NZICF – The Speakeasy

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

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 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 ...

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...

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: Instant Broadway

Grace Hood-Edwards

May 16, 2019

Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival

Covert Theatre’s Instant Broadway opened this week at the Herald Theatre. Posited as an improv musical where “every night is opening night”, the cast create a musical on the spot based on a word thrown out by ...

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...

New Zealand International Comedy Festival In Review: Absolute Monster – Alice Snedden

Oliver Smith

May 10, 2019

Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival

I found myself in a buzzing Basement Theatre, to see Alice Snedden’s Absolute Monster. I was a little sweaty, partially due to the humidity, and partially due to Auckland traffic. I found myself re-enacting th...

NZICF In Review: The Big Show

The Speakeasy

May 9, 2019

Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival

Stephanie Jane Reader (with Johan Chang) A few days ago I received without question the best text of my life. “Wanna come to a Comedy Show with me and write a review of it?” T...

New Zealand International Comedy Festival In Review: Elevation – Uther Dean

Oliver Smith

May 9, 2019

Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival

I greeted Elevation with great anticipation, having seen Uther Dean on the circuit I was already a fan of his work, but had never seen a whole hour. His material is usually high in creativity, so it's only log...

New Zealand International Comedy Festival In Review: Iconique – Chris Parker

Oliver Smith

May 8, 2019

Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival

I returned to my duties as comedy reviewer/weatherman on Tuesday, to see 2018 Fred winner Chris Parker at The Vault at Q Theatre. It was opening night of his new show Iconique a show about his own icons, and h...

NZICF In Review: Around the World in 80 Dates – Chris Henry

Grace Hood-Edwards

May 6, 2019

Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival

A late Saturday night at the Classic studio has our audience gathered to see Scottish comedian Chris Henry. The premise of his show Around the World in 80 Dates is that of a 40-year-old man who has been single...

NZICF In Review: A Party for the End of the World – White Man Behind A Desk

Grace Hood-Edwards

May 6, 2019

Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival

A Party for the End of the World launches with a short projected video compilation of a variety of interviews Robbie Nicol, the titular White Man and central figure of White Man Behind A Desk, hosts about the ...

NZICF In Review: Of Consequence – Brendon Green

Grace Hood-Edwards

May 6, 2019

Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival

Brendon Green set the scene at the Basement using a few simple decorated poster boards to transport the audience to an idyllic pastoral scene. The reasons for the sun and grass decorations become clear upon th...

NZICF In Review: Evermore

The Speakeasy

May 5, 2019

Comedy, Entertainment, NZ International Comedy Festival

Tori Triegaardt It’s 2019, Measles are back, people are playing Minecraft again and it seems like everyone is giving their opinions about matters they are unqualified for. Which is why an unfunny and unqual...

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