REVIEW: Kevin: The Musical (Comedy Festival)

May 11, 2011

The New Zealand Musical will never be the same again [by James Wenley] As Steve Wrigley observes, musicals aren’t considered very manly in New Zealand culture. It takes balls (suitably tightened to hit the high notes) then to trade in his tried and true stand-up comic routines for a camp, highly theatrical stage show called ‘Kevin:  The Musical’*. Kevin: The […]

REVIEW: Terry Alderton (Comedy Festival)

May 10, 2011

Be afraid, be very very afraid! [by Sharu Delilkan] I have to admit that when the usher led me to my seat, right in front of the stage, I immediately asked to swap for a seat further behind because I was not ready to be the butt of the jokes that night. I could just see the comedian for the […]

REVIEW: Faux Real (Comedy Festival)

May 4, 2011

Are you faux real? [by Sharu Delilkan] When I arrived at the Herald Theatre I was a little disappointed with the small number of people in the foyer. “I’m early I told myself”.  But unfortunately that didn’t change as we filed into the venue to take our seats. I actually counted 35 people in total, including me and my husband, […]

REVIEW: Mike & Virginia (Comedy Festival)

May 4, 2011

When Mike met Virginia [by Sharu Delilkan] Everyone knows When Harry Met Sally so when the show opens using the movie as an example of a romantic comedy (or a romcom) it sets the stage perfectly for what’s to come. Mike & Virginia is written by veteran screenwriters Kathryn Burnett & Nick Ward, who are making their debut into the […]

REVIEWS: ‘Space Race’, ‘I am a Yeti’ and the funny play (Comedy Festival)

May 3, 2011

There’s something happening in Auckland right now, and it’s hilarious. [by James Wenley]  And I’m not talking about the Comedy Festival proper. We Aucklanders have known this is hilarious for a number of years now. Auckland’s stand-up comic fraternity (anyone who has ever appeared on 7 Days, ever) have been on a renaissance roll for a while.  No, I’m talking […]

PREVIEW: Mike & Virginia (Comedy Festival)

April 29, 2011

Back on the radar [by Sharu Delilkan] Most people know Te Radar as an award winning satirist, documentary maker, writer, failed gardener, and amateur historian. And more recently he’s been in our living rooms starring in TVNZ’s Radar’s Patch, Off the Radar, and Homegrown. But you’d be forgiven if you didn’t think of him as a stage director, especially since […]

INTERVIEW: Gareth Williams on Faux Real

April 26, 2011

…and his John Farnham man-crush. [by James Wenley] You could say Gareth Williams is a bit of a John Farnham fan. So much so, that he made the Aussie rock icon, famous for hits such as You’re the Voice and Pressure Down, a major character in his solo comedy show Faux Real. Or rather, a voice who enters the world of […]