Ahead of the festival, the NZ Herald is spotlighting some of the festival’s performers in Billy T’ Billy, a podcast bringing comedians together for a look at the industry.
And for the final episode of the season, comedians Brynley Stent, Donna Brookbanks and Eli Matthewson talk about their experiences working in different forms of comedy.
All three were members of Snort, an improv troupe who performed at Basement Theatre in Auckland most Friday nights for 10 years.
Matthewson said the friendships formed between the members was one of the lasting aspects of that troupe.
" It provided this opportunity to let loose and it’s amazing how I think everyone kind of figured out who they are as comedians through just doing those shows.
“$5 cash on the door. It was all in an ice cream container. I remember one night everyone was sitting on the, we had like 200 people in absolute fire risk that were sitting on the floor. It’s truly some of my most special memories.”
Brookbanks said: “I think that’s what you were saying about how we all kind of found our comedy voice through that, is I think that’s another thing that made Snort work so well, aside from the friendship, was that we were all so different in terms of comedy style.”
Many of the members went on to write for sketch shows Jono and Ben and Funny Girls, which aired on Three.
Stent said working on those shows meant pitching “some of the weirdest shit”.
“One of my most vivid memories from [those] times is just doing alts, which is where they’ll have a script and then you come as the writers with 10 different alternative jokes for every joke, and you pitch them.
“So you go around the circle and you say them out loud and I reckon 90% of them stink up the joint. And so like you have to say to some of your most like best friends, slash the people you respect the most in the industry, you just have to say these jokes and have crickets.”
Matthewson said it’s a skill that’s applicable to working on solo shows: " I tend to go through all my stand-up bits and I approach it the same way. I am like, ‘okay, have I thought of every angle?’, and I try and beat the jokes that I have."
Listen to the full episode for more of the pros and cons of sketch, stand-up and improv.
Billy T’ Billy is a NZ Herald podcast celebrating local comedy, in partnership with the New Zealand International Comedy Festival. New episodes are out every Wednesday.
The festival runs from May 2nd to 25th in Auckland and Wellington.
You can follow the podcast at iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
