CAREY MARX: Caryness (UK)

03/05/2010 - 16/05/2010

NZ International Comedy Festival 2010

Production Details

Best Show of 2009 Comedy festival returns due to public demand with its countdown of the 10 most taboo words and subjects in stand-up comedy.

At the 2009 NZ International Comedy Festival, English comedian, Carey Marx did just 6 sold out performances of his acclaimed solo show, ‘CAREYNESS’, in the tiny Classic Studio. His reputation preceded him and the season was sold out well in advance with an extra show added. He went on to win the award for Best International Show in the Festival awards on the final night.

So Carey is back in 2010 with his challenging show which counts down the 10 most offensive words or topics in standup comedy for 12 nights in the much larger main room at The Classic.

Critics and audiences were moved …

Chortle.co.uk said

Carey Marx seems to have an awful lot of people approach him after gigs to complain about his act. Almost every routine in this hour seems to involve him defending himself against some outraged punter – and once he embarks on his risqué material, you can understand why.

But thank God for these easily-offended folk, for without them Marx wouldn’t have been forced to ponder the most offensive subjects in comedy, and so come up with this thoughtful, hilarious and near-the-knuckle show.

THE HERALD UK said…

Are there any taboos left in comedy? Marx dismantles them one by one in a brilliantly controlled countdown of stand-up’s 10 least acceptable topics …

This is comedy of the most cerebral variety, material capable of provoking both thought and laughter, well-paced and decisively delivered.

NB: Carey Marx will also perform his new solo show, ‘The DOOM GLOOM BOOM’ from last year’s Edinburgh Fringe, where he analyses and pokes fun at the global boom in doom and gloom. 5 nights only at The Classic Studio from Tues

Dates: Mon 3 – Sat 8 May & Mon 10 – Sat 15 May, 8.30pm
Venue: The Classic, 321 Queen St, City
Tickets: Adults $26 / Conc. $22 / Groups 10+ $22
Booking: 0800 TICKETEK www.ticketek.co.nz / www.comedy.co.nz
Show Duration: 1 hour

Review by Rachael McKinnon 04th May 2010

Careyness is back for its second New Zealand International Comedy Festival – by popular demand. Before I go any further it is worth noting that this show ended with the first, ever, encore performance I have ever seen at live stand-up comedy. This may be saying more about my show-going inexperience than about the performance itself but there is something rather unequivocal about people yelling, “more, more, more!” when the comic has departed from the stage.

Carey Marx delivers a veritable Ready to Roll of Oh-No-He-Didn’ts as he takes us on a journey both through the top 10 most taboo subjects that a Comedian can ever broach on stage as well as through his career as a stand-up performer.

The very essential key to this show, that sets it apart from other shows which could be deemed offensive, is that Carey Marx endears himself to the audience from the beginning; he genuinely seems like a really nice guy. He is our guide as he shares with us the subjects that if talked about in a comedy set will get complaints and ultimately make an entire room go silent.

This happens at least twice.

Yet, although he illustrates each section with jokes of his own creation and although he gives us that sideways look that I suppose could be interpreted as, “I’ve been bad, haven’t I?” it is so equally disarming that no one gets a chance to be offended before patters of laughter turn into waves.

This is Carey’s take on offensiveness and it never goes too far. The show takes you to the brink and you may even gasp with shock when you think it might have reached the point where it could really go over the line but then, somehow, it doesn’t happen.

The key difference with people who get up on a stage and genuinely offend is the intent and the context. In this case Carey’s intent is to make us laugh and the context is more like a cheeky lecture than anything else. He has just done some research – some very, very funny research – on what shocks people and he is presenting it to us like a good, kind friend would.

Again, first encore performance I have ever seen and what he provides here is lighter and more personal, showcasing just a little more of the versatility that has built his popularity here and which highly recommends his additional brand-new show to this year’s festival: Doom Gloom Boom.

Careyness is truly a must-see.

CAREY MARX: Caryness (UK)

Takes you to the brink

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