Post Tagged with: "review"

At the Wake by Victor Rodger, starring Lisa Harrow Circa Theatre Opening night 6:30pm, 21 March 2018

As a first time reviewer I was both excited, and slightly nervous when I left work on Tuesday evening heading for Circa to see Joan, by Tom Scott. I wanted very much to like what I was about to review (does anyone go to the theatre not hoping to enjoy themselves?). 

We are pairing up with Wellington food icons, Wellingnoms, so you can get all the best images from their Instagram account and all the best words from here. Exciting times. 

What an utter fucking delight. Such a joyous wonderful, feel-good, bizarre funny show. This is a show I’ve been struggling to think of how to review. Because to reveal too much would be to spoil it.

Gordon Southern is a polished, slick comic. His show, Long Story Short, is a rollicking hour of puns, raps, gags, stories, frenetic energy, sound and light and one of the most delightfully likeable comics I’ve seen.

There’s awkward comedy where we cringe because of the awfulness. Think Larry David in Curb Your Enthusiasm or Ricky Gervais in his entire life

I saw Brendon Green in the 2014 Comedy Festival in Some More Mr Nice Guy, and it was one of the most well written shows I had ever seen. Brendon danced us backwards and forwards, weaving call-backs and flash-forwards with a deftness far exceeding his age as a comic.

The Rev is a band I have wanted to see for, I dunno, 10 years now?

Angela Barnes has, in her promo material, the sentence “The best mainstream female comedian I’ve seen since Sarah Millican” and the word mainstream makes me pause.

James Acaster is going to be a very expensive comic to see next time he comes back to New Zealand. I fully expect him to be at the Opera House charging like $50 to see him. And he’d be worth it. Because this was one of the best comedy festival shows I’ve had the fortune of seeing.

Jeremy Elwood is basically Mr New Zealand comedy at this point in his career. He is so polished, so professional that investing in his show is practically a sure thing, and Three Night Stand doesn’t disappoint.

Laura Daniel is probably the most likable comic I’ve seen on stage in some time. It’s a personality characteristic that is often neglected by comics, but for Laura I’m pretty sure it’s natural and just down to a charismatic, charming and funny persona.