Whanganui company Hello Comedy hosting two shows in one night next month

Rhys Mathewson has recovered from Covid-19 and is on his way to Whanganui. Photo / Supplied

Whanganui events company Hello Comedy is bringing more laughs to the River City next month.

The Winter Comedy Special's early session will be headlined by Rhys Mathewson, with a special reunion taking place in the late show.

Founders Dave Wiggins and Elizabeth McMenamin-Pervan launched the venture in March with a sold-out show at the Whanganui Musicians Club.

Mathewson's recent run on Dancing With The Stars came to an end when he contracted Covid-19, but television's loss is Whanganui's gain.

"If he had got it seven days before our show, that would have been it," McMenamin-Pervan said.

"His wife, Chelsea McEwan Millar, is doing a slot as well, so she wouldn't have been able to come either.

"Luckily, the show is on and we are ready to go."

The 10pm late show will feature Dash Ambrose, a musical comedy collaboration between Wiggins and Auckland comedian Brendon Green.

"Essentially, we are getting the band back together after 11 years," Wiggins said.

"This show is sort of like 'Let's get our best friends who are also super-funny to come and hang out in Whanganui'."

Performers at the first Hello Comedy show in February were (from left) Elizabeth McMenamin-Pervan, Al Reid, Dave Wiggins and Nick Rado. Photo / Supplied

Whanganui's Kajun Campbell Brooking will perform sets in both the early and late shows, with fellow River City funnyman Mike Marsh featuring in the late show.

Wiggins said there would be an upgrade on the bar front this time around.

"We have partnered with LADs Brewery Company, so they will be the official beer sponsor of our shows going forward.

"The only negative feedback from our first show was 'You've got to get better beer'.

"We have listened to the punters and we're committed to improving."

McMenamin-Pervan said June's show was already half-sold and due to demand, the next edition would be held at the War Memorial Hall's concert chamber instead of the Whanganui Musicians Club.

The pair has even bigger plans.

"Next June we will be putting on a gala show at the (Royal Whanganui) Opera House.

"There will be lots of big names here for that.

"We've also been putting on an open mic night every Monday at Porridge Watson which is drawing around 60 or 70 people at a time."

Up until a couple of years ago, Whanganui only seemed to get the occasional comedy show coming through, Wiggins said.

"There is a lot of stuff going on here now and there are a bunch of local comedians as well.

"Bigger acts have tended to go from New Plymouth to Palmerston North and skip us out, but that's where Hello Comedy comes in."

Hello Comedy's Winter Comedy Special is at the Whanganui Musicians Club on Saturday, June 18.

A comedy workshop and Q&A with Rhys Mathewson take place that afternoon from 2.30pm to 4pm.