Naked Samoans' fringe benefits

By LINDA HERRICK arts editor

Forget the haggis when the five Naked Samoans hit Edinburgh's Fringe Festival next month.

"The first thing I had to find out was where you could buy cooked roast chicken in Edinburgh," says the boys' producer, Caroline Armstrong. "The budget for cooked roast chicken for each Naked Samoan is quite high."

Which is why the Naked five - Oscar Kightley, David Fane, Shimpal Lelisi, Robbie Magasiva and Iaheto Ah Hi - have been touring the show as a fundraiser to help to get them to Edinburgh. Creative New Zealand has granted $21,700 for the airfares but they must cover all other costs, including accommodation and what looks to shape up as a hefty food bill.

Booked to play 22 one-hour gigs over 24 days, at a venue called the Gilded Balloon Cowgate, the Naked Samoans want to use their "spare time" to see as many fringe acts as possible. With hundreds of performers in the comedy and revue section alone, the choice is mindblowing.

Calibre acts include satirist Michael Moore (Roger and Me, TV Nation and the new bestseller Stupid White Men), Australian Bob Downe, Jimeoin, Rich Hall and, inevitably, the Puppetry of the Penis franchise.

Those are mainstream names, but there is comedy in every shape and form at the August 4-26 festival.

"We've been together since 1998," says Kightley. "We feel we're a finely honed team and we're ready to see if our material stands up overseas. We also want to go there to learn."

For the fringe festival, the original Naked Samoans' trilogy - Talk About Their Knives, Go To Hollywood and Wake Me Up Before You Go-go - has been refined into Naked Samoans the Trilogy - Mrs Armstrong and her Amazing Naked Samoans.

"It is about growing up in New Zealand as an Islander and dealing with dysfunction," explains Kightley. "But our themes are no different from anywhere. Of course there are specific cultural references which will be lost on them [in Edinburgh] but in terms of the story itself and the characters' struggles, it will not be foreign."

Armstrong says she will be observing the progress, or otherwise, of the boys. "These guys are usually pretty unique wherever they go and in a European context the mind boggles. There is stuff on from 10am to 3am every day so it will be mandatory to get out and about."

A big adventure, yes, but limits have been set.

"They've already said no to haggis but who can tell?" laughs Armstrong. "It depends how much Scotch they consume, I suppose."