Downstage
May 19-20, 22-27 | Reviewed by Megan Fleming

WITH AN audience full of rugby-heads and blinged-out public servants, the crude, rude and racist jokes went over well at last night’s Late Laughs.

Charlie Pickering hosted the show. He carried the show, really – his audience banter and late night energy was the main reason we didn’t leave at intermission. Running out on stage in a hyped-up, “holy shitballs” kind of way, he teased and tested the sense of humour of more than one audience member. For an experienced comedian, I suspect it’s fairly easy to make up spontaneous jokes after asking someone’s name and occupation. Especially in Wellington, when everyone is either a public servant, or they work for a suit hire company.

Charlie introduced us to Nadine in the front row, whose childhood dream was “to be a carpet-layer.” Charlie took this joke and ran with it. Between the other acts, he brought out a collection bucket for the “Nadine Make a Wish Foundation;” a roll of carpet he’d dug up from Downstage’s nether regions; a pair of hard hats; and so on…by the end of the show he had Nadine up on stage, wearing safety goggles and stapling carpet to the stage. The joke had lost its impact by this time, but good on him but trying. After seeing Charlie Pickering’s scripted Auto show, it was good to see he could hold his own and make us laugh on the spur of the moment.

I was less than impressed with the other acts. The set from The 4 Noels was obviously scripted and un-clever. The humour was solely based on whether or not we would see John’s privates. True, his amazingly plasticene facial expressions were amusing, but the chemistry between the two was less than explosive.

Cori Gonzales-Macuer sang songs about heartbreak and rhinocerouserouses. They made me chuckle. Twice, I think. He filled up the rest of his set with racist jokes he’d been telling for two years. His bored and disdainful humour just didn’t get me. Good thing the show was a mixture of comedians, eh.

Jerome Chandrahasen and Matiaha Paku put on quite a good skit about a comedian-in-training. Jerome played the up-himself, bi-culturalism-enforcing professer in a wonderfully dry and clever way; Matiaha played the fidgeting comedy student trying desperately to be funny – and succeeding. The skit could have used a bit more oomph, but I found it funny and refreshing after the brass humour of the previous acts. This pair of local comedians will surely be moving up in the scene, so keep your eyes open.

Dai Henwood was like a 5’5” cartoon man with boundless energy and a potty mouth. He cycled out to greet us on a little tricycle, and filled up the stage with his full-on physical humour. His jokes were strange and original, especially when he made fun of kayakers for about five minutes. Who makes fun of kayakers? He paddled his mike around the stage in a ridiculous and semi-psychotic way. It was hilarious. His P jokes and fireworks stories seemed to appeal to the post-Hurricanes match crowd, but I liked them too. I’d definitely see him again.

For full programme, venue and show details on this and other Comedy Festival events, visit comedyfestival.co.nz.