Comedy Fest Questionnaire: Calypso Nights

Comedy Fest Questionnaire: Calypso Nights

1) Tell us what your show is called this year? Calypso Nights

2)  Why? Because to make dancing, and is so much beauty. All around us. This is what I laugh. And we are all fighting the dragons. With swords on poles. We are the Nights…

3) Can you give us a few hints as to what broadly your festival show is about?
Yes I like this. Do you like this? It is so funny to listen to music. We can do it!

4) How much time have you spent crafting the show over the past 12 months since the end of the last festival? No.

5) The comedy festival is turning 21 this year – it’s a big age 21 – whatyou’re your memories of being 21? Or if you’re not old enough yet, you lucky person, what are your hopes for being 21? OH so full of drunk. I want to be a writer, just like James Deans.

6) The Comedy festival is one big party and catch up for a month - is there anyone you’re looking forward to seeing over here either socially or on stage?
Dr. Brown. He cares for me when in needing.
 
7) What’s the comedy scene like at the moment who do you rate and why?
It is comedy? I like him. Dr. Brown and a man who is a squid!

8)  What’s the best piece of audience interaction you’ve had?
In Berlin I make two people dance together to the sound of a rabbit.

9) What’s the most memorable part of performing for you within the last 12 months?
Being such a great success that I have been gifted special maracas from such a talented man. These things are speaking to me.

10) When we say New Zealand International Comedy Festival to you, what’s the first thing you think of?
A big jug of juice!

11) How would you persuade people to come and see your show?
Because people, come on now. Do you really love to be in this place? I can show you there. Right over there in the glistening. I can stretch your arms. Because you will need to. I have magical eyes.

Comedy Fest Questionnaire: Moving Stationery

Comedy Fest Questionnaire: Moving Stationery

1) Tell us what your show is called this year?
Moving Stationery

2)  Why? It’s a particularly physical show that is set in an office and literally involves moving stationery.

3) Can you give us a few hints as to what broadly your festival show is about?Cellotape and wasabi.

4) How much time have you spent crafting the show over the past 12 months since the end of the last festival?
This is my first comedy festival.

5) The comedy festival is turning 21 this year – it’s a big age 21 – whatyou’re your memories of being 21? Or if you’re not old enough yet, you lucky person, what are your hopes for being 21?
On my 21^st I was on tour with The Ugly Shakespeare Company and celebrated by playing billiards in Tauranga and drinking tequila. The rest of my 21^st I was living in Melbourne in an abandoned spice factory.

6) The Comedy festival is one big party and catch up for a month - is there anyone you’re looking forward to seeing over here either socially or on stage?
I think I went to high school with Ben Hurley. I can say “I went to high school with you” and then stand around awkwardly, then leave. It’ll be great.

7) What’s the comedy scene like at the moment who do you rate and why?
It’s like a blueberry. I rate James Nokise. He once did an impromptu improvised three part musical while balancing vertically on two feet.

8)  What’s the best piece of audience interaction you’ve had?
A 10 year old walked on stage looking for the toilet while I was performing. Twice. It was awesome.

9) What’s the most memorable part of performing for you within the last 12 months?
Having to leave stage and climb up to the technical booth to fix a sound issue at New York Clown Festival. Twice. It wasn’t awesome.

10) When we say New Zealand International Comedy Festival to you, what’s the first thing you think of?
Muffins. But that’s because they’re on the table in front of me.

11) How would you persuade people to come and see your show?
It’s full of nudity, sexual innuendo, and poo jokes… entirely untrue, but it’ll probably get people coming along? That or muffins?

Comedy Fest Questionnaire: Chris Martin

Comedy Fest Questionnaire: Chris Martin

1) Tell us what your show is called this year? Chris Martin: Spot the Difference.

2)  Why? Because my brain spend a lot of time studying the minor differences in the most mundane and everyday observations. And who doesn’t like the game Spot the Difference?


3) Can you give us a few hints as to what broadly your festival show is about?
It’s about very little apart from a man who has an over-thinking idiotic brain who feels the need to tell you his opinions on ‘earth shattering’ subjects such as coffee, dogs & Tupperware.

4) How much time have you spent crafting the show over the past 12 months since the end of the last festival?
The whole time. I’m constantly adding and removing material. I get bored very quickly of saying the same words out of my face a lot. 

5) The comedy festival is turning 21 this year – it’s a big age 21 – what are your memories of being 21? Or if you’re not old enough yet, you lucky person, what are your hopes for being 21?
When I turned 21 I got a free eye mask & socks set from my Uncle Peter that he got on long haul flight. That was his main present to me. I still haven’t forgotten how stingy that was. Every year for his birthday I send him some used sweets wrappers.

6) The Comedy festival is one big party and catch up for a month - is there anyone you’re looking forward to seeing over here either socially or on stage?
Jonah Lomu. He’s doing a show this year, right?


7) What’s the comedy scene like at the moment who do you rate and why?
I rate a lot of my peers. James Acaster who’s making his NZ debut has a great whimsical style & also Ellis James is brilliant story-teller. Check them out.

8)  What’s the best piece of audience interaction you’ve had?
Last time I was in New Zealand before I’d said a word a man at the back shouted “Go Back to England”. Turns out he was also from England. We realised it would affect everyone else’s night a lot less if he went back instead. I believe he left in floods of tears…

9) What’s the most memorable part of performing for you within the last 12 months?
Supporting Milton Jones at the Apollo was pretty special. Performing to several thousand people is pretty exhilarating. It’s as great a feeling as when you bite into a chocolate biscuit and find out there’s surprise caramel inside.

10) When we say New Zealand International Comedy Festival to you, what’s the first thing you think of?
Sushi. You guys need to get a few more sushi shops in Auckland, especially. I don’t think 400000 is enough.

11) How would you persuade people to come and see your show?
By telling them you don’t have to leave a tip as I know how much Kiwis hate tipping. 

Comedy Fest Questionnaire: Fiona O'Loughlin

Comedy Fest Questionnaire: Fiona O'Loughlin

1) Tell us what your show is called this year? The Divine Miss O.

2)  Why? Because my audiences have been becoming camper by the day and I wanted a title that reflects that. 

3) Can you give us a few hints as to what broadly your festival show is about? My shows are autobiographical story telling and the landscape is always family. In all its forms. I'm a terrible Mother and people will leave my shows guaranteed to feel much better about themselves if nothing else.

4) How much time have you spent crafting the show over the past 12 months since the end of the last festival? It's a never ending evolution. The show actually has three hours of material but every night I pull an hour out of my bag of tricks

5) The comedy festival is turning 21 this year – it’s a big age 21 – what you’re your memories of being 21? Or if you’re not old enough yet, you lucky person, what are your hopes for being 21? I felt raw and insatiable at 21. I remember it was fun but I wouldn't go back for anything. I'm weird, I know, but I love being old.

6) The Comedy festival is one big party and catch up for a month - is there anyone you’re looking forward to seeing over here either socially or on stage? Jesse Griffith is one of my oldest comedy mates and I can't wait to inhale him.

7) What’s the comedy scene like at the moment who do you rate and why? My favourite at the moment is Ronny Chieng. He's on fire at the moment as are a lot of very young comics. It's so glorious seeing the next wave of comedians tearing it up. 

8)  What’s the best piece of audience interaction you’ve had? Shutting my Mother down at the Adelaide Fringe. Powerful tool, that microphone.

9) What’s the most memorable part of performing for you within the last 12 months? It hasn't happened yet but I'm hoping it will be opening night in Wellington/Auckland 

10) When we say New Zealand International Comedy Festival to you, what’s the first thing you think of? Laughs and more laughs in the most beautiful country on Earth.

11) How would you persuade people to come and see your show? One of my kids needs an operation if I don't sell tickets he could d.......just kidding.

Comedy Fest Questionnaire: John Carr

Comedy Fest Questionnaire: John Carr

1) Tell us what your show is called this year?
Yo Yo Yo!

2)  Why?
Mainly because I liked the sound it gave to the  show’s website address: yoyoyo.co.nz. Also because the words, just like the performer in the show, have a  strong  “old school” rap pedigree.

3) Can you give us a few hints as to what broadly your festival show is about?

The show tells the  almost true “rags to bitches” story of an ageing white rapper’s journey from the mean streets of Bucklands Beach to Queen Street, told by the Godfather of Geriatric Rap himself.

4) How much time have you spent crafting the show over the past 12 months since the end of the last festival?
I’m a rapper. If I kept time sheets I’d have a real job.

5) The comedy festival is turning 21 this year – it’s a big age 21 – what are your memories of being 21?
!975 was a big year. The Vietnam War ended and I bought my first car, a 1959 Ford Prefect. I was very happy about both of those things.

6) The Comedy festival is one big party and catch up for a month - is there anyone you’re looking forward to seeing over here either socially or on stage?
Not really, I’m a street rapper and comedians are a bit “funny” if you know what I mean. I am looking forward to seeing James Norkise, Brendhan Lovegrove  and Ewab Gilmour though, they are all pretty “street” in their different ways. I’m also looking forward to catching up with Tevita Manukia, he owes me ten bucks.

7) What’s the comedy scene like at the moment who do you rate and why?
The comedy scene is vibrant at the moment and there has been a noticeable improvement in standard in recent years. There’s lots of energy , activity and competition. 
I rate most of the big names in New Zealand comedy, especially Nick Radovanovicch who seems to have added at least 8 letters to his in the last six months. Of the up and comers Guy Williams, Tom Furniss and Eli Mathewson  and TJ McDonald all make me laugh out loud.


8)  What’s the best piece of audience interaction you’ve had?
I was performing my “Colostomy Bag Rap” when a drunk woman in the front row called out to her friend, “Oh my God! How does he know? How does he know?”
I stopped  to enquire if she was wearing a colostomy bag.
She said, “No! But my friend here is, and it was a secret till you opened your big mouth!”


9) What’s the most memorable part of performing for you within the last 12 months?
Getting my  58 year old face on the poster for  the “Next Generation” show which showcased young and up and coming talent as part of The Classic’s 15^th birthday celebrations. I felt this was a significant achievement given that I was at least 10 years older than all of the comedians in “The Originals” show which was on the week before.
10) When we say New Zealand International Comedy Festival to you, what’s the first thing you think of?
The New Zealand International Comedy Festival.


11) How would you persuade people to come and see your show?
First I try really hard to create a sense of obligation  among my family, friends, and workmates to come to the show, and to bring their friends along. Then I appeal to their extended families as well.
When I get really desperate I stand outside the venue and pretend to be the Mad Butcher. That always gets a few street people in looking for free sausages.

Comedy Fest Questionnaire: Terry Williams

Comedy Fest Questionnaire: Terry Williams

1) Tell us what your show is called this year?The Grin Reaper

2)  Why?Two reasons. Obviously, there’s the play on one of death’s nicknames being ‘The Grim Reaper. Change ‘grim’ to ‘grin’ and you’ve got comedy implied. Comedy about death - Or, more specifically, death avoidance.

3) Can you give us a few hints as to what broadly your festival show is about?The show was, in part, inspired by a book I read two Christmases’ ago called 'Blue Zones - Lessons For Living Longer From Those Who've Lived The Longest.' Scientists studied those places where people lived disproportionately long lives and quality lives. Hit a library. Check it out. It's not all monastic lifestyles, not by a long way. Friends, wine, laughter, oats and get off your arse. There's an online quizzy thing where you tell as much truth as you can and it estimates how long you'll live, gives you some advice, and how long you might add if you take their advice. You do the maths and you decide if it's worth it. My show looks at their nine secrets of adding 10 quality years to your life and extracts the funny from them.  Coincidentally, that year I also ended up being witness to three emergency dashes to hospital with friends and family. They all turned out OK but it did make me focus on how people deal with life in those circumstances – and humour is a very common outlet. There’s a lot of comedy in the machine that goes ping.

4) How much time have you spent crafting the show over the past 12 months since the end of the last festival?The past 12 months! (Your question very much implied the answer.) There’s a part of the brain called the Reticular Activating System. We’d all go crazy if we noticed everything all the time so it kindly filters out most everything and we can keep our noticeable universe down to about 10 things. Once you know what your show’s concept is, it provides a focus and you see the world giving you lots of inspiration for your show. That and the three pixies who live behind my left earlobe.

5) The comedy festival is turning 21 this year – it’s a big age 21 – what are your memories of being 21? Or if you’re not old enough yet, you lucky person, what are your hopes for being 21?I plan on doing a Benjamin Button thing where I’m ageing in reverse emotionally, so, based on my estimate of living to 100, I’ll be 21 emotionally in 2045. In a more traditional chronology, I was 21 in the 80s so, much like Ronald Reagan and Oliver North, I cannot recall.

6) The Comedy festival is one big party and catch-up for a month - is there anyone you’re looking forward to seeing over here either socially or on stage?Whilst I have no problem performing on stage in front of large crowds of people (or crowds of large people), I am abjectly terrified of catching up with anyone socially.Comedians tend to be quite distributed people. They’re all over the place geographically, demographically and chronologically. Gatherings like the festival enable us to put names to faces and, often, names to incriminating FaceBook photos.

7) What’s the comedy scene like at the moment? Who do you rate and why?Burgeoning and booming. There’s such a mass of newbies coming through and such a visible pathway to actually being a professional comedian in the dictionary sense of the word professional. Not just getting paid in beer but making a living and having a pathway of progression. The overseas and very visible success of the much publicised names, plus the local successes on TV here really attaches a validity to the pursuit rather than people seeing it at best as a hobby (“Don’t give up your day job”) or at worst and ironically, a joke. I rate anyone and everyone who has the guts to do it more than once. And I rate their friends and family for being supportive or, hopefully, at least tolerant.

8)  What’s the best piece of audience interaction you’ve had?I was doing the usual MC thing of asking a couple how they met and the woman responded loud and proud, “Oh he used to be my parole officer.” Pretty good basis for a relationship I thought. At least he’d be genuine in asking her what she got up to today. And listening intently to her talk about her friends.

9) What’s the most memorable part of performing for you within the last 12 months?Aside from pub and club stand-up comedy, most of my comedy is for corporates, conferences and events. I recently MC’d the NZ Dairy Awards for the second year. Great to be witness to our country’s most successful industry on nights of celebration and me making them laugh helping them celebrate. In fact, the drought broke during me hosting the Taranaki awards. Best applause I’ve ever got as their desperate need for rain synched with my desperate need for approval.

10) When we say New Zealand International Comedy Festival to you, what’s the first thing you think of?New. It’s the first word of the phrase ‘New Zealand International Comedy Festival’ and it implies what the festival should be about – newness, novelty, innovation, looking at the world and its temporary inhabitants in new and different ways.

11) How would you persuade people to come and see your show?Patience, logical argument and diplomacy. This same approach has been tried with the global financial crisis, climate change and the Syrian Civil War. We’ll see how it goes. As a back-up plan, I’ve banged out a few posters, a FaceBook event and every ticket bought to my show goes in the draw for a box of six bottles of Oyster Bay Sparkling Cuvee Brut. And I gift 2 bottles a night to audience members. (This is totally in line with the show’s theme of adding 10 more quality years to your life. Drinking is fine if you’re drinking socially with true friends and comedians.)

Star Trek: Into Darkness clip

Star Trek: Into Darkness clip

Here's your first look at a clip from Star Trek: Into Darkness starring Benedict Cumberbatch.

It comes with just a few weeks to go until Zoe Saldana, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, Anton Yelchin, John Cho, Bruce Greenwood and Peter Weller all report for duty as Star Trek Into Darkness lands here on May 9