Beauty and the Bro – Mel Parsons and James Nokise
Various venues - on tour, New Zealand wide
02/09/2014 - 04/10/2014
The Mussel Inn, Onekaka (near Takaka), Nelson
14/08/2014 - 14/08/2014
Production Details
Take an acclaimed folk singer and a celebrated Samoan/Welsh comic, and be rewarded with an evening of music and comedy like no other. Mel Parsons and James Nokise combine their considerable talents to bring you their intimate live cabaret show, ‘Beauty and the Bro’.
Nokise has returned from the UK stand-up comedy circuit to perform ‘Soso Gangsta’, his hilarious and slightly true take on New Zealand gang culture. Parsons will be presenting new work, plus a variety of songs from her first two albums – ranging from rollicking country numbers to heartfelt ballads, and accompanied by multi-instrumentalist, Gerry Paul (Grada, Tim O’Brien).
“Parsons has a voice that could work any night in Nashville, yet sounds somehow intrinsically New Zealand – and the songs are good, very good.” –Black Magazine
“Nokise is a fresh, cheeky and (a) remarkably astute voice in today’s comedy climate.” –Nik Smythe, Theatreview
James Nokise
A Fred Dagg Comedy Award nominee and two time Billy T Comedy Award nominee, James Nokise has carved out a reputation in New Zealand going after everything from gangs to politicians to pacific Island stereotypes.
Fresh from four years working on the United Kingdom stand-up comedy circuit, he’s also performed at the Edinburgh and Adelaide Festivals, guest lectured at universities, been a member of the award winning Puppet Fiction (Pulp Fiction with Puppets) crew, written Wellington’s popular political satire series, Public Service Announcements, all the while continuing to be a regular host at Wellington and Auckland comedy clubs, as well as a commentator for Radio Live and 531PI.
Not bad for a bro kicked out of a gang in the Hutt Valley.
Mel Parsons
After growing up on the West Coast, Mel Parsons now calls home a hotel room and a suitcase, building her fan base the old fashioned way, winning over audiences on the live circuit. The two time NZ Music Award finalist for Folk Album of the Year, Parsons has received accolades for her 2009 debut record ‘Over My Shoulder’ and for ‘Red Grey Blue’, released to widespread critical acclaim in 2011.
Last year Parsons toured Australia, UK, Ireland, Germany and New Zealand as a solo artist and joined the cast of ‘Fly My Pretties’ for the sold out 23-date ‘Homeland Tour’. She has also spent two years touring as one half of the double bill show ‘The Bitches’ Box and Mel Parsons’, playing in woolsheds all over the country. Parsons is currently working on her third album, due for release in early 2015.
Itinerary
Tuesday 2 September 7.30pm Geraldine
The Country Café, 76 Talbot St
$20 Book: Tresjoli Giftware o3 693 9339
Wednesday 3 September 7.30pm Oamaru
ODT Inkbox, Opera House
Adults $25, Students $20
Book: www.ticketdirect.co.nz
Oamaru Opera House or Oamaru i-Site
Thursday 4 September 7.30pm Owaka
Memorial Community Centre
Adult $20; Seniors $18; Senior Students $10
Book: Mary Sutherland 03 415 8613
mary@catlins-ecotours.co.nz; Catlins Café
Friday 5 September 7.30pm Gore
The Little theatre
$25 / $20(plus booking fee)
Book: SBS St James Theatre
www.iticket.co.nz 0508 ITICKET
Saturday 6 September 7.30pm Invercargill
SIT Centrestage Theatre, Don St
$25 / $20 / $5
Book: Ticketdirect or Cue TV
Tuesday 9 September 7.30pm Okarito
Donovan’s
$20 Book: Okarito Nature Tours
Wednesday 10 September 7.30pm Hokitika
Old Lodge Theatre
Revell St
$20 Book: Hokitika Regent Theatre
Thursday 11 September 8pm Barrytown
Barrytown Settlers Hall
$20 Tickets at the door
Friday 12 September 8pm Westport
NBS Theatre
$27.50 Book: NBS Theatre or www.ticketdirect.co.nz
Saturday 13 September 8pm (Dinner from 6pm) Mapua
The Playhouse Café and Theatre Restaurant
$20 Book: The Playhouse Café 03 540 2985
Sunday 14 September 8pm Onekaka
The Mussel Inn
$15 Book: The Mussel Inn
Tuesday 16 September 7.30pm Wanganui
Royal Wanganui Opera House
Adult $25; Senior $23; FOH $20; Student $15
(Special rates for school groups)
Book: At the venue or www.royaloperahouse.co.nz
Wednesday 17 September 7.30pm New Plymouth
Theatre Royal, TSB Showplace
New Plymouth
$25 Theatre seat; $30 Table seat; $200 table of 8
Book: TSB Showplace Box office, 0800 111 999
www.ticketmaster.co.nz
Thursday 18 September 7.30pm Tokoroa
Tokoroa Little Theatre
$20 Book: Tokoroa Clothing Co 07 886 8488
Friday 19 September 7pm Whitianga
Town Hall
$15 Book: Whitianga Paper Plus
Saturday 20 September 7.30pm Coromandel
Coromandel Bowling Club, Woollams Ave
$25/$20 (concession)
Book: Coromandel Information Centre
Sunday 21 September Kauaeranga
Kauaeranga Hall
$20 Book: Txt or phone 021 078 8675 or at Lotus Realm Pollen St
Tuesday 23 September 7.30pm Kerikeri
The Turner Centre
Adults $30; $20 Seniors, groups 5+, students under 18
Book: Turner Centre 09 407 0260
www.turnercentre.co.nz
Wednesday 24 September 7.30pm Hokianga
Copthorne Hokianga
$15
Friday 26 September 7.30pm Whangarei
The Riverbank Centre
Reyburn House Lane
$25 Book: www.whangareitheatrecompany.org.nz
Whangarei Suit Hire, Rust Lane
Saturday 27 September 8pm Onewhero
OSPA Theatre, Hall Rd
$20 Book: River Traders Tuakau 09 236 8875
Sunday 28 September 7pm Tauranga
Baycourt X Space
$22-$25 plus booking fees
Book: Baycourt Box Office;
www.ticketek.co.nz 0800 TICKETEK
Wednesday 1 October 8pm Upper Hutt
Expressions
$20 Book: www.expressions.org.nz 04 527 2168
Friday 3 October 8pm Balcairn
Balcairn Hall
$25 (inc supper) NO BYO
Book: Sally Mac’s, Amberley, Sefton Garage, Stan’s 7 day Pharmacy Rangiora
Saturday 4 October 7.30pm Twizel
Pukaki Lounge Top Hut
Twizel
$20 book: Twizel Information Centre and Mackenzie Lotto Plus
Arts On Tour New Zealand
AOTNZ organises tours of outstanding New Zealand performers to rural and smaller centres in New Zealand. The trust receives funding from Creative New Zealand as well as support from Interislander and liaises with local arts councils, repertory theatres and community groups to bring the best of musical and other talent to country districts. The AOTNZ programme is environmentally sustainable – artists travel to audiences so that that small town and country dwellers can enjoy high quality entertainment on their home patch. www.aotnz.co.nz
A fine double bill indeed
Review by Antony Hodgson 19th Sep 2014
It is an easy going atmosphere at the Mussel Inn, Onekaka, Golden Bay with the performers hanging out with the punters, the fire keeping things toasty and the beer easy to drink. The allotted start time comes and goes and about 15 minutes later, when the room has settled to a comfortable hum, a ‘voice of god’ announces the imminent arrival to the stage of the famous James Nokise.
The ‘voice of god’ is, of course, Nokise himself leaning laconically against the bar referring to himself in a mix of ego-stroking and self-deprecation that sets the tone perfectly for the evening.
Onstage he launches into what appears at first to be an introduction for Mel Parsons but as the family stories, tales from the road, topical comments and New Zealand cultural references come thick and fast, I realise that this is his actual half of the show and 40 minutes disappears with much laughter and response from the audience.
James’ act, Soso Gangster, jumps wildly from topic to topic with stories which must be prepared material but flow out of the heckles and comments from the crowd so smoothly that he simply runs with whatever comes his way. This is not a show where we can just sit back and observe the show, as James brings his material right into the here and now, engaging with every comment that is dished up from the floor.
This skill keeps us with him throughout his act as if our particular group presence and response are actually part of his material.
James’ upbringing with a Samoan father and a Welsh mother in the metropolis of Lower Hutt provides a wealth of asides and anecdotes and Soso Gangster draws the majority of its material from observations of NZ gang culture. Running a line that few would brave, he points out the inconsistencies of the displayed toughness of the gang members and provides some great renditions of their physical and vocal mannerisms.
The show is peppered with observations of small town NZ, garnered while on this AOTNZ tour, and I’m sure that the incidents of this show in Onekaka will be spun into the act for the remainder of the tour. Perhaps the moment where, in response to a red-headed hecklers’ brilliant line, James jumps into the audience, bends down to her in her wheelchair and gives her what looks like quite a kiss.
This is a fine double bill indeed. The easy laughter and cracking pace of the first half leaves us well sated and ready for the more introspective lyrics of Mel Parsons supported by Gerry Paul on guitar and banjo.
If this show is passing your door, I suggest you take yourself out for an enjoyable evening.
Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer
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