Posts tagged Stephen K Amos

‘I’ve been doing this job for almost 20 years… I’ll do the jokes!’ said Stephen K Amos to a confident audience memeber last night, the first of 3 nights at SKYCITY Theatre.

He has returned to Auckland after a 5 year absence with his show Laughter is my Agenda.

He walks on the stage with a cool confidence and is instantly at home and instantly making you laugh, some times you are not even sure why.

He takes control of the audience immediately when he puts the house lights up and has a little look at us all. Upon noticing some empty seats in the front rows he invites a family he noticed in the foyer to come down and fill them. This was the start of their participation in the show which especially focused on the teenage sons Tom and George, often much to mum’s embarrassment.

Stephen is a master of audience interaction and is able to bring them in to his existing material. He covers the topics of heritage, background and nationality all in his quest to fulfill his agenda of making us laugh. He can be cheeky and naughty but is also very clever and his jokes never seem crude. He has the kind of talent and confidence that comes with 20 years in the comedy business but also of a natural innate likeableness that people respond to.

This hour show flys by and the only fault I found was that I wished there was more!

After the show Stephen sat and sighned DVD’s, autographs and had pictrures taken laughing and joking all the way through.

Go and see Stephen K Amos for a night of laughter that will continue for hours after the show. I hope he doesn’t leave it another 5 years to come back to New Zealand.

Bookings: 0800 TICKETEK (842 538)

Cheers

Ingrid Grenar

So here we are, the 20^th NZ International Comedy Festival.

There are so many great shows to choose from that it can be an overwhelming task choosing who to go and watch.

Therefore I have put together a short list of acts you can see from this Saturday night.

Canadian comic Craig Campbell brings us some hilarious tales from his life.

His unique ability to find humour in the mundane, coupled with his own natural eccentricity makes for truly inventive storytelling. Now an internationally acclaimed act, Craig’s whimsical travel anecdotes never fail to surprise.

“Bringing a tale to life like a young Billy Connolly” Edinburgh Evening News

Craig is appearing at The Classic from 28 & 30 April - 12 May.

Bookings - 0800842538 or www.ticketek.co.nz 

Have you ever been to a comedy show and wondered why you’re being lectured to by a thirty-something alcoholic who hasn’t even had kids or a mortgage yet?  Brendon Burns, the ex “rock n roll” comic used to be that guy. Now he’s fat, bald and happy as hell to mock all manner of comic poseurs.

I have seen Brendan twice, once in his award winning Edinburgh Show in 2007. I am really looking forward to seeing him again 5 years on as I imagine his material is on a whole new level.

You can see his show Home Stretch Baby! at The Classic 28 & 30 April - 12 May.

Bookings - 0800842538 or www.ticketek.co.nz 

Dead Cat Bounce, from Ireland, were winners of the Sydney Comedy Festival Time Out Jury Prize in 2010 and the People’s Choice Award in 2011. They make their NZ International Comedy Festival debut this year.

Referred to as Ireland’s answer to ‘The Flight of the Conchords’ they are ready to rock. Their ‘Rugby’ song has over 800,000 hits on YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTpXymuwxNs

 “A first-class comedy band that have it in them to be Ireland’s (even scruffier) answer to Flight Of The Conchords.” – The Guardian

Part rock band, part international comedy sensation, part three guys who spend an uncomfortable amount of time together, Dead Cat Bounce have been touring the world relentlessly, on a very tight budget, since 2008.

“One of the funniest damn acts on the planet.” – Time Out, Sydney

www.deadcatbounce.ie

Check them out at The Loft @ Q, 305 Queen Street from 28 April – 5 May 7.15pm

Bookings: Ph 3099771 or www.qtheatre.co.nz

Chris Cox is a English entertainer who sold out his season at the NZ International Comedy Festival in 2010, so he has been invited back in 2012 with his brand new show, ‘Fatal Distraction’ .

The self proclaimed ‘mind reader who can’t read minds’ is an accomplished and much-loved performer, using a mongrel hybrid mix of witty chit-chat, magic, psychology, body language, influencing, devilish good looks… and lying, to make you think he knows what you’re thinking, despite never knowing what you are thinking, or being able to really do anything he says. All this helps him to produce a highly-entertaining and very funny cutting edge show that’ll make you say the wow word.

Voted ‘Best Comedy Show in the UK’ in 2011 by Venue Magazine.

Don’t look away or he may just read your mind! You can see him from 28 April – 5 May 7pm Rangatira @ Q – 305 Queen St

Bookings: Ph 3099771 or www.qtheatre.co.nz

The great Axis of Awesome will be performing all their greatest hits and more so don’t miss your chance to see Australia’s Kings of Musical Comedy who are in New Zealand for the first time ever!

These guys have had over 40 million hits on Youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSuIZ11JdUg

The Axis of Awesome World Tour 2006 will feature an hour of their greatest hits as well brand new material.

“Fringe Legends!” ThreeWeeks, Edinburgh Festival

See them from 28 April – 5 May 7pm at the Comedy Chamber, Town Hall Bookings: 0800289842

My final pick is the fantastic Stephen K Amos who brings NZ his show ‘Laughter is my Agenda’.

The show is full of his life observations and hilarious stories, this show will be bursting with Stephen’s special brand of melt-in-the-middle comedy. Stephen K Amos really is as good as everyone says. I have seen him previously at Edinburgh and he sold out every night and really put on a amazing show that makes you want to get your fix again and again. 

His website says, ‘If laughter is the best medicine, bring your prescriptions’ so get your tickets asap as these are bound to sell out!

★★★★“Proof that laughter really is the best medicine” Three Weeks, UK

”Amos is a hugely skilled performer, genial and always in control… clever and outrageously extravagant.” The Scotsman

Laughter is my Agenda is at the SKYCiTY Theatre from 28 April and 1 -2 May from 7pm.

Bookings - 0800842538 or www.ticketek.co.nz 

It is impossible to cover all the great acts that are performing so this is just a selection but go to the Comedy Festival Website for the full listings.

Watch this space for reviews throughout the festival, here are a list of the shows in my diary!

28th April Stephen K Amos - SKYCITY Theatre

30TH April Dead Cat Bounce - Loft at Q

1st May Chris Cox - Rangatira at Q

2nd May Ben Hurley & Guests - Loft at Q

9th May Rhys Darby - SKYCITY Theatre

12th May Anil Desai - Loft at Q

14th May The Boy With Tape On His Face - Rangatira at Q

16th May Ben Hurley & Steve WrigleyRangatira at Q