Covert Theatre is an improvised comedy theatre and improv school at 51 Mackelvie Street, Ponsonby, a few minutes from the Auckland CBD. It describes itself as New Zealand's home of improvised comedy and its only full-time comedy theatre, and it runs an 86-seat auditorium with a separate foyer and a fully licensed bar.
### What it does
The operation has three strands. The first is public performance: improvised comedy shows run Thursday to Sunday, with resident acts including The Improv Bandits, A Bard's Tale and C-Suite. The second is the Improv School, which runs Monday to Wednesday and teaches improv to participants across a wide age range, from children through to adults, using play to build communication and confidence skills. The third is corporate work — improv workshops and corporate entertainment delivered for business groups.
The theatre is operated by The Yes And Trust, a charitable trust that took the Mackelvie Street lease in September 2019 and reopened the venue in February 2020.
### Groups, corporate and venue hire
Covert markets the space directly for business use. The 86-seat theatre, foyer and bar are offered for off-site meetings, strategy sessions, product launches, conferences and presentations, with theatre lighting, microphones and a PA system available. Hire is offered in two-hour, half-day and full-day blocks. Because the bar and foyer are separate from the auditorium, the venue can handle a working session followed by drinks in the same booking.
The corporate improv workshops are the more distinctive offer. Improv training translates well to business skill development — listening, accepting an offer and building on it, thinking on your feet, and presenting without a script — and Covert positions its workshops for teams as well as running open adult classes.
### Suitability for MICE
This is a useful option for planners working in central Auckland who want something other than a hotel meeting room. It suits a small conference breakout, an off-site leadership day, a product launch to an invited audience, or an evening entertainment slot for an incentive group. A facilitated improv workshop also works as a team-building session with a lower physical barrier than outdoor activities, which matters for mixed-mobility delegate groups. Capacity is the main constraint: with 86 seats it is sized for small to mid-size groups rather than large conferences. Worth pairing with nearby Ponsonby dining as part of an evening programme, or with other Auckland activities.
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