Tag: NZICF 2019

NZICF 2019: Alan McElroy is Sh*t @Twitter

What’s your social media game like? Do you have a good retweet rate? Do you know your hashtags? Are you well-versed in the art of a good meme?

Alan McElroy is Sh*t @Twitter, as the name suggests, sees McElroy unashamedly flaunt his inaptitude at expressing his thoughts within 280 characters, try as he might. With the help of a Powerpoint presentation, we are shown a selection of tweets where he has tried to engage with his “f**k all” followers with little to no success.

Along the way we also learn some fun facts about McElroy like his fear of insects, anxiety when it comes to flying and the time he found himself involved in an unexpectedly harrowing sexual encounter. These anecdotes are where he really hits his stride because though it appears that he flounders in the social media world, he excels in the ‘real’ world and in what he does best – comedy.

His self-deprecating humour matched with his personable nature and ease at engaging with the crowd is very much the beating heart of the show. Interspersed in between failed tweets and comic mishaps, we are also treated to a few silly musical numbers which felt slightly out of place but all the same did add another comedic layer to the narrative.

What McElroy lacks in number of retweets and social media savvy, he makes up for in spades with his comical prowess and jovial energy live on stage.  Alan McElroy is Sh*t @Twitter veers a little on the self-indulgent side but overall is an enjoyable and frequently funny late night offering.

Alan McElroy has one more show TONIGHT 10pm at the Classic. For more info and to book tickets, click here.

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NZICF 2019: Phil Nichol – Your Wrong

Some people are born to entertain and just thrive at being centre stage – Phil Nichol is one of these people and boy does he do it well. There is stand up comedy and there is Phil Nichol doing stand up comedy which is a totally out-of-this world experience.

Your Wrong is a crazy and capricious multi-layered narrative that takes you on an epic ride through Nichol’s life as a self-proclaimed hedonist which unexpectedly turns in to a journey of self-discovery following a curveball involving his older brother Andrew. He even throws in some rock and roll comedy on guitar for good measure.

Contrary to his accent, Nichol is actually of Scottish descent; he and his family moved to Canada when he was 12. He switches between the two accents with ease and his portrayal of his dotty mother Ethel who believes buttons are evil is a particular highlight.

The main pull of the show that keeps you engaged from start to finish is Nichol’s larger than life personality and infectious energy. He’s loud and brash but not divisively so; he is both over-the-top yet also deftly perceptive. In and amongst the silliness and outrageous antics, is some truly brilliant comedy. Nichol has his finger firmly on the pulse of the crowd and his material and it’s a joy to watch.

Your Wrong is a gloriously freewheeling, riotous affair with surprises on every turn and laughs at each corner. Nichol is the consummate entertainer in a league of his own – an absolute must-see for all comedy lovers.

Phil Nichol is performing at The Classic all of this week until 25 May. For more info and to book tickets, click here.

NZICF 2019: Tim Batt’s & Disasteradio’s Space Couch – A Live Comedy Chat Show

During the comedy festival season where stand up shows are in abundance, it’s nice to try something new to cleanse the comedic palate. Enter Space Couch: A Live Comedy Chat Show – a refreshing blend of comedy and conversation which takes inspiration from iconic talk shows like David Letterman and Jon Stewart.

This late night soiree is the brainchild of two-time Billy T nominee Tim Batt and electronic/ synthpop musician Luke Rowell (aka Disasteradio). Together they have created an entertaining and eccentric hour of comical banter, facetious commentary and riotous antics with some sketch comedy thrown in and even a commercial break.

Batt’s charisma and amiable persona make him the ideal host while Disasteradio provides well-timed musical cues as the show’s one-man house band. At centre stage is the titular Space Couch who we learn was named so after traversing space in 1958 and along the way found his voice, albeit a communist one. A talking couch may sound ludicrous but somehow doesn’t seem totally out of the ordinary within the context of this show.

Each night, in keeping with the talk show format, the audience is treated to a panel of different guests. For this show we had local comic Hamish Parkinson and his mum Lynette who took part in a guessing game with a shock factor that sent audible responses both onstage and in the crowd.

Actress Claire Chitham of Shortland Street/ Outrageous Fortune fame was the celebrity guest and who was just an absolute delight to have onstage. When she closed the show with an impromptu pilates class, we don’t even blink an eye – we’d seen far more outrageous things at this point.

With a bit of refining, Space Couch: A Live Comedy Chat Show certainly has the potential to be a permanent offering in the comedy festival programme. If you’re getting a bit of show fatigue and keen for something a bit different and unpredictable, this is a great late night treat.

Just one more opportunity to see Tim Batt fulfill his chat show dreams! The last show is at 10pm tonight at the Basement Theatre. For more info and to book tickets, click here.

NZICF 2019: James Roque – Boy Mestizo

It takes great skill to present a comedy show that is not only inherently personal and in many ways educational but also one that has a generous helping of funny. James Roque nails all three and makes it look effortless.

Boy Mestizo centres around Roque’s recent trip back to his home country to reacquaint himself with his Filipino roots. Or in his words, to embark on his ‘eat pray love’ journey. His sharp wit pair well with his self-deprecating humour to bring together a show that is packed with hilarity but has lots of heart at its core.

Over the course of the hour, Roque gives us a candid snapshot of Filipino culture through his interactions with family, own discoveries and he even throws in a quickfire history lesson for good measure. He draws attention to idiosyncrasies and common traits while also revealing some harrowing home truths particularly around the nation’s definition of beauty.

Roque’s French-Canadian girlfriend gets regular mention and could almost be another show in its own right. From being his lucky charm to receiving better service in shops in the Philippines to keeping his airbnb reviews in check, it provides another comical stream to the show.

Overall Boy Mestizo is a fast-paced, well-crafted hour with never a dull moment and fires on all cylinders. It’s easily enjoyable, heartwarmingly honest, thoroughly engaging and packs a comedic punch.

James Roque’s Boy Mestizo is on tonight at the Basement. For more info or to book tickets, click here.

He is also one third of the sketch comedy trio Frickin Dangerous Bro who also have a show later tonight at Q Theatre. For more info or to book tickets, click here.