It’s a sold out Wednesday night in Te Auaha’s Tapere Nui for one of Aotearoa’s most well-known comedians. Famous for his snapchat filter videos featuring quirky characters and tongue-in-cheek political impressions, there is a noticeable excitement in the crowd to see the dude off instagram, live in the flesh.
Alia MarshallIf the chilly winter blues or break up season are hitting you hard this year, then Janaye Henry has just the thing with her 2023 Comedy Festival show Crush Season. Nominated for the Billy T award and having curated the first wāhine māori comedy line up show, Shoes Off (At the Door); Henry is back with another show all about the trials and tribulations of love - or wuv, but that’s a spoiler I won’t elaborate on. On this dreary evening my friend and I are looking for some laughs to stave off the cold, and boy did we find them.
Katie HillFresh off the pouring rain of Cuba Street, there’s certainly irony in attending Rhys Matthewson’s vibrantly marketed, Summer Gorgeous. It doesn’t matter that Summer isn’t mentioned once, the 7 Sharp presenter heats up the crowd with practiced charisma. Right off the bat, Matthewson admits he’s bad at social media, hence the not-quite-sold-out San Fran crowd. I promise I’m not saying this under direct instruction from Matthewson, go and see the show! I fear in the hands of others, this wet Tuesday crowd might have been a dry one, but Matthewson has a knack for unifying the audience, making us feel special - an exclusive party just for us!
Jack McGeeEarly on in Gabby Anderson’s Bad(ish) Teacher, she informs us that there’s a sign on her desk if we need to go to the bathroom. This gag is followed by an extended bit on the teachers clap, a piece of nostalgic call-and-repeat action. As I follow these basic rhythms, I’m transported back to the classroom. I’m role-playing as a student, grounded with the audience in our shared memories of going to high school in Aotearoa. I feel safe, familiar, and at ease. Less than five minutes into the show Anderson has got us in the palm of her hand, primed and ready to laugh.
Austin HarrisonLloyd Langford was a once regular international visitor to the NZ Comedy Festival and returns this year after a 4 year hiatus. The Welsh comedian of QI and 8 out of 10 Cats fame grace’s a humble Sunday evening slot at San Fran for an hour of solid gold stand up.
Jack McGeeI tend to have an empathy barrier with gangster films. I can fully acknowledge that at its best, the genre depicts raw, deeply human stories. Tales of noxious paternal relationships, suffocating masculinity, and the complexities of the immigrant experience are all rife in mobster related storytelling. Yet, I often find myself stuck at the same wall. This guy fucking sucks. He just brutally murdered and/or tortured this other person, how am I ever meant to connect with him? Why should I give a shit about how he got here, about his extended and gratuitous fall from grace, or his hard fought redemption?
Austin HarrisonIt’s 2023 and Wellington’s hippest, dopest femme and gender-diverse improv troupe are back! It’s Tiny Dog time at an all new venue, taking over the Cavern Club on this windy Friday night.
Emilie HopeOkay, if you’re reading this, you must be up to current with the progression of this series. Saturday, 9:30pm, BATS Theatre, the classic red box “Applause” and “Recording” signs mounted on the back wall of The Studio, three mics, and a whole new cast. Night of the Silver Moon, directed by Ben Kelly and written by John Mambo, Esteban Jaramillo, Finlay Langelaan, and Tom Aitcheson, it is a serialised, live performance and recording of a goofy spoofy radio drama.
Sean Burnett Dugdale-MartinThe Coven on Grey Street is a comedic riff on everyone’s favourite witches, written by James Cain (Movers) and directed by Harriet Prebble (Dungeoning & Dragoning). Join Irene Wood’s Sybil, Helen Moulder’s Daphne, Hilary Norris’ Fay and Peter Hambleton’s Groom and Lecturer Ted in this delightful romp about sorcery and sisterhood. Produced by Red Scare Theatre Company, this ensemble comedy is an impressive and fun production. Photo credit belongs to Roc+ Photography.
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Local Honest ReviewsAt Art Murmurs, our aim is to provide honest and constructive art reviews to the Wellington community. Archives
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