The Natural History Boy
Written and performed by Matt Powell
16 - 19 September 2026 - 8:00pm
45- 50 mins
BATS Theatre - The Dome
1 Kent Terrace, Wellington,
6011, New Zealand
For billions of years, life on Earth has engaged in a spectacular variety of behaviours, adaptations, and accidents, from the African elephant using its toenails to communicate over vast distances, to the blind catfish in a cave in Ecuador navigating its environment by growing teeth all over the outside of its body. Bring your favourite weird and wonderful animal fact and watch it come to life in a one-of-a-kind improvised nature documentary from one of Wellington's foremost improvisers. No two performances are ever the same!
All ages. May include discussion of animal mating behaviours and anatomy.
CREATIVE TEAM
Performer: Matt Powell
Director: Jennifer O'Sullivan
Operator: Em Maguire
ABOUT MATT
Matt Powell has been performing, directing, and teaching improvisation around New Zealand, Australia, and the world for over 25 years. A veteran of Christchurch's Court Jesters, he is a co-founder of Locomotive and Late Night Knife Fight in Wellington, and a former Artistic Director of the New Zealand Improv Festival. His debut solo show, The History Boy, was nominated for Outstanding Solo Performance in the 2021 New Zealand Fringe Festival.
Presented in partnership with BATS Theatre