Oliver Smith – The Speakeasy

New Zealand International Comedy Festival In Review: If This Is It – Laura Davis

May 14, 2021

Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival

Further into the evening I made my to The Classic Studio to see Australian comic Laura Davis, in her show If This Is It, a wonderful meta analysis of the purpose of comedy and art during a global pandemic. ...

New Zealand International Comedy Festival In Review: Brunch – Ray Shipley & Emma Cusdin

Oliver Smith

May 13, 2021

Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival

Just after tea time on a Wednesday evening, I sauntered up the steps to the Basement Studio, to allow Ray Shipley and Emma Cusdin to whisk me back to Brunch. In Brunch, Shipley and Cusdin try and piece toge...

New Zealand International Comedy Festival In Review: Happy Cabbage – Bec Sandys

Oliver Smith

May 12, 2021

Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival

Here we are at second week of comedy fest, fully satiated with variety of comedy I caught week 1, I ventured to my first outing of week 2, Bec Sandys' latest show, Happy Cabbage. Happy Cabbage is a series ...

New Zealand International Comedy Festival In Review: This Will Be Tested – Chester Jerrat & Sarah Hughes

Oliver Smith

May 10, 2021

Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival

It was late on Friday when I entered the Loft at Q Theatre to watch This Will Be Tested, a double bill featuring two of Auckland's freshest up and comers, Chester Jerrat (Finalist of TVNZ's New Blood) and Sar...

New Zealand International Comedy Festival In Review: Heartless Joke Machine – Rhys Mathewson

Oliver Smith

May 10, 2021

Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival

On Friday Night I found myself in a packed out Classic, full of lively punters to watch Rhys Mathewson, the Heartless Joke Machine. The liveliness of the crowd would set to the tone for the night, and Mathewso...

New Zealand International Comedy Festival In Review: Circus Of Shame – Neil Thornton

Oliver Smith

May 7, 2021

Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival

It was late on Thursday when I walked up to The Classic Studio, to see veteran comic Neil Thornton, and his Circus of Shame, a thought provoking examination of the concept of shame, both his own, and in cultur...

New Zealand International Comedy Festival In Review: In The Moonlight – Paul Williams

Oliver Smith

May 7, 2021

Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival

On Thursday evening in went to Basement Theatre to see Into The Moonlight, the latest hour of comedy from Paul Williams. I knew him better for his charmingly awkward performances as the assistant on Taskmaster...

New Zealand International Comedy Festival In Review: Twins – Liv McKenzie & Ed Amon

Oliver Smith

May 6, 2021

Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival

On Thursday I made my way to Sweat Shop Brew Kitchen, to see Twins, featuring Liv McKenzie and Ed Amon. These are comics coming off the back of a fantastic Comedy Fest 2019, McKenzie claiming best new comer, a...

New Zealand International Comedy Festival In Review: General Admission – Sera Devcich

Oliver Smith

May 4, 2021

Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival

It's that time of year again folks, after a year off (because of a certain global pandemic...) the New Zealand International Comedy Festival is back! Thankfully so, as I think we all need a laugh (due to said....

Auckland Fringe in Review: Coombe And Friends

Oliver Smith

February 19, 2021

Comedy, Entertainment

On Thursday evening I ventured to the Sweatshop Brew Bar, to see Coombe and Friends, part of the Auckland Fringe Festival, a show featuring Matt Coombe and his celebration over finding a friend, Craig Westenbe...

7 Live Comedy Venues In Auckland To Get Your Post Lockdown Laughs

Oliver Smith

June 18, 2020

Comedy, Entertainment, Night Life

With Covid in New Zealand vanquished (fingers crossed) and Aucklanders heading out in droves to enjoy freedom from the restrictions of level 4,3 and 2, it is currently the best time to go out and support live ...

In Review: Unusual Subjects

Oliver Smith

October 21, 2019

Comedy, Entertainment

I ventured to the Classic Studio on a Friday night to see Unusual Subjects, a show featuring 3 of Auckland's freshest up and coming talents, Jamie Patterson, Camilo Aristizabal , Lane Pilkington. These were al...

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...

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...

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...

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...

New Zealand International Comedy Festival In Review: Legacy – Frickin Dangerous Bro

Oliver Smith

May 15, 2019

Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival

I made my way to the Q Theatre Loft late on Tuesday night, to witness Frickin Dangerous Bro, a sketch group that always serve one of my highlights for the festival; a group that always manages to find the funn...

New Zealand International Comedy Festival In Review: Myths And Legends – Eli Matthewson

Oliver Smith

May 15, 2019

Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival

It was a cold Tuesday night when I made my way to the Basement, to see Myth and Legend,the latest hour of comedy from the Fred nominated Eli Matthewson, a show that was in my opinion an absolute masterpiece. ...

New Zealand International Comedy Festival In Review: Crack-Up Late Show with Alan McElroy

Oliver Smith

May 11, 2019

Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival

It was Friday night, I found myself in the Classic Studio at 10pm, a time associated with the loosest of late night shows, with The Classic's usual Late and Live in the downstairs room, with this Crack-Up Late...

New Zealand International Comedy Festival In Review: Improv Bandits

Oliver Smith

May 10, 2019

Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival

On Thursday Night I found myself in Herald Theatre, to see the Improv Bandits, one of New Zealand’s premier Improv groups since 1997. As a lover of Improv, I find myself wondering why I’d never seen them befor...

Author Oliver Smith