Jav Jaquin: The Legend of the Card Ninja (NZ)

Fringe Bar, Cnr Cuba & Vivian, Wellington

28/04/2010 - 01/05/2010

Assembly @ Assembly Hall, Edinburgh, Scotland

11/08/2010 - 29/08/2010

NZ International Comedy Festival 2010

Production Details


Comedy Ninja Deals a Killer Hand
Comedian. Magician. Ninja. Now this sounds like fun. Direct from touring comedy clubs and festivals around New Zealand and Australia stage veteran Jav Jarquin comes to the Wellington Comedy Festival with a show extravaganza of comedy and cards: THE LEGEND OF THE CARD NINJA – one man’s journey to becoming a card shark slash silent assassin. Pun Intended.
A seasoned comic performer, Jav works as professional entertainer with the Court Theatre and Court Jesters company in Christchurch and is a core cast member of New Zealand’s longest running comedy show: Scared Scriptless. Last year, at the NZ International Comedy Festival there were only 2 shows from Christchurch. Jav was in both of them. He has appeared on TV’s @Seven program, played some of the biggest comedy rooms in Australia and was part of the Christchurch International Buskers Festival in January this year. He’s no stranger to the stage.
The second part of his show will draw on his skills developed over years of practice with normal playing cards. It promises to be something very different to your everyday magician.
“I created my act, Card Ninja after seeing a lot of magicians doing similar acts to one another on stage, I wanted to do something different so I based my act around card throwing and manipulations – skills rather than tricks” says Jav “Also answering that age old question: can you kill a man with a playing card”. Card throwing or scaling, a skill deemed too difficult by most magicians is what Jav enjoys most about his act having performed it recently at the Buskers Festival and last year at the Christchurch Arts Festival, in a guest spot in the Melbourne Magic Festival and on national television. Think ‘cards as shurikens’.
“I’m looking forward to combining two different forms of entertainment into the one show and coming to the festival to do it. I’m hoping Card Ninja will be a special and more importantly, memorable performance”
And in case you’re wondering, yes he does actually have a black belt.
Combining his acclaimed stand up comedy and his dazzling Card Ninja act this is one slick performance of stand up and cards not to be missed.
Part comedy. Part magic. All Class.
Dates: Wed 28 April – Sat 1 May, 10pm
Venue: The Fringe Bar, Cnr Cuba & Vivian Sts, City
Tickets: Adults $18 / Conc. $16 / Groups 10+ $15
Bookings: Ticketek , 0800Ticketek www.ticketek.co.nzShow Duration: 1 hour  
Website: www.featureact.co.nz 

Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2010
Legend of the Card Ninja

Comedy: Javier Jarquin
Assembly @ Assembly Hall
www.assemblyfestival.com
11-29 August
21:15 pm
1 hour
Suitability: 14+  

Comedian, magician, ninja, Jav Jarquin debuts with a show that combines his acclaimed stand-up and his dazzling card ninja act. Hard-hitting comedy and feats with cards you would have never thought possible. Winner of the “Best Local Show Wellington” at the New Zealand International Comedy Festival.

1hr

Laugh and/or be impressed

Review by Phoebe Smith 29th Apr 2010

Javier Jarquin’s Legend of the Card Ninja is a confident and slick combination of his impressive card tricks and his showman’s stand up.

There is a charming, smarmy, carny quality to his delivery of ninja card tricks and it is a pleasure to witness Jarquin’s honed skills working in tandem as he attempts to be not only funny and not only a ninja, but an ambitious combination of the two.

The large majority of the almost full opening night house would say he succeeds, his borderline arrogant delivery seating him firmly in the boys’ club of stand up comedy – though a couple of soft rape jokes may sit uncomfortably with some.

Jarquin is like a different performer from the slightly less nervous half of a double-act from Christchurch seen at last year’s comedy festival. He takes the stage as his own and is ready to bat anything the audience throws at him.

You will probably laugh and even if you don’t, you will be impressed. 

Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer

Comments

Javier Jarquin April 30th, 2010

Hi Pheobe,

Thanks for the review. I did not realise that I had 'soft rape jokes' in my show, several people who came to opening night and read your review have asked me where said material was in the show. I can only assume you are referring to either my mention of ninjas sneaking in and out of people's beds - which I did not mean to imply rape at all, in fact I talk about cuddles after that - or my analogy of my snoring being like a chainsaw raping a lawnmower which I will now ammend.

I apologise for any offence this may have caused. Please consider my show now completely 'soft rape' free.

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