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  • Spotlight
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    • The 2019 Pacific Dance Festival is finally here!

      Shawn Moodie
      June 7, 2019
      Culture, Entertainment, Film, Lifestyle, Spotlight, Theatre
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    • In Review: An Iliad

      The Speakeasy
      May 31, 2019

    • INTERVIEW: Sophie Mashlan

      Chontalle Musson
      May 16, 2019
    • 10

      NZICF In Review: Your Wrong – Phil Nichol

      Shawn Moodie
      May 16, 2019

    • NZICF In Review: Best Comedy Show on Earth – Mother’s Day Special

      Shawn Moodie
      May 13, 2019

    • NZICF In Review: Late & Live at The Classic

      Shawn Moodie
      May 11, 2019

    • In Review: “UP/DOWN” Cori Gonzalez-Macuer

      The Speakeasy
      May 9, 2019
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    • In Review: Top End Wedding

      The Speakeasy
      May 6, 2019
      Entertainment, Film, Watch and Listen
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    • In Review: Daniel Champagne @ Wine Cellar

      Kirsten Marsh
      March 19, 2019

    • Interview: ASHY discusses her latest single ‘Over You’ and plans for the future

      Kirsten Marsh
      September 16, 2018

    • In Review: KORORAREKA: The Ballad of Maggie Flynn

      Jenanne Burnell
      September 4, 2018
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    Featured

    • In Review: A Fine Balance

      The Speakeasy
      June 17, 2019
      Culture, Entertainment, Lifestyle, Theatre
    Recent

    • The 2019 Pacific Dance Festival is finally here!

      Shawn Moodie
      June 7, 2019

    • NZICF In Review: Better Than I Was The Last Time – David Correos

      Grace Hood-Edwards
      May 26, 2019

    • NZICF: Fred Awards Finalists Announced

      Shawn Moodie
      May 25, 2019
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    Featured

    • NZICF In Review: Instant Broadway - Covert Theatre

      Johan Chang
      May 16, 2019
      Comedy, Entertainment, Music, NZ International Comedy Festival
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    • ANNOUNCEMENT: One Love Festival

      Chontalle Musson
      June 18, 2019

    • ANNOUNCEMENT: Michael Buble, Mission Estate Winery

      The Speakeasy
      June 10, 2019

    • ANNOUNCEMENT: Local Natives, Tour

      The Speakeasy
      June 9, 2019
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    Featured

    • In Review: A Fine Balance

      The Speakeasy
      June 17, 2019
      Culture, Entertainment, Lifestyle, Theatre
    Recent

    • The 2019 Pacific Dance Festival is finally here!

      Shawn Moodie
      June 7, 2019

    • In Review: An Iliad

      The Speakeasy
      May 31, 2019

    • Better late than never – The Pacific Dance Festival gets a reboot

      Shawn Moodie
      May 25, 2019
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  • NZ International Comedy Festival
    Featured

    • NZICF: Fred Awards Finalists Announced

      Shawn Moodie
      May 25, 2019
      Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival
    Recent

    • NZICF In Review: Better Than I Was The Last Time – David Correos

      Grace Hood-Edwards
      May 26, 2019

    • NZICF In Review: Heroic – Donna Brookbanks

      Grace Hood-Edwards
      May 25, 2019

    • NZICF In Review: The Blair Witch Projector – James Mustapic

      Grace Hood-Edwards
      May 24, 2019

    • NZICF In Review: Kura Shoulda Woulda – Kura Forrester

      The Speakeasy
      May 24, 2019

    • And The Winners Are… Raw Comedy Quest 2019 Crowns 2 Winners

      Oliver Smith
      May 24, 2019

    • NZICF In Review: Traffic Jam – Darcy Murray & Wade Jackson

      The Speakeasy
      May 23, 2019
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  • In Review: A Fine Balance
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  • ABOUT US

NZ International Comedy Festival

This April, the NZ International Comedy Festival hits a quarter century, and it looks as though we’ve never needed comedy more. Over the course of the Festival, we’ll be interviewing comedians, highlighting shows that you should attend, and of course offering our reviews.

NZICF: Fred Awards Finalists Announced

Shawn Moodie
May 25, 2019
Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival

NZICF In Review: Kura Shoulda Woulda – Kura Forrester

The Speakeasy
May 24, 2019
Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival

NZICF In Review: Dialogue Matters – Pax Assadi

The Speakeasy
May 23, 2019
Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival

NZICF In Review: God Damn Fancy Man – James Nokise

The Speakeasy
May 22, 2019
Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival

NZICF In Review: Tom Foolery – Tom Sainsbury

The Speakeasy
May 22, 2019
Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival
Home
NZ International Comedy Festival

NZICF In Review: Better Than I Was The Last Time – David Correos

Grace Hood-Edwards
May 26, 2019
Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival
David Correos mentioned the phrase “a wild ride” partway through his set Better Than I Was The Last Time and perhaps nothing could be more apt a descriptor for his show. I realised partway through the show as ...

NZICF: Fred Awards Finalists Announced

Shawn Moodie
May 25, 2019
Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival
This year’s Fred Award judges have chosen three finalists to compete at Electric Kiwi Last Laughs on Sunday for The FRED, which is awarded to the Best New Zealand Show in the 2019 NZ Internatio...

NZICF In Review: Heroic – Donna Brookbanks

Grace Hood-Edwards
May 25, 2019
Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival
2019 Billy T nominee Donna Brookbanks’ Heroic begins by getting the audience amped with appropriately inspirational tracks, such as the Foo Fighters’ ‘My Hero’ and Bonnie Tyler’s ‘I Need a Hero’. Brookbanks’ e...

NZICF In Review: The Blair Witch Projector – James Mustapic

Grace Hood-Edwards
May 24, 2019
Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival
James Mustapic at the beginning of his show at the Q Theatre Vault promises a sensible hour of stand up. No gimmicks. That is until a ghost inside his projector turns up to roast Mustapic and drag him through ...

NZICF In Review: Kura Shoulda Woulda – Kura Forrester

The Speakeasy
May 24, 2019
Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival
Review by Chelsea Pickens The first thing I noticed about Kura’s show was that it was completely full, obviously a popular pick among comedy lovers. The second thing I noticed was a scrawled-on mock beauty ...

And The Winners Are… Raw Comedy Quest 2019 Crowns 2 Winners

Oliver Smith
May 24, 2019
Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival
I made my way to the Rangitira at Q Theatre on Thursday night to witness the final of Raw Comedy Quest, New Zealand’s premier competition, and a launching point for the future of New Zealand Comedy. The nig...

NZICF In Review: Traffic Jam – Darcy Murray & Wade Jackson

The Speakeasy
May 23, 2019
Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival
Review by Wal Reid It was reportedly touted that William Shakespeare said the eyes are the “window to the soul.” If this is the case, then actors Darcy Murray and Wade Jackson are living proof that this can...

New Zealand International Comedy Festival In Review: Alan McElroy Is S#it @ Twitter – Alan McElroy

Oliver Smith
May 23, 2019
Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival
On Wednesday night, I once again found myself at The Classic Studio, to witness the latest hour of Alan McElroy, fresh from the melbourne festival, with Alan McElroy Is S#it @ Twitter, a man's attempt to make ...

New Zealand International Comedy Festival In Review: Rapture – Tom Deacon

Oliver Smith
May 23, 2019
Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival
Last Night I made my way to The Classic Studio, to see Tom Deacon, in Rapture, his NZICF debut. The venue was buzzing, Deacon has been smashing line up shows leading up to his show, and found a room full of pe...

NZICF In Review: Dialogue Matters – Pax Assadi

The Speakeasy
May 23, 2019
Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival
Review by Jesse Knight Kiwi comedian Pax Assadi’s ‘Dialogue Matters’ was best summarised in his opening conversation with fellow comedian James Nokise, where Assadi assured Nokise that the show is about be...

New Zealand International Comedy Festival In Review: Spoiler Alert – Ed Byrne

Oliver Smith
May 22, 2019
Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival
I sat in the Rangitira at Q on Tuesday night, eagerly awaiting Ed Byrne's latest hour of stand up comedy, Spoiler Alert, an anticipation that was shared by a packed out house of buzzing audience members. Ed...

NZICF In Review: God Damn Fancy Man – James Nokise

The Speakeasy
May 22, 2019
Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival
Review by Jaimee Beck James Nokise speaks the truth, the hilarious uncomfortable truth, and nothing but the truth. He speaks it in the words of a Samoan Minister, A ginger bro from Hamilton, and a kid ga...

NZICF In Review: Tom Foolery – Tom Sainsbury

The Speakeasy
May 22, 2019
Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival
Review by Otis Letwin I am a big fan of Tom Sainsbury’s Snapchat videos. Even before I moved to New Zealand, even before I knew who Paula Bennett was, I knew about Sainsbury’s impersonation of her. So...

NZICF In Review: Need(y) – Jimmy McGhie

The Speakeasy
May 22, 2019
Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival
Review by Grace Chua Jimmy McGhie returns to New Zealand once again from the UK to give Kiwis a comedy show on what he terms the "Quality of Life". He shares his observations from living in London, contras...

NZICF In Review: MEME LORD – Alice Canton

Grace Hood-Edwards
May 18, 2019
Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival
A projector, a table and an unknown number of phones. The basic set dressing for Alice Canton’s MEME LORD at the Basement’s Studio. A show that is posited as being “a deep dive into the world of meme” isn’...

New Zealand International Comedy Festival In Review: I Was Part Of The Problem Before We Were Talking About It – Guy Montgomery

Oliver Smith
May 18, 2019
Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival
I sat in a packed out Rangatira at Q on Thursday night to witness I Was Part of the Problem Before We Were Talking about It, the latest hour from Guy Montgomery, who has well and truly established himself as a...

NZICF In Review: Space Couch – Tim Batt & Disasteradio

Nina Reed
May 17, 2019
Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival
1
Tim Batt does a good thing. But, off the batt, I wasn’t convinced. You walk into a dark room with a very bright couch, a high school desk, a television, an obnoxious sound set-up, and bright neon-ish lighting....

NZICF In Review: The Mournmoor Murders – Alice May Connolly & Maria Williams

Nina Reed
May 17, 2019
Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival
1
These gals just f$%KING rocked! R Someone in Mournmoor has been murdered. Did someone say “death”? “Murder?” That’s right, a murder! A good place to start any good comedy show, right? You wouldn’t think so,...

NZICF In Review: Boy Mestizo – James Roque

Liz Lauder
May 16, 2019
Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival
James Roque is one of those comedians that really stick with you. I have fond memories of watching James do stand-up at The Classic last year, so I eagerly jumped at the chance to review the funniest comedian ...

NZICF In Review: Instant Broadway – Covert Theatre

Johan Chang
May 16, 2019
Comedy, Entertainment, Music, NZ International Comedy Festival
First of all – let me say – Aotea Center’s Herald Theatre is really hard to find. If it wasn’t for the help of two excellent centre staff, it would’ve taken my date and I far longer to make it there. However, ...

NZICF In Review: The Internaton-AL – Alistair Barrie

The Speakeasy
May 16, 2019
Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival
Review by Laura Roberts After reading some raving reviews of Alistair Barrie’s shows from last year’s Edinburgh Fringe, we arrived at The Classic with high expectations. This was our first time in The Clas...
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TOP REVIEWS

  • In Review: Horace and Pete

    Nigel Mckenzie-Ryan
    May 12, 2016
    1
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  • In Review: CitizenFour

    Shawn Moodie
    March 5, 2016
    2
    9.8

  • NZICF In Review: Your Wrong – Phil Nichol

    Shawn Moodie
    May 16, 2019
    3
    10

  • NZIFF: ‘Weiner’ – A Political Car Crash Unfolding In Slow-motion

    Shawn Moodie
    July 21, 2016
    4
    10

  • NZIFF: Jim – The James Foley Story

    Johan Chang
    July 30, 2016
    5
    9.6

LATEST POSTS

  • ANNOUNCEMENT: One Love Festival

    Chontalle Musson
    June 18, 2019

  • In Review: A Fine Balance

    The Speakeasy
    June 17, 2019

  • ANNOUNCEMENT: Michael Buble, Mission Estate Winery

    The Speakeasy
    June 10, 2019

  • ANNOUNCEMENT: Local Natives, Tour

    The Speakeasy
    June 9, 2019

  • IN REVIEW: Graeme James @ The Tuning Fork, Auckland

    Chontalle Musson
    June 9, 2019

  • The 2019 Pacific Dance Festival is finally here!

    Shawn Moodie
    June 7, 2019

  • ANNOUNCEMENT: Drax Project, NZ Tour Dates

    Chontalle Musson
    June 4, 2019

  • IN REVIEW: Screaming Females @ The Cook, Dunedin

    Chontalle Musson
    June 3, 2019

  • In Review: An Iliad

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    May 31, 2019

  • GALLERY: Great Gable @ Fifty Gorillas, Dunedin

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The Speakeasy is a culture and entertainment site for the digital generation.

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Latest Posts

  • ANNOUNCEMENT: One Love Festival

    Chontalle Musson
    June 18, 2019

  • In Review: A Fine Balance

    The Speakeasy
    June 17, 2019

  • ANNOUNCEMENT: Michael Buble, Mission Estate Winery

    The Speakeasy
    June 10, 2019

  • ANNOUNCEMENT: Local Natives, Tour

    The Speakeasy
    June 9, 2019

  • IN REVIEW: Graeme James @ The Tuning Fork, Auckland

    Chontalle Musson
    June 9, 2019

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