Chopper ready to take to Rotorua stage

COMEDY GURU: Australian comedian Heath Franklin's character Chopper will entertain audiences at tonight's show at the Rotorua Civic Theatre. PHOTO/FILE

Rotorua comedy fans, get ready to laugh your socks off.

Australian comedian Heath Franklin's character Chopper will take to the stage, handlebar moustache and all, at Rotorua's Civic Theatre tonight as part of a nationwide tour.

As seen on TV3's 7 Days, Chopper has become an international comedy hit whose shows have sold out in cities around Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

Tickets to tonight's show are selling fast, with less than 100 remaining.

Publicist Kate Simmonds urged locals to snap up the last few tickets.

"He's already performed in seven centres and tickets sold like crazy. The show has been really popular so far."

Ms Simmonds puts Chopper's success down to the fact that the character "tells it like it is".

"There's no grey area with Chopper, he's very black and white and says it how it is. Everyone loves him for that."

She said the show was suited to all types of people, and had surprisingly proved popular with elderly women.

In a previous interview with the Rotorua Daily Post, Franklin said he was excited about bringing the show, Repeat Offender, to Rotorua.

"Rotorua's a nice place and audiences there have really embraced Chopper in the past, even with his dirty moustache." Franklin began playing the comical character after becoming intrigued with Chopper, portrayed by Australian actor Eric Bana, in the 2000 film of the same named based on the autobiographical books by Mark "Chopper" Read.

Tonight's 7.30pm show is restricted to people over the age of 15. Tickets are available from www.ticketmaster.co.nz.