May 2012
29 posts
Monkey Business
This was certainly one of the most memorable shows of the festival, because I never knew what was coming next. This show was an hour-long that let you know that when “you unleash the monkey within…anything is possible”. This show performed by two independently brilliant comedians bought me close to some of the biggest laughs of the festival. Quite a feat considering I’d...
Tom Furniss' Free Ice Cream Show (@TomFurnissNZ)
So, Tom Furniss is another of this year’s Billy T Nomninees. This deceptively charismatic young man manages to express his talents for making people laugh, generally with a blindsiding punchline.
Going into this show I had two things on my mind:
Is he going to be funny
Will there be free ice cream, as the title suggests.
OK, so maybe not in that order. But that’s the order in...
The link to the Poster For Charity Auction →
Final Show Count
For those who asked, the final show count was 56. Don’t forget to check out the Poster For Charity.
25 April:
Big Wednesday at The Classic
26 April:
5 Star Comedy Preview
27 April:
The Gala
28 April:
Steve Wrigley and Cyan Corwine – Kevin the Musical
Terry Frisby – The Great Frisby Experiment
29 April:
RAW SemiFinal 1
30 April:
Dead Cat Bounce
1 May
Stephen K...
A Small Summary of My Festival
So it’s over. What does this mean? Where do we go from here?
Well, for punters like me, we start getting back to normal with our lives, and wait for the next big thing.
For the awesome Festival Team, including, but far from limited to the wonderful Kylie Aitchison, Lauren Whitney, Spencer Dowson, Debs McKeen, and Kate McGee. These were the five main people I talked to, negotiated with,...
(@NZComedyFest) A Pre-Culmination Note of Love
All,
First of all, thank you to everyone who has supported my goal of the last 23 days. It’s been an awesome ride, and I plan to do a lot of shoutouts in my wrap up blog. Which I do hope will be syndicated on the Comedy Festival website.
Tonight was awesome. I had a blast. Tears pouring down my face, my sides hurt, it was an awesome late show.
I know I’m about 6 blogs behind in...
Clayton Carrick-Leslie's Written about what he...
Clayton Carrick-Leslie has long since been one of my favourite kiwi comedians. In a court of law one might call that Bias, but I call it “Recognising great talent”. This is the third festival show I’ve seen of Clayton’s and once again I was not disappointed.
Clayton’s sense of humour takes the audience on a long satirical ride of impressions, observations, detective...
I want an Encore to Vance Fontaine's career!
I went into this show, honestly not knowing what to expect. I was greeted by a Four Piece band and one of the most impressive beards I’ve ever seen on a drummer (how he didn’t get his brushes caught, I’m not sure).
This show shows the completely improvised career of Vance Fontaine. A kiwi legend who’s done all sorts of interesting things in my life. Some of the things...
Private Dick - An Improvised Film Noir Mystery
It’s really hard to review and rate an improvised show, I’ve come to realise during this festival. But what I have realised is I very much like improv, and virtually anything put on by the Covert Improv group and produced by the delightful Wade Jackson is generally brilliant, because the Covert Improv group are well conditioned to go for anything put in front of them.
The premise of...
Dumped - A Five Star Performance
Of a Tuesday Night, I wouldn’t normally be found in a theatre waiting to see a play. This kind of stage amusement is something new to me, outside of the requisite school productions (I was only ever in one, and I proudly played a tomato - where’s my role on Go Girls?), and the couple of Ballets I saw performed because my cousin was it it.
I honestly didn’t know what to expect,...
Rose Matafeo - Scout's Honour (@Rose_Matafeo)
Rose Matafeo’s show started off with a twist I’ve not seen before. I’ve never seen a performer of a comedy show on stage as the audience comes in (unless the audience is late, of course). I even got a cute badge with an adorable kitty!
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In theme with the name of the show I was quite impressed with the “Bling” us brave ones in the front row got to take home,...
Fundraiser for charity - @ChildCancerNZ
You may have read in my guest-blog on the comedy festival website that I have a gigantic A0 Comedy Festival poster which I’m going to get signed by as many performers in the festival, and then I shall run an auction on TradeMe for the poster’s sale.
The charity I have chosen is the Child Cancer Foundation. Not only are cancer charities very worthy of the support they can get, they are one of the...
Guy Williams is On The Verge of Nothing...
… Except possibly a very bright career in comedy. This comedian, also nominated for the Billy T award. Doing his own intro, Williams managed to do his own introduction, in which he quoted a review, which I probably would have agreed with at the time it was written.
Williams managed to easily pull off the best awkward low energy show I’ve seen since Hannah Gadsby, deliberately slowing...
Knock Knock! Who's there? Tevita Manukia!
The first night of a season is always hard for a comedian. Especially if they’re up for a Billy T award. And I can imagine it’s doubly hard if they haven’t been able to pre-run their season in Wellington .
An interesting performance from Tevita who won the Most Improved award at the Comedy Guild Awards last year, in a show that only lasted about 40 minutes, a surprising turn...
A Short (HA!) summation of my weekend
Evening all,
Sorry this is a tremendously late blog, I realise I’ve not blogged about a show since thursday night when I blogged about Wednesday’s shows.
Thursday night was weird, got home about 2am friday, and had to do my day job (I have one). Here’s what I’ve been up to since we last spoke:
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The show-Count is now at 39
Saw Rhys Darby’s This Way To...
@JeremyElwood's Political Animal Volume 1
Thanks to Jeremy Elwood I have two signed copies of Jeremy’s Book, which are some of his selected blogs from his Political Commentary between 2009 and 2010.
If you’d like to be in to win, email me at contest@24daysofgiggles.com with the subject line “Political Animal”, before midday monday!
@BrendonGreen - Everything Is Meaningless And...
I’m not sure what to say about a 28 year old man with an excessive affinity for Taylor Swift except possibly “Steve Wrigley Junior - With a guitar”.
An interesting hour with some of the most creative lyricisms I’ve seen for quite a while, I could possibly see this show being somewhat like if Jimmy left Dead Cat Bounce to pursue a solo career.
An excellent hour in a...
Jokers, Smokers and Midnight Tokers
The opening night of this show with three fantastic NZ Comedians, introduced by the musical stylings of one Gabriel Page (forgive me, and correct me if I spelled that name wrong).
It was a show I’d been looking forward to for a while, having seen Boycie and Jamie perform in the past. I’d never seen Tim Batt perform before, but had heard many good things, so I assumed I was on a good...
@JussiSmith and @IreneCPink in The Pitch
After interviewing both Irene Pink and Justine Smith earlier this year I wasn’t sure what to expect, but knowing these two ladies and how they perform, I was very interested to see them slammed together at high speed with a script in the middle, and seeing what came out of that creative explosion.
I was giggling from the get-go, at one point doubled-over in the most painful silent laugh...
Cal Wilson is All Ears! (@Calbo)
Last night Cal Wilson opened her first NZ International Comedy Festival show in over ten years at The Basement. Wilson’s typical effervescence was on display from the second she peeked around the curtain, and she immediately had the crowd in the palm of her hands.
Technical problems aside (Yarr That’ll teach you to deviate from the standard talking stick!) this show had an awesome...
Terry Alderton in Review - (@TerryAlderton)
Wow! What an awesome Scratch-and-sniff extravaganza.
A show I was almost late for, thanks to a technical misunderstanding thinking the show started at 8pm instead of 7, had me turn up with two minutes to go, and slide into a fifth-row seat for a world renowned comic that I had been looking forward to seeing for the last two years, but I couldn’t afford to go last year. It was worth the wait.
A...
Mr Boon's Fairytales - Not just for kids...
It was 11am. I’ve just woken up and arrived at the Q Theatre - at an hour I haven’t seen since this 24 Day project started. Though the walk in music was amusing, the fact that the same song repeated until the show started led me to want to penetrate my eardrum with a sharp object.
My feelings toward the opening music aside, I had seen more than a few kids dancing away, while Mr Boon...
IMPORTANT UPDATE: Letter from a lawyer
Good Afternoon,
Today when I checked my post box, I noted I’d received a letter from a Lawyer.
Concerned, I opened it up.
And inside were two double-passes to Clayton Carrick-Leslie’s Auckland showcase of “Write about what you know” on the 16th of May!
If you want to be in to win, here’s how you can:
TWITTER: If you’re on twitter, tweet @24daysofgiggles...
Munfred Bernstein's Cabinet of Wonder (@MunfredB)
Last night’s performance from Munfred Bernstein (that’s Jamie Bowen) was a most interesting tale from what, in the real world, would usually be referred to as “an old kook”, and in this instance I’m not sure that label would be entirely inappropriate. But I can honestly say I loved it.
This show combined some of the best traits around: Audience interaction, Rocking...
3 Shows, One Review (@UrzilaCarlson)
Last night I went to shows Thirteen, Fourteen, and Fifteen of the festival for me. I’ve spent most of the day once I woke up trying to work out how to review them. I’ve decided that it’s very difficult to review two of the shows for the following reasons:
Improv shows are different every night, so the show I review is not going to be the show you see
Ben Hurley’s New...
Billy T Nominee - TJ McDonald (@TJ_McDonald)
TJ McDonald is a 28 year old who has made a lot of mistakes in his time. I can relate. I’m a 23 year old, who’s also made a lot of mistakes. The difference is, while mine can cause me to fall into a death spiral of depression and tim tams, TJ McDonald has turned his into a Billy T Award nominated show that garners big laughs from the crowd.
The only show I know of without an actual...
Jan Maree - Hairy Today, Gone Tomorrow...
Jan Maree’s show Hairy Today Gone Tomorrow is the journey of one woman, through lots of different challenges. Be they getting out of New Zealand for the World Cup, going to a country where you don’t speak the language, and trying to find parts of your history - and almost missing your flights, or discovering that, in fact, other people CAN see your moustache.
This is a surprisingly...
Jeremy Elwood's Time Bomb (@JeremyElwood)
A fantastic night was continued by going to see political animal Jeremy Elwood and hear his feelings and views on the alleged impending doom that is December 21, 2012. Differing extensively from your stock-standard Stand-Up show on many levels, Elwood managed to bring dozens of different concepts and ideas and condense them into one hour of hilarity, without the agenda of trying to offend...
Stephen K Amos
Stephen K Amos’ agenda is simple. Its to make people laugh. Something he has been doing very successfully for many many years. This magnificent example of the best UK Comedy has to offer, welcomed us to his audience and looked more than a little concerned when he spotted a 16 - and then a 10 year old in the audience. Poor Ben. I can guarantee he learned some things that night, and I...
April 2012
29 posts
An intimate audience with: Dead Cat Bounce
They weren’t much of a lover. They weren’t much of a friend. They weren’t much of anything to me in the end.
They were however, hilarious.
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Tonight I got to see Dead Cat Bounce live.
The only rock band with the credentials to say they’ve opened for Jimeoin and The Darkness, rocking it out in the intimate venue that is the Loft at Q. Despite a...
Raw Comedy Semi-Final 1
It’s been a while since I came to the first RAW night of the year and decided this was something I wanted to watch metamorphosise. We’re two weeks from the final - at Q on the 13th (tickets still available, see http://qtheatre.co.nz). I’m really excited to see the acts perform tonight. I’ve seen most of them during the preceding weeks (a couple I was unable to see on the...
Hypothesis Correct - Frisby Experiment Successful
My third show of tonight was The Great Frisby Comedy Experiment. A one-hour show based on a simple experiment:
25 Festival acts writing a 7 minute set list. 3 weeks before the show this setlist is assigned to another act to learn and perform. The premise is to see if its material or the performer that is more important.
I think we have our answer.
Tonight we saw Jan Maree bearing balls,...
Four out of five plungers - Review of Kevin, The...
Second show of Day Two - Kevin The Musical, an all singing, all dancing cast of Steve Wrigley and his beautiful wife, Cyan Corwine. It’s hard to describe what I saw tonight - other than to say it was brilliant!
I wasn’t sure what to expect, I’ve seen Steve Wrigley sing before so my hopes weren’t too high, but I was genuinely overwhelmed. This brilliant combination of...
Fan Fiction Comedy at the Classic Studio......
First show of the evening was the Fan Fiction Comedy, fresh back from an exhaustive season in Melbourne, this show was promising to be awesome from the get-go. Not generally a fan of unauthorised renditions, myself, I was surprised at how easy this was to enjoy.
Five performances, two Harry Potter tributes, one Teenage mutant ninja turtle creation, one autobiography from the fantastic Greg...
Last night's gala!
Thanks to the generosity of a comedian who kindly donated me His tickets to last night’s Gala I was lucky enough to attend the official opener. What a night!
Officiated by the fantastic Greg Behrendt a fantastic night of laughs ensued. Some fantastic international acts, and the best that NZ comedy had to offer took to the stage with their individual 4 minute sets.
Normally here is where...
“I need a new job”
– If you are the first to find me tomorrow (28 April) in The Classic Front Bar between Kevin The Musical and the Terry Frisby Comedy Experiment and say the magic sentence, you will win a double pass to Aaron Beard in Joke Of All Trades on Wednesday the 16th of May. I only have one double pass to give...
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Tonight's Five Star Preview
Wow! What an awesome night! The packed out auditorium that is the Sky City Theatre was humming with many many dozen people (in fact, enough people to have the venue sold out) looking for laughs. And it was at this fountain of laughter that they gained their release.
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The night opened with the fantastic DAN WILLIS from the UK effortlessly warming the crowd up. A comedic fluffer of epic...
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My first night came early!
So I got a tip off that tonight’s Big Wednesday was going to be pretty awesome. Two days before the festival opens. The Preview’s tomorrow night and the Gala’s Friday night, and most of the international acts have flown in over the last 36 hours. So I went along, and boy, was my tipoff right![[MORE]]
Look at this running sheet:
The MC fresh out of the UK (Australia, Really)...
Free Tickets - Who Likes Ice Cream? @TomFurnissNZ
Not sure if you’ve seen, but Billy T nominee Tom Furniss is doing a deliciously named show called “The Free Ice Cream Show”. And after the success of the giveaway for his Wellington show, I’ve managed to get my hands on some free tickets to his Auckland show on Tue 15 May 2012 7:15pm, in The Basement Studio, Auckland.
Oh really, Yvan? How do I win?
I’m glad you asked! If you’d like to be in...
So last week I got to catch up with the wonderful Kylie Aitchison last week for a quick chat. And in exchange for a Guest Blog over on http://www.comedyfestival.co.nz/, Kylie granted me an interview, and the VIP pack that Jade won last week!
Find out about the joys of managing such a festival from the Managing Director of the Comedy Trust herself!
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Y: Kylie, How long have you been...
Have You Been Dumped? - @DumpedComedy
I’m feeling generous. So if you’ve been Dumped in the last month, flick me an email today to Contest@24daysofgiggles.com with the subject line “Dumped” and I’ll pick someone at random to win a Double Pass to the Tuesday 15 May performance of Dumped.
Greg Ellis (@Greg3711) is Vance Fontaine - and I...
When Greg Ellis takes to the stage as Vance Fontaine in this year’s NZ International Comedy Festival he will have no idea what to expect next. Completely at the mercy of the audience and a four piece band he will tell the story of one forgotten Kiwi Music legend and sing the songs he has left as his legacy. For the first time in New Zealand one performer, accompanied by a live band, will create a...
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Raw Comedy Quest - Monday April 16
This week’s raw was a healthy blend of astonishing, and fantastic. 11 near-virgin comics over lorded by the Carbon-Neutral TJ McDonald, and an audience full of proud supporters for “Kevin” and a front-bar full of other Raw comedians sussing out the competition. This was the second-to-last raw heat for this year, and the two-third full auditorium was filled with people who loved...
Over a beer, with @SimonMcKinney
A while ago I had a beer with Simon McKinney at my local - The Northern Steamship. Home to interviews such as Rhys Mathewson, Jan Maree, and virtually any interview I haven’t done at The Classic or by email.
I should have listened to him about the photo looking horrible, and I might replace it if I catch up with Simon between now and the festival, but for now, here’s our chat!
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Full Show List
Have had a few people ask me which shows I’m actually going to see during this festival.
Below is my timetable as it stands at the moment. This may change, depending on which tickets are still outstanding for me to acquire, which are still dependant on a few factors, but © marks the confirmed shows. But below you can see my plans.[[MORE]]
26 April: 5 Star Comedy Preview©
27 April: The Gala ©
28...
Free Tickets - Who Likes Ice Cream?
Not sure if you’ve seen, but Billy T nominee Tom Furniss is doing a deliciously named show called “The Free Ice Cream Show”. And I’ve managed to get my hands on some free tickets to his Wellington show on the 8th of May.
Oh really, Yvan? How do I win?
I’m glad you asked! If you’d like to be in to win a double pass to the Free Ice Cream Show at the Cavern Club...
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My chat with Jan Maree
My chat during my lunch break, over a few drinks, with the fanastic Jan-Maree while she was in Auckland for meetings. Find the details of our chat below!
Read below about her experiences with G Strings in Wellington Hotels, and some topless touring stories!
(Normally I’d put a poster or photo here, but I forgot to get a photo, and I don’t think the Poster is finished yet)
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A chat with Clayton
A while back I caught up with the fantastic Clayton Carrick-Leslie about his Comedy Experience, and shows. Have a read if you’re interested in him, and keep reading to the bottom. There may be some giveaways.
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Y: Clayton Carrick-Leslie, NZ’s Two-Timing lawyer, as I saw you called in an interview from a while ago in a Law Journal. C: Yeah, I think that’s about the...
