There was a manic energy fizzing through the crowd as they waited for Two Hearts to begin on Tuesday night. With a packed foyer and a swarm of local TV personalities, it was easy to forget that you were here for a comedy show. When the doors opened and the crowds surged past the poor Q Theatre staff, for a moment it felt like you were here for an actual concert.
That's undoubtedly music to the ears of Two Hearts. The shows from the minds of Laura Daniel and Joseph Moore have in the past been part-parody, part-genuine pop concert, and thanks to Daniel's new found DWTS fame, the duo have now achieved a level of success their on-stage alter egos once craved.
Now that they've mocked all that pop has to offer, what do the wannabe celebs do with their newfound fame? Go on a winery tour, of course!
Yes, the half-naked back-up dancers and flaming graphics are gone, and Daniel and Moore are instead ripping apart that particularly Kiwi, middle-class summer tradition. Yet Two Hearts have not forgotten their roots, translating their R-rated humour and twisted lyrics over to more baby boomer friendly genres such as country and adult contemporary.
The results of The Winery Tour are expectantly hilarious and gloriously catchy, but the true comedy gold emerges with the return of their traditional pop and hip-hop parodies. A truly filthy rap about Dave Dobbyn and a ballad about having sex on Skype - complete with appropriately techno costume - allows Daniel's vocals, Moore's beats and their combined comedy talents to shine.
The winery element gives a slight storyline at the beginning around binge drinking that allows the pair's stand up and performance sides to take the spotlight, but unlike past shows, there isn't an overarching theme, giving the plot a disparate feeling. A number of ideas are thrown in, including holograms and relationship difficulties, that never fully go anywhere or have any pay off.
That would be a glaring gripe in any other show, but Two Hearts gets away with it simply because the songs and the banter in between are simply swell. The pair truly commit to their pop star personas, matching the enthusiasm of the crowd and playing like they've sold out Mt Smart. A funnier storyline would have helped, but when the songs are this good and the comedians this unstoppable, there's little to complain about.
Who: Two Hearts: The Winery Tour
Where: Q Theatre Loft, until May 11th