This wonderfully crafted compliment of comedians gave a review-style show of insights into their individual worlds today. Three different, yet similar people, observing life and sharing theirs with a sometimes disruptive audience.

It is a return to “Pick N Mix” for the first two acts from 2023, but from what I heard from audience responses, a more mature act all over.

There is intimacy, generosity, and sensitivity hidden amongst the boldness and forthrightness of the performances of Zach, Jacqui, and Matt.

Firstly, there’s Zach Hall (Hello_its_zach_here). A comedian who I could listen to for ages. I admit it!

His turn of phrase is beyond clever. And it isn’t often these days, that timing is used so beautifully and that an audience collectively laughs after, a clever pause.

Zach employed an intellectual wit and an energy that drew the audience in. We want to listen to what could be just a mumble or a thought. Whatever it will be, this audience collectively knows it will be worth hanging on to. And Zach plays on the energy of the audience beautifully.

Shy to a fault, he introduces our next act.

The just plain wonderful Jacqui Hooper, who I’ve only seen once before, but I was itching to see again.

Jacqui doesn’t beg for anything and warrants everything, especially applause.

Jacqui’s use of linguistics and body language creates salient moments where, as an audience, we are left to think for ourselves. To imagine repulsion. To imagine wantonness. And we are generously guided by Jacqui’s beautifully woven stories and truth through a journey of relationship, and of a schism of jism. A tale of love, of birth, of the reality of being an expectant mother, and what society expects of the simple act of conception? Blugh!

Without giving too much away, Jacqui gives us everything and we lap it up.

So, there we have Zach and Jacqui. Both finalists in the 2021/22 RAW Comedy Quest, both featuring regularly throughout the Auckland comedy scene.

The act to round off the trio, Matt Coombe (Coombegram), fresh from the Melbourne Comedy Festival. This is Matt’s return to an Auckland stage outside of the regular open mic nights that he runs across Auckland.

Matt’s comedy is direct, sharp, in your face when he wants it to be. I’ve seen Matt’s work several times and he always has fresh and new material that shows that he watches the world through lenses many of us don’t even consider. He doesn’t dwell on the themes he knows work, and cleverly uses some great physical comedy (almost to exhaustion) and crowdwork when it comes into play.

A consummate comedian beyond his years, Matt delivers new ideas with freshness and fervour. He connects with individuals in the audience, whether they ask to be a part of his act or insist on it. Matt’s stage maturity is shown tonight when answering a heckler – the applause is equal to that of many of the jokes pasted like billboards on the blacked-out audience that disappear behind the front row.

The hour is drawn to a close cleverly but not before the three reconvene for a brief curtain call.

I asked if there was a point of difference – “Not really. We’re pretty much differently the same. Or the same differently”. And I’d agree, and neither better separate nor apart.

Just like a good “Pick n Mix” from days gone by, each one has a flavour to suit some point of view, and point of view that flavours life well.

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