JAMES NOKISE: Is This It?

27/04/2010 - 01/05/2010

Comedy Underground, 305 Queen St, Auckland

04/05/2010 - 08/05/2010

NZ International Comedy Festival 2010

Production Details

2005/2006 Billy T nominee James Nokise returns for one final round in his most hilarious and compelling show to date.

NewZealand’s Favourite Welsh / Samoan is back, and more confused than ever. It’s 2010 and, in the New Zealand International Comedy Festival, James Nokise want’s to know Is This It?

After living abroad for the past few years, James came home to discover it’s been 10 years since he left high school. With all his friends either married, engaged, or involved in some domestic child/pet situation – he’s beginning to feel out of touch.

Is This It? is the third and final part of James Nokise’s “Growing Up” series, which began with 2008’s Beige Against The Machine, and last years critical and commercial success, The Adventures of Jimi Samoa. Where as Beige saw him trying to relate to his younger brother, and Jimi Samoa to his girlfriend, Is This It? Looks at how James’ inability to grow up is now jeopardising both his friendships, and his career.

Hot on the heels of his Wellington Fringe geek fest, Jokers Guide To Armageddon, comes an all new hour of stand-up from one of the hot young talents of New Zealand Comedy. With everyone around him clearly now adults, James is forced to address his antics and whether or not he should stay in New Zealand. His unique view on the world examines the perils of 20 storie balcony jumps, opening for Herbs, random Cow encounters, and his continuing failed attempts to be, as his nephews put it, “Da Man!”.

Twice nominated for New Zealand’s top comedy award, James Nokise and has appeared on New Zealand television on the Pulp Comedy show, Comedy Central’s Bits and as part of the TV2 International Comedy Gala, TV2 Christmas Comedy Gala and Cadbury Crunchie Comedy Gala along side some of the best comics on the international circuit.

“A Star in the Making” – New Zealand Herald

“Elixir for life Comedy” – theatreview.org.nz

“Had a great relationship with the audience ****” – fourthone.com – Edinburgh Fringe 2004

“Use this as a chance to see a comedian who could be the “next big thing”” – The Lumiere

Wellington
Dates: Tues 27 April – Sat 1 May, 6.30pm
Venue: BATS Theatre, 1 Kent St, City
Tickets: Adults $18 / Conc. & Groups 10+ $14
Bookings: BATS 04 802 4175 or book@bats.co.nz
Show duration: 1 hour

Auckland
Dates: Tues 4 – Sat 8 May, 8.30pm
Venue: Comedy Underground, 1 Wellesley St West, City
Tickets: Adults $20, Conc. & Groups 10+ $18
Bookings: Ticketek, 0800 TICKETEK, www.ticketek.co.nz
Show duration: 1 hour

1hr

Review by Helen Sims 28th Apr 2010

Is This It? is James Nokise’s is the third instalment of a trilogy in which he uses stand up to try and understand watershed events in his life and his relationship to others.

His previous shows, Beige Against the Machine and The Adventures of Jimi Samoa dealt with sibling rivalry, relationship break ups and personal breakdowns. However, they are all loosely based on growing up and self discovery.

After a bit of warm up banter, Nokise tells us that Is This It? was prompted by receiving an invitation to the anniversary of ten years since he left high school. Nokise decided to track down some of his 7^th form “bros” and discovers he’s the only one who has not gotten hitched, mortgaged or reproduced. Despite feeling like he hasn’t grown up at all, a bruising altercation with an ‘immortal’ 19 year old on the rugby field has brought it home to him how much he has aged.

Having now seen all three parts of the trilogy, what I really enjoy is the use of humour to explore what are deeply personal and serious issues. Is This It? is significantly more light-hearted than Jimi Samoa, and ultimately the musing doesn’t really have much of a conclusion. However, Nokise’s comedic gift lies in being a charming and humorous story teller.

The yarn about his teacher mate’s brush with a prostitute, a pimp and the police while stewarding some school boys around Christchurch is particularly hilarious.

I felt that Is This It? was the least well thought out and enlightening of the three shows on this theme. I wasn’t sure if this was the debut of the material, and Nokise disclosed early on that he was a little worse for wear, but I felt the material was too loosely structured. I preferred moments of the show that flowed naturally into each other, and I disliked the musical interludes and blackouts that punctuated Nokise’s stories about his friends.

However, Nokise’s mix of wit, insight and self-deprecation is sure to entertain most.

JAMES NOKISE: Is This It?

Wit, insight and self-deprecation

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