The Nocturnalists series shines a light on Auckland after dark. Chefs, comedians, performers and punters – Nocturnalists are spirited members of Auckland’s nighttime scene. In this series, they take us on a tour of their favourite spots and all this city has to offer after 5pm. Up first is comedian Chris Parker.

Photos by Sophie Miya-Smith shot on location at Q Theatre and Basement Theatre.

When Chris Parker moved to Auckland from Christchurch he landed at Basement Theatre. “Those first couple of years were the most formative experience of my career for sure, and personal life as well.” He’d perform there, work the bar at Q Theatre next door, and spend all his time in that block. It’s still one of his favourite places in the city, he tells Emma Gleason over coffee at Open on Karangahape Road, as he shares his favourite haunts and fun ideas for a good night out in Tāmaki Makaurau.

Emma: OK, let’s say you’ve just finished a show, where are you going to eat?

Chris: If I’ve watched a show, I’m running to Sue’s Dim Sum on Lorne Street. When you perform, the trick is to find the hot pocket of the audience, and you breathe oxygen into them, and it ignites the audience around them – Lorne Street is that, it has energised the city around it. Sue’s Dim Sum is really good. The spring onion noodle is great there. 

Is there anywhere on that Basement Theatre block you love for a meal?

Tanuki’s Cave is surely the best spot to eat in the city. When has it ever been disappointing? I think it was the first place I ever ate out when I first moved to Auckland and it still stands up.

Main haunts: Q Theatre, Basement Theatre and Tanuki’s in the distance (Photos: Sophie Miya-Smith)

Where do you spend most of your time at night in the city? Where are your haunts?

I’m coming into town for shows basically. So I’m usually in that quad – the building (next door to the Sunday School building) has the Comedy Festival offices, The Classic, The Basement Theatre Studio and The Basement, which is over 100 years old. I think it used to be a grain store… I’ve spent so many hours in that building. That’s what always pulls me in. So I’m kind of around there most of the time. I’m honestly in Metro Centre and Aotea Square a lot. And then, if I need to eat, I love Chancery Lane for really good late-night eats.

Where are you hanging out in Chancery? It’s always heaving eh?

Heaving! It’s got a real energy there. Pocha has that good fried chicken, you get that cheese corn thing, some beers.

Yes! You’ll be in Chancery at 10.30pm and you’ll feel like you’re in an overseas city where people eat dinner really late. Where else has that quality?

Oh my god, this is my major unlock. Mid-town, off High Street: Mezze Bar.

Mezze Bar is an absolute classic. You can get a coffee, a chocolate cake, a wine, and they’re open morning to night.

It’s so good to have Mezze up your sleeve. Because you never know when you’ll need it, and the food is so good. And they’re so nice there. And it’s actually the perfect date spot.

What do you say to people who ask what’s happening in Auckland at night?

That’s a really good question. I’d say a lot happens in Auckland, but I think more can happen. I think the CRL is going to be really game-changing. It’s just that Auckland’s kind of got her braces on, and she’s on Roaccutane – but we’re going to have a hair-down, glasses-off reveal soon, and we’ll be like ‘oh my god’. I love seeing that beauty through the construction. I can see the potential of it all. And that’s my Christchurch mentality coming through, because that city was under construction for 10 years.

Backstage at Q (Photos: Sophie Miya-Smith)

What’s your most memorable night out in the city ever?

There have been many nights at Basement Theatre. That’s a genuine point of culture in the city, that theatre.

Do you think the Auckland comedy scene would be what it is without Basement?

Absolutely not. That theatre is a great argument against ‘nothing happens in the city’. I’m going to a show there tonight. I went to a show there last week, and depending on what the artists want to do, there’s a pay-what-you-want model. That venue is such an easy night out. I’ve had many a party night there, and then gone on to Family, partied until the early hours of the morning…You can sit out on Basement’s steps – it’s quite a fashionable little spot, and you can get a nice drink.

Those steps are almost like a theatre themselves, because the carpark acts almost as…

An amphitheatre! It is! And Waihorotiu [the buried stream] still runs underneath. 

Basement’s steps: “A fashionable little spot” (Photos: Sophie Miya-Smith)

Have you been part of any historic Auckland nights? 

Snort for sure. I did the final Snort, and I did 10 hours of improv. 10 shows back-to-back. I think what feels historic is whenever I’ve done a show at the Kiri Te Kanawa, that theatre is so big, and I can’t believe I get to perform there… you’re bringing, sometimes, like 2000 people into the city. I wish at the end of the night I could say ‘and make sure you go to Mezze!’ Opening Camping, which is the play that I did with Tom and Kura and Brynley [comedians Tom Sainsbury, Kura Forrester and Brynley Stent] also felt historic. We brought that back to Q Theatre [in 2024] and we did four weeks, sold out, smash hit (I love to call it that). But 2016 was when we debuted it at Basement, and I’ll never forget that night. We didn’t know what we were doing, and it was the first time that all four of us had worked together. It was just this cult frenzy, that laughter was crazy, and then that whole week just sold out. 

Bring it back again! What venues are on your professional bucket list?

I’m dying to perform at The Civic. I’ve performed in there, but only at The Wintergardens. I also love the Town Hall. 

So beautiful.

I’ve had a couple of amazing nights watching Marlon [Williams] perform there over the years. I went to high school with him, and used to go watch him play at Wine Cellar to, like, 30 people. Then it was quite a fast jump to the Town Hall and, now, wherever he wants.

Chris at Q (Photos: Sophie Miya-Smith)

Who do you see out and about at night that’s a celebrity to you, or very Auckland?

I do feel like Sam Te Kani is the Fran Lebowitz of Auckland. Like, he’s seen it all and he’s got the sharpest takes. I’d give him that crown.

Who’s our Carrie Bradshaw?

I think it would be Johanna Cosgrove. Or Prairie. I think Prairie [Hatchard-McGill] is Auckland’s It Girl.

Where’s the best place for people watching?

Probably here, this back table [at Open].

And the most cinematic place after dark in the city?

Lorne Street (I loved reading Greta and Valdin, the ode to Auckland City.) I also think Karangahape will always be that girl. I love walking down it. I have so many great memories, and even now, when I walk from uptown on First Thursdays – especially when we start to get into those spring months and people think “oh maybe I can stay out” – I love that. 

Okay, you’ve got someone to impress in town, where are you going to take them?

I think what’s a really swanky move to impress someone is sharing a steak at Gilt. 

Where are you and your partner going for a special occasion?

We go anywhere new, we just try anything. Honestly, Pici is a beloved. Pici is so good. Gemmayze Street, I think that’s great. Oh, THAT’S my date spot, Le Garde-Manger, the French restaurant on Queen Street.

Is it that good?

YEAH it’s good. If you’re looking for a great, late-night treat, like a dessert, go get yourself a glass of wine and a Crêpes Suzette. They will bring it out and light it on fire in front of you. It’s so great and the ambience is amazing. I love Le Garde-Manger.

He did actually cycle to this photoshoot (Photos: Sophie Miya-Smith)

Where else do you love?

I also really love Albert Street… It feels really New York. The Fed’s been great, that’s a cultural touch point. I think what is an amazing night, and what I used to do a lot with people, is take them downtown, and you go to the Island Gelato – I’ve done this a lot in summer – by the ferry terminal, and you walk to the big Michael Parekōwhai James Cook in the house, and that’s a really nice way to impress people. It’s quite a good move. I also like watching the ports.

I love watching them too!

If you want to do port watching, that’s a nice little area in the city.

Port watching is very underrated. And at night, it’s all lit up and it’s all going.

And you think “oh, I might have a parcel there, from London!”

Speaking of parcels, you have to get a last-minute outfit for a gig or a show, and it’s 4.30, 5:00 – where are you going?

I do this a lot. I’m heading towards High Street. I’m going to look in Edit, Shakes, they’re amazing, and then I’ll go in a panic and do a big swoop through Commercial Bay.

So good. Any other top memories of Auckland at night?

A big memorable night, I got to light up the Sky Tower. I went on Instagram… and was like “whose job is it? I want to know. How do they pick the colours?” and then SkyCity messaged me and said “You could do it if you want” and I said “Can I do it now?” and came into town, and they handed me an iPad.