TJ MCDONALD AND NICK GIBB in ANGLO SEXIN’
Basement Theatre, Lower Greys Ave, Auckland
27/04/2013 - 04/05/2013
Fringe Bar, Cnr Cuba & Vivian, Wellington
14/05/2013 - 18/05/2013
NZ International Comedy Festival 2007-09, 2013
Production Details
HOT WHITE GUYS DELIVER WHITE HOT GAGS
Two of the brightest and beigest rising stars of New Zealand comedy bring you back to back servings of all their latest comedy thoughts. 2011 Billy T Award winner Nick Gibb (7 Days, Comedy Gala) and two-time Billy T nominee TJ McDonald (7 Days, A Night At The Classic) come together to feed you a lovin’ spoonful of melanin-deficient comedy goodness. The show opens in Auckland on the 27th of April, and in Wellington on the 14th of May.
Whether actually tackling the subject of sex, or just bringing their pallid sexual charisma to jokes about sandwiches or whatever, TJ and Nick would love you to come and watch them make the beast with two backs, two fronts, and one microphone.*
*Just so we’re clear – overwrought sexual imagery aside – this is a standup show. It isn’t some sort of homoerotic performance art piece. Or it isn’t supposed to be, but that’s what great about live comedy, isn’t it? Anything can happen. Probably not that though.
TJ McDonald is a regular performer and MC at The Classic, as well as a television writer. He has been performing standup comedy for eight years and has become known for his thought provoking, fiercely intellectual comedy. His two solo festival shows “A Maori Ate My Great Grandad” and “My Life Has Been a Series of Poorly Made Decisions” achieved critical acclaim and packed houses. Both were nominated for the Billy T Award.
“In his relaxed, casual, self-effacing yet quietly confident way, TJ McDonald delivers.” Theatreview
Nick Gibb spent six years honing his skills as a sketch comedian and improviser in the unforgiving comedy wilderness of Palmerston North, before tentatively beginning to expose audiences to his “ever so slightly divisive (but smart)” standup in 2007. Since then he has performed ravingly received solo shows in the NZ Comedy Festival and the Edinburgh Festival. This year he filmed a comedy special for TVNZ, “The Year That Was”.
“Nick Gibb is a genuinely talented comedian, erudite and educated… brilliantly original material. I would be very surprised if Nick Gibb wasn’t a name with serious clout in the comedy world in the near future.” Edinburgh Guide
As part of the 2013 NZ International Comedy Festival
TJ MCDONALD AND NICK GIBB IN ANGLO SEXIN’
AUCKLAND
Dates: 27 April, 1 May-4 May, 10pm
Venue: The Basement, Lower Greys Ave, CBD
Tickets: Adults $20, Conc. $18
Bookings: 0800 TICKETEK or www.ticketek.co.nz
WELLINGTON
Dates: 14 May – 18 May, 8.30pm
Venue: Fringe Bar, Cnr Vivian & Cuba St
Tickets: Adults $20, Conc. $18
Bookings: 0800 TICKETEK or www.ticketek.co.nz
For the sweetest deals and hottest comedy news throughout the Festival head to www.comedyfestival.co.nz
Worth a look
Review by Stewart Sowman-Lund 15th May 2013
After mingling with some of the crowd at the bar, TJ McDonald takes to the stage in front of the mostly full Fringe Bar, to a warm welcome and a self-spoken introduction. Over the next 30 or so minutes we are treated to a collection of funny anecdotes and friendly audience banter, with McDonald almost acting as the warm-up act to Nick Gibb, who has the second 30 minute set.
McDonald touches on many topics considered typically considered taboo – religion, race and marriage equality, amongst others – and holds nothing back. Thankfully, as established early on in the show, it seemed nobody with strong beliefs is in the crowd (or at least, nobody will admit to it), and the audience laps it up.
Nick Gibb bounds onto the stage with energy and rock music, and presents a collection of unrelated stories that are mostly very funny, but come across as very generic topics for comedians: drugs, alcohol and for the second time tonight, marriage equality. Thankfully, he is happy to admit that most of his stories are just there for entertainment, occur in ‘supermarkets’, and could easily be moved to other locations where they would work equally well.
I do feel that his structure lets him down a bit, with his act consisting of a collection of seemingly random anecdotes and opinions which, although rather funny, do not seem to have an overarching purpose. The highlights of the set are his ‘statistical humour’ and stories about Valentine’s Day for singles. While his everlasting energy in his performance is admirable, I find his overall set less funny than McDonald’s.
As a whole, however, the audience seems to respond best to Nick Gibb, but for me, McDonald is the better on the night. Perhaps he comes across a bit awkward, but his jokes are at the right levels of clever and shocking. Together, the two acts seem a good match – their styles of comedy neither too different, nor too similar. If you want to get out and see a couple of funny New Zealanders, this show is worth a look.
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