AND THE WINNER is… England. 

Australia – 6; Canada – 1; New Zealand – 7; England – 9; The Big Show – 7. 

That’s about how I score the show now that the dust has settled. 

The Big Show is a veritable 50c mixture (+ $39.40) of four able comedians playing a 2 hour-plus show throughout the week at this year’s comedy festival. Tuesday night’s line-up at the Crunchie Comedy Chamber in Auckland’s town hall included: laidback Canadian Jason John Whitehead; the man with a New Zealand woman’s accent, Simon McKinney; gangling English Northerner Alun Cochrane; along with Australia’s dirty little Mickey D MCing the whole affair. [Read more]

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The Big Show‘s opening night was a little wobbly, but promises a good follow-up, I think, with refreshed line-ups of talent providing a variety of avenues to tickle your fancy.

Mickey D, host and provider of unreserved, generous entertainment, makes you feel like he’s in your lounge, cracking open the next round of beers as he pulls out yet another crafty impersonation (such as his astute impressions of South Africans) or self deprecating tale of misfortune.

Jason John Whitehead is at his best when laying a trail of caustic, uncharitable and lewd satire, detonating an explosive response combining appreciation, disbelief and discomfort, challenging the audience who nonetheless lean forward for more.

He misses the mark a few times with this Auckland audience – attempts at grasping for the sympathy vote fall flat, and self-pity doesn’t become this laid-back, insolent young Canadian, but he grabs back the respect with his trademark gleeful irreverence and razor sharp ridicule.

Well-travelled Kiwi, Simon McKinney, is strong on the tried-but-true topics of accents, language barriers, how to get home despite being blind drunk, and the dangers and pitfalls of being a stand-up comic. His sometimes over-extended anecdotes almost lose me a couple of times, but he always snaps back the elastic in the nick of time, with an unexpected punch-line or new tangent.

As for Alun Cochrane – I don’t know about you but I find nothing more infectious than a comedian whot can’t help genuinely cracking up at his own jokes (as long as they’re funny!). Often deadpan, never boring, Cochrane makes anecdotal fun of his own mishaps, whilst inexplicably making you wish you’d been him, just so you could look back and laugh at your own misfortune.

The most memorable act of the night (clothes pegs will henceforth make me think instantly of nipples and mousetraps, in that order), he has the spine-tickling talent of making you feel exposed, with a compulsive honesty publicising all those embarrassing secrets and idiosyncrasies no one talks about but everyone has stashed away somewhere. 

His bizarre theories on ‘The Sex’, marrying teachers, and ‘busy people’ are refreshing and sharp (even if you flat-out disagree with them, as I did!). Cochrane hardly misses a beat and holds the audience in thrall, so unassuming yet confident is his rapport. On his first visit to New Zealand, this wry young Englishman is definitely one to check out.

A lurking theme for the night, however, seems to be a defensive ‘you’re a tough audience I’m going to have to crack, unless I can make you feel sorry for me and cut me some slack’, which grows wearying and I can’t help wondering when did it start to be the punters’ job to put these guys at ease, rather than the other way around? With the exception of the gregarious Mickey D, all seem to be testing out the waters: perhaps a case of opening night jitters.

Overall an even share of laughs, an abundance of titters, but a bit light on uncontrollably side-splitting, pants-wetting hilarity. Too safe: not enough missiles of mirth that we get to really suck on or duck to avoid! Some memorable moments, though. Hopefully this bunch’ll find their feet enough to take some risks and own the show for the next two weeks. Keep an eye out in this changing line-up for other gems such as frenetic Welshman Mark Watson, and consummate Kiwi Ben Hurley, plus a few more.  

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