 24, 29, 30x, 31x, 32x, 35, 36, 38x, 52, 56, 57, 58, 60e, 81, 83 and 84, as well as night services and the Airport Express.

Buses also run regularly between Courtenay Place and Wellington Railway Station, making rail-and-bus connections straightforward. Because routes, stop positions and service alerts can change, allow extra time if travelling from the station, the airport or the suburbs. After-midnight services generally depart from Courtenay Place or nearby Manners Street on weekend nights, which can be useful after late performances.

There is no dedicated Hannah Playhouse car park. Nearby street parking is limited, commonly time-restricted and metered, with restrictions applying even when charges end. The venue’s visitor information states that street parking is free after 8pm, but a two-hour limit may still apply. Barnett Street parking and the Te Papa car park are the main alternatives suggested for visitors.

Te Papa’s car park is covered and uncovered. Its published evening rate is NZ$2 per hour, with an evening special of NZ$8 for arrivals after 5pm and departures by 2am. Daytime rates are higher, and the car park’s closing and payment conditions should be checked before relying on it for a late show.

Two mobility parking spaces are within a block of the venue: one near the Wakefield Street end of Blair Street and one on Courtenay Place near the Cambridge Terrace end. These are not spaces inside the theatre site.

### Inside the Venue

Tickets are checked on the ground floor. The venue recommends arriving approximately 20–25 minutes before the advertised start time. The Halfway Up Bar on level one usually serves drinks and snacks before performances, while the auditorium doors open when the house is ready for seating.

The Halfway Up Bar is on level one, alongside the public toilets and accessible single-stall toilet. The Tasting Room operates at ground level before and after shows and has a direct entrance into the theatre. Only alcohol purchased from the Halfway Up Bar or the Tasting Room may be brought on site, and hot food is not permitted in the theatre unless bought at the Halfway Up Bar.

A coat rack is available at the auditorium entrance. Merchandise may be sold for individual productions, but arrangements are made by the presenting company rather than through a permanent venue shop. Photography, video and audio recording during performances are prohibited unless the production expressly encourages it.

Visitor reviews generally describe the venue as intimate, friendly and visually distinctive. Recent reviews have praised the close relationship between performer and audience, the welcoming staff and the ability to reshape the room. Other visitor comments have criticised particular experiences of acoustics, lighting or seating, especially where a production’s technical choices did not suit the small auditorium. Experiences can therefore vary considerably by show and seating configuration.

### Nearby Amenities

The venue sits at the edge of Courtenay Place, one of central Wellington’s main entertainment areas. The Tasting Room provides the most convenient pre-show or post-show option because it is attached to the building. Courtenay Place, Te Aro and the waterfront precinct offer a dense choice of cafés, restaurants, bars and late-night food within walking distance.

For a longer pre-show visit, Te Papa is nearby on Cable Street, while the waterfront and central Te Aro are both walkable from the theatre. On busy festival nights, allow more time than usual for dining and parking, particularly when several Courtenay Place venues are presenting shows at the same time.

### What Makes This Venue Special

The Hannah is significant because its architecture was designed around theatrical change. Architect James Beard and theatre consultant Raymond Boyce developed a building in which the performance area, audience and dining relationship could be altered from one production to the next. Rather than hiding the theatre’s machinery, the building makes its structure and working functions part of the experience.

Its strong geometric forms, exposed concrete, steel structure, wedge-shaped roof and rhomboid site make it an important New Zealand example of 1970s Brutalism. The building won a New Zealand Institute of Architects award in 1978 and an Award for Enduring Architecture in 2006. Heritage New Zealand lists it as a Category 1 historic place.

The theatre’s cultural importance comes from its long association with Downstage and with New Zealand-written work. Artists associated with the building include Kate and Miranda Harcourt, Jim Moriarty, Rawiri Paratene and Ginette McDonald, while later programming has included leading Māori, Pasifika, Asian, queer and independent practitioners. The Downstage tradition also helped establish the idea that theatre could be a social night out involving food, conversation and performance.

Local lore includes the resident cat Evil, who lived with Downstage before the company moved into the purpose-built theatre. The story began at the company’s temporary Star Boating Club home, where rats were part of the surroundings and a resident cat became a practical tradition. It is a small detail, but it captures the venue’s mixture of theatrical ambition, improvisation and backstage eccentricity.

### Visitor Tips and Information

The venue has lift access from the Cambridge Terrace entrance to level one and to the level-two auditorium stalls when the auditorium is open to the public. The stalls have flat wheelchair access into the front row. One dedicated wheelchair position is available, and lightweight front-row seats can be removed to create additional wheelchair spaces when arranged in advance.

The balcony is not step-free and cannot be reached by lift. There is no hearing loop. The venue has an accessible single-stall toilet, but no hoist system. Assistance and guide dogs are welcome, and ushers can assist patrons with mobility or vision impairments. Visitors needing assistance are asked to arrive at least 15 minutes early and wait in the Halfway Up Bar foyer before the house opens.

Some productions use smoke, haze, loud sound or other effects that may not suit every audience. Event listings or signage may identify these effects, but visitors with sensory, respiratory or other concerns should check the individual production information before booking. Seating, age guidance, content warnings and any relaxed, audio-described or NZSL-interpreted performance are set by the production and may vary.

Bring your ticket confirmation and allow time to locate the Cambridge Terrace entrance rather than assuming the Courtenay Place frontage is the box-office door. Avoid bringing outside alcohol or hot food, and do not photograph or record the performance unless expressly invited. For the most comfortable visit, choose stalls seating if stairs are difficult and notify the booking provider about wheelchair or companion seating requirements before the performance.

### Cultural and Community Impact

The Hannah’s present role is partly cultural infrastructure: it provides a professional room where artists can develop ambitious work without immediately taking on the cost of a larger theatre. Wellington City Council’s partnership with the Hannah Playhouse Trust uses a sliding-scale hire model and subsidised operating support to improve access for independent and local artists.

The council’s targets include supporting at least 500 practitioners each year, maintaining a significant level of work involving tangata whenua and Pasifika practitioners, and reaching at least 6,000 audience attendances annually. In the 2023–24 reporting year, the venue recorded 107 public performances for 10,735 attendees, with artist occupancy on 85 percent of available days. The 2025 Fringe season alone hosted 191 artists and an audience of 3,247.

That impact extends beyond ticketed performances. The venue supports technicians, designers, performers, producers, front-of-house staff and hospitality workers, while helping independent companies test work that may later tour or move to larger stages. Its location in the Courtenay Place entertainment district also encourages audiences to combine theatre with dining, bars and other central-city activity.

### Frequently Asked Questions

#### Where is Hannah Playhouse located?

Hannah Playhouse is at 12 Cambridge Terrace in Te Aro, Wellington. The public theatre entrance is on Cambridge Terrace, near the corner with Courtenay Place. The Tasting Room frontage is nearby, but visitors attending a performance should look for the Cambridge Terrace entrance and ground-floor ticket check.

#### What types of events are held at Hannah Playhouse?

The venue presents theatre, contemporary dance, comedy, cabaret, music, poetry, circus, literary events, immersive work, play readings and development showings. Its programming also includes festival seasons and works in progress. It is particularly suited to independent and experimental productions that benefit from a flexible relationship between performers and audience.

#### How many people can Hannah Playhouse hold?

The current end-on auditorium is described as holding 243 seated patrons, including the balcony. A technical seating breakdown lists 166 stalls seats, 38 rear-balcony seats and 34 side-balcony seats plus a wheelchair position, so the exact total depends on the plan used. Reconfigured layouts vary, while standing-room-only events can accommodate up to 300.

#### Does Hannah Playhouse have assigned seating?

Some productions use allocated seating, while others use general admission or a special layout created for that show. Because the venue can move its seating block and change the audience arrangement, the ticket description is more reliable than a generic venue seating chart. Check whether your event specifies stalls, balcony, premium or general admission seating.

#### Which seats are best at Hannah Playhouse?

Front and middle stalls are usually the most practical choices for close viewing, easy sightlines and limited stair use. Rear stalls can provide a more balanced view for projections or large movement pieces. Balcony seats offer elevation but require stairs. Since productions can alter the layout, the best area depends on the specific show and its stage configuration.

#### Is Hannah Playhouse wheelchair accessible?

Yes, the ground-floor entrance has a lift to level one and to the auditorium stalls when the theatre is open. Flat access leads into the front row, where one dedicated wheelchair position is provided and additional lightweight seats may be removed. The balcony is not wheelchair accessible because it is reached only by stairs.

#### Does Hannah Playhouse have a hearing loop?

No. The venue’s current accessibility guidance states that it does not have a hearing loop. Other access services, including companion seating, NZSL interpretation, audio description and relaxed performances, depend on the production. Check the event information before booking and raise hearing or communication requirements in advance so available arrangements can be confirmed.

#### Are accessible toilets available?

Yes. An accessible single-stall toilet is located on level one alongside the other public bathrooms. The venue states that there is no hoist system in the toilets. Lift access is available from the ground floor, and visitors who need assistance moving through the building can request usher support.

#### Is there parking at Hannah Playhouse?

There is no dedicated parking at the venue. Street parking nearby is limited and may be metered or time-restricted. The venue identifies Barnett Street parking and the Te Papa car park as alternatives. Street parking is generally free after 8pm, but time limits may still apply, so read the signs before leaving your vehicle.

#### What is the nearest public transport stop?

The nearest bus stop is on Courtenay Place, around the corner from the Cambridge Terrace entrance. Numerous city and suburban routes serve the stop, along with the Airport Express and selected night services. Buses also connect Courtenay Place with Wellington Railway Station, making the theatre accessible from the rail network without a long walk.

#### How early should I arrive?

The venue recommends arriving 20–25 minutes before the advertised start time. Tickets are checked on the ground floor, and the Halfway Up Bar is available for drinks and snacks before the performance. Visitors requiring mobility or vision assistance should arrive at least 15 minutes early and wait in the foyer for usher support.

#### Can I buy tickets at the door?

Door sales may be available, but they depend on capacity and are managed by the presenting artist. Payment methods may vary from one event to another. For short seasons, one-night events and popular comedy or festival shows, booking ahead is safer than relying on door availability.

#### Can I bring my own alcohol?

No. Because of alcohol licensing requirements, only alcohol purchased from the Halfway Up Bar or the Tasting Room may be brought onto the venue premises. The Tasting Room has a direct entrance into the theatre, which allows patrons to finish an eligible drink before the performance without bringing outside alcohol inside.

#### Can I bring food into the theatre?

Hot food is not permitted in the theatre unless it was purchased at the Halfway Up Bar. The Tasting Room operates downstairs before and after shows, while the Halfway Up Bar provides drinks and snacks on level one for public performances. Check the individual event if you have a specific dietary or access requirement.

#### Is there a coat check?

There is a coat rack at the entrance to the auditorium for visitor use. Published visitor information does not describe a staffed cloakroom or secure luggage storage, so avoid bringing bulky bags or valuables that need to be left unattended during a performance.

#### Can I take photos or record a performance?

Photography, video and audio recording are prohibited during performances unless the production expressly encourages it. This rule protects performers and other audience members, and it is particularly important in small rooms where a phone screen or recording device can distract people close to the stage.

#### Is Hannah Playhouse a heritage building?

Yes. Heritage New Zealand lists it as a Category 1 historic place. It is recognised for its association with Downstage Theatre, its role in the development of New Zealand professional theatre, its Brutalist architecture and its flexible purpose-built auditorium. The building was constructed between 1971 and 1973.

#### What changed when the venue reopened as The Hannah?

Wellington City Council began managing the building with the Hannah Playhouse Trust in October 2022, with a focus on using it as a performance laboratory. The renewed model gives artists subsidised and flexible access for development as well as presentation. The venue later introduced refreshed branding, signage and a contemporary programme identity while retaining the historic building.

#### Can artists hire Hannah Playhouse for a new work?

Yes. The venue is intended to support professional performing-arts development as well as public performances. Hire arrangements can include the auditorium or Halfway Up space, technical inventory, venue-technician support, event-management assistance and bar operation. Capacity and seating vary by configuration, and additional equipment must meet the venue’s safety requirements.

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