Best and Worst of the 2014 International Comedy Festival

And just like that, the International Comedy Festival has had its way with us and run off to Wellington and it’s time to take stock and decide what was the best and the worst of this years fest.

MUST SEE AWARDS-

The comedians who you had to see this season were, Jeremy Elwood, Stephen K Amos, Brendhan Lovegrove, Rose Matafeo, Marcel Lucont, Penny Ashton, Reginald D. Hunter and Sam Simmons.. Genius, brilliance and the loudest laughs. The NZers easily held their own against the over seas offerings and are worth every cent of the ticket price. Well worth putting on your ‘to see list’ in Wellington and well worth remembering for next year.

FUNNIEST LOSS OF CONTROL ON STAGE- Stand Up For Kids

Watching the delightfully deadpan James Acaster hand the stage over to a room full of children was one of the funniest things I watched  this festival. Congrats to the festival for continuing to provide shows for children and making the festival more family friendly.

BEST FUTURE TALENT-  Next Big Things & Stories Our Mums Never Told Us

When you are sitting in the front row staring up at Ben Hurley, you suddenly realise just how big his penis is. It’s not that you go looking for it mind you, it’s  just something that kind of hits you in the face. At first I thought he was stuffing something down on his pants, but an hour of having his crutch in your face and you know that’s all him down there. Aside from being perhaps NZs best hung comedian, Ben Hurley is also one of the funniest we have. As laid back as John Key after a dozen painkillers, he showcases handpicked comedians who are the next gen talent pool and based on his picks, the future is in good hands.

-Paul Douglas – hilarious bloke humour drowned in Lion Red.

-Steven Boyce – The reincarnation of Billy T James with far more sass mouth.

-Louise Beunick – flawless delivery, not so much Girl next door as Girl in the next Holden

-Becky Crouch – more strap on jokes than legally allowed by law.

-Maarten Idema – clever and funny

-Sanjay Patel – deadpan as fuck. Real highlight.

-James Roque – hilariously clever insights.

Stories Our Mums Never Told Us showcased 4 local comedians Louise Beuvink, Ashton Brown, Luke Callaghan and Sam Polwart. Their desire to reflect on NZ Culture was really refreshing .

WORST SHOW- Birds of Paradise

I’m not sure what the bloody hell this was. I enjoy dance and people walking on stilts as much as the next person but for a comedy show this fell flatter than a lead duck shot full of pellets. Ill conceived, unfunny and at times barely comprehendible. This would have been great if it was experimental, but it just came across as confused. The biggest surprise of the show was that they seemed to think people would stick around for the second half.  No amount of naked dancers could make this watchable.

BEST GIG- Secret Policeman’s Ball

The Amnesty International ‘Secret Policeman’s Ball’ is a legendary gig built during the 1980s in Britain. Having it play here is a welcome addition and a chance to support the excellent work of Amnesty International. Politics being sent up by satire is essential for Democracy and the audience were excited to be there. It was the best gig of the festival because  the audience were so keen for the comedians ‘to go there’. Te Radar was brilliant as the MC and the sharp wits of James Nokise, Guy Williams, Ian D Montfort, Justine Smith and the incredibly funny Tarun Mohanbhai made it one of the best nights of the festival.  Surprisingly the best dressed gig of any show I went to.

BEST INTERNATIONAL ACT- Gordon Southern: Your New Favourite Comedian

The best gigs are the ones  you go to with no pre-knowledge of the comedian and are genuinely surprised by how much you laugh. Gordon Southern was a pure delight. From the backing sound track he would jump to throughout his gig, to his love affair with ‘The Hives’, Southern was honestly one of the most original, funny shows of the festival. Any chance you get to see Southern you should take, he is a spastic eruption of enthusiastic rock God comedy that never pauses for the full hour.

BEST MUSICAL- Hairy Soul Man

Apart from being a pulsating throbbing beard of male sexuality, Kai Smythe has a 7 piece soul band backing him and they are fucking incredible. Easily the best musical offering of any show this year.

FUNNIEST SHOW 2014- Tighty Whiteys

Hayley Sproull & Chris Parker are just so funny. This gig was without a doubt the funniest show of the entire festival. These are rare comedic talents that will get gobbled up by America quicker than you can say ‘Flight of the concords’. The comedic timing, the clever writing and the brilliant chemsity between the two of them are just 3 of the response you should see this show. You can see why Parker is such a star of ‘Snort’ and why the next generation of comedians are generating real hum about their craft. You must see this show, it’s side-splitingly funny and i don’t think I’ve belly laughed this hard for this long at any other show. Hands down best show.

BEST COMEDIAN 2014- Trygve Wakenshaw

Who would have thought a Mime artist would be the funniest comedian of 2014? Trygve Wakenshaw’s mad romp into shear wonder showcases his talents and they go well beyond everyone else’s. Gestures, sounds, props – all Wakenshaw manipulates with imagination. He’s so far out there, there’s no point coming back. He has so much craft skill at clowning, he is a talent before all others this Festival.