Q Theatre was a buzz last night with the Comedy Festival performances.  There were 10 different shows in three different venues from 7pm to 11.30pm.  The place was packed with eager punters and illustrated the development of this Festival over the last few years.  Comedy is popular!!! And NZ comedians are up there with the best in the world. 

The Creeping Charlie Showcase is a two hour show in the big Rangatira Theatre and it is fully booked out!   

Hosted by the irrepressible Urzila Carlson, six stand-up comedians from the Creeping Charlie Comedy Talent Agency are featured.  Carlson is a great host; she warms up the audience and does wonderful stand-up routines from her lesbian and South African heritage.  A visit from her South African policeman brother is an opportunity to contrast the world of guns, stress and danger to the Pacific quiet of West Auckland where a major event is [spoiler averted]!

Ewen Gilmore is the V8 veteran of NZ comedy and packs not only punches but fragile insights into his embarrassing life.  His timing is superb, his manipulation of pictures and situations in West Auckland and Prague are really funny. 

Nick Rado has just returned from 7 years gigging in UK, Netherlands, USA and China.  He has a ‘boy next door’ appeal with great stores from his youth in Porirua.  His sequence on the snorting of RARO powder at age 7 is a triumph of physical comedy. 

Jesse Griffin has a laid back style with a subtle performance energy which doesn’t catch the packed house as fully as other performers.  The central theme as a ‘Ginger Man’ had lots of quick puns and gags but aches for a longer story with more action. 

Simon McKinney is a comedy star.  He is an excellent vocal mimic and impersonator.  He has a finely tuned ear and a quirky sense of humour which gives fresh insights to his life abroad.  His ‘Kiwi lady’ and the upper class Englishman are highlights.  He has earned his stripes and performs with a professional edge and quality which is endearing and funny. 

Ryhs Mathewson is the young up and coming comedian who is breaking boundaries here and in Edinburgh.  He is a bit raw at the moment with excellent one liners and young drunk man stories.  He represents a large section of the audience and they love him.  For me his self-deprecating and bad taste elements cloud the great humour that is essentially in the stories, however, a comedian to watch out for in the future. 

Wilson Dixon on the other hand is a triumph with the audience.  He is a character created by Jess Griffin and has a life of his own, quite separate from the stand-up who appeared earlier in the show.  He is a Country and Western singer who, over a simple country strum, makes one-liners tumble over each other as he makes droll and unique observations of his life and times.  A complete character the audience just ‘got’!  Very funny with two really good songs.

The Creeping Charlie Showcase is an excellent opportunity to see the professional Kiwi comedians doing their stuff.  Each was different, original and skilled.  They were all funny.   I like comedy which touches me, forces me to see the absurdity in my life and enjoy the stories from the performers’ real experiences through their unique prism.  Last night I got elements of each one and had a good laugh.

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