Donna Brookbanks’ Green Fingered is a gleefully absurd, sharply satirical and undeniably heartfelt show that proves her skillset beyond traditional stand-up. Brookbanks is well known in the New Zealand comedy scene for her quirky, offbeat stand-up, but this show is something new for her. A showcase of her versatility and range, proving that she is an exceptionally talented comedy actor and writer.

The setting is a fictional gardening talk show, Green Fingered, celebrating its 500th episode on-air. Brookbanks effortlessly inhabits a series of delightfully eccentric characters, including the the increasingly frantic TV personality, Desiree Green. Each guest is an opportunity to lampoon societal stereotypes, from snooty socialites, to insufferable social media influencers who spout vacuous motivational cliches.

These characters are absurdly exaggerated, heightening the emotional conflict that drives the show’s humour. As expected, Brookbanks delivers countless phenomenal jokes throughout the show. Her trademark flights-of-fancy keep the show consistently hilarious.

As Desiree, Brookbanks distills the duality between her character’s pretentious on-camera persona and her bitter, forthright off-camera self. Desiree’s pompous voice, peppered with performative Te Reo inflections, contrasts starkly with the dismissive disrespectfulness revealed during off-air moments, satirizing the superficiality of celebrity culture.

The show’s narrative, while hilarious, cleverly explores themes such as the anxieties around aging, legacy, fertility, and the pressures of career success in a highly competitive industry with limitied opportunities. These emotional threads culminate brilliantly as Desiree spirals, confronting her failures across all aspects of her life. Yet, amid the silliness, bleakness, and poignant satire lies surprising warmth. The finale delivers genuine emotional resonance, which anchors the show’s absurdity in genuine, heartfelt human connection.

Donna Brookbanks has planted seeds of comedic brilliance with this debut character-driven show. A delightful, side-splitting comedy with enough emotional substance to leave a lasting impression. Highly recommended.

Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer

Donna Brookbanks is a successful writer, actor, stand-up comedian and marriage celebrant, with a flair for improvisation. All of which is on display in her solo show Green Fingered, which features in the 2025 Hamilton Arts Festival programme.

It’s a multi-character piece which allows Brookbanks to tap into her repertoire as she portrays keen gardener and horticultural aficionado Desiree Green, while she films the 500th episode of her gardening TV show.  

Desiree has enormous self-belief and confides early on that she’s expecting some ‘big news’ to be confirmed very soon (she’s expecting to become the spokesperson for ‘the Botanical Gardens’). What could possibly go wrong?

We soon find out what. We watch Desiree’s desperate attempts to come up with an episode which matches her self-belief, and we also meet her guests on the show, plus the young, nervous show runner who has the task of producing the episode. Nothing goes smoothly and ultimately one of the guests shatters her expectations completely.

The Desiree personality is a little goofy and clumsy but very likeable and sympathetic. Brookbanks knows her stuff and establishes a rapport with her audience very quickly. But while Desiree is quite well drawn, I have to say the other characters seem a little under-developed.  

The story itself isn’t terribly strong and loses continuity on occasions as it unfolds, but on balance that doesn’t actually matter so much. Think of the premise as more of a thought starter. As a vehicle for Brookbanks to display what she does best, especially her improvisational skills, it’s ideal.

She is obviously most happy when able to engage directly with her audience and ad-lib around an idea. Asides abound and she is very adept at reading the crowd. Even the unexpected is used to advantage. This is an open air performance (Medici Court) and when a fantail decides to flit into the scene, Brookbanks immediately incorporates it into her patter.

The scenes with other characters are, to me, less successful and the humour a little more stretched, even strained. But as a whole, the one-hour performance hits more than it misses.

Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer