Who would be a comedian? Not me. That's for sure. For starters, standing up in front of a crowd of people and trying to make them laugh is not something that rattles my chain. Don't get me wrong, I can be funny. I crack myself up all the time. And
Scott Kara: A bunch of funny buggers
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Rainer Hersch says the comedy festival wasn't worth the money he spent to get to New Zealand. Photo / Supplied
On the flipside however, some comedians in the festival have been raking it in - and continue to do so by adding shows. Whimsical dreamer James Acaster is one who, due to popular demand, performs an extra show this Saturday (5pm, The Basement). New Zealand's own The Boy With Tape On His Face (aka Sam Wills) has done a sold-out Auckland season and also performs an extra show on Saturday (5pm, Q Theatre). Wills is one of those naturally funny buggers, and it's no wonder he's in demand.
I haven't been to as much comedy this year as I have in previous years, but the times I have been out and about the crowds were good. My wife and I thought we'd brave Tom Green's funny puerile rants and raves, and when we arrived at SkyCity Theatre we were almost mowed down by the crowd from the previous show exiting the theatre.
No worries about tickets there, or at Green's two shows.
However, given the mixed fortunes of this year's festival, perhaps after 21 years the three-week extravaganza has become too unwieldy. Two weeks might be more manageable, for punters and comics alike. I enjoy group shows like The Big Show and the 5-Star Comedy Preview, where the comedians get anywhere between 15 minutes and half an hour to work their magic, which is perfect. Because let's face it, there's often a lot of padding in hour-long solo shows. If you ask me, comedy is at its best when it's smart, clever, and snappy.
- TimeOut