Billy T & Me
Comedy Chamber, Town Hall, Auckland Live, Auckland
17/05/2011 - 21/05/2011
Production Details
A DELIGHFUL AND HILARIOUS LOOK AT WORKING WITH ‘THE CUZ’
This show is really a personal tribute by comic actor Peter Rowley, who spent five years working with one of New Zealand’s biggest icons, Billy T James. During the 80s Peter co-wrote and co-starred with Billy in his homegrown sketch show, The Billy T James Show and this is his chance to impart some knowledge and share the stories of that time.
Many of us remember Peter with the same fondness as Billy He was instrumental in the show and helped to shape our sense of humour as Kiwis.
Billy T & Me is made up from a delightful mix of Peter telling stories, as only someone of his calibre can, and clips from the TV series. You’ll recognise the Lands For Bags rip off, the painted Porsche and Turangi Vice: some of the most seminal moments in New Zealand comedy.
The show is also available on DVD through Sony, signed copies will be available after the live performances.
"I haven’t really said anything for 25 years about what it was like to work with him," says Rowley. "But I just wanted to focus on the comedic associations, what the public saw but also the humour that went on behind the scenes, and just the fun and laughter that we had in those four years. We were close because we were together for four years and we became good mates and when we wrote I actually lived at his house." – To Scott Kara, Nov 2010
Peter himself has appeared in over 40 New Zealand productions including legendary shows such as Pete & Pio, McPhail and Gadsby, Letter to Blanchy and Footrot Flats: A Dogs Tale.
This is a marvelous trip down a hilarious memory lane to honor one of our great comedians, one which is a fitting acknowledgement to the cheekiness and absurdity that filled our living rooms with laughter.
AUCKLAND
Dates: 17 – 21 May, 7.00pm
Venue: Comedy Chamber, Auckland Town Hall, THE EDGE
Tickets: Adults $32.50, Conc. $28
Bookings: 0800 BUY TICKETS or www.buytickets.co.nz
‘The Cuz’ would be proud, bro!
Review by Stephen Austin 18th May 2011
It would take a true Grinch to deny the fact that Billy T James left a lasting impression on comedy and, indeed, popular culture in this country. Many of his sketches are now firmly etched into this country’s heritage as icons and his sense of timing was the sort of genius that comes along rarely in any generation.
Peter Rowley was James’ writing partner for much of his career and this show is a tribute to the man and his lasting memory. Rowley uses the hour on stage to reflect on the cultural, political, personal and national background of their pairing.
A natural talent himself, Rowley has great presence at all times on stage and takes much pleasure in the remembrance of his old friend. He gets the audience on side with many a memory from halcyon days of TVNZ’s halls in the seventies and early eighties, usually stopping to elicit a response from his peers. Coming from a generation slightly behind, I feel a little left out, but participate with my best nod of the head, since I remember many of the sketches as well.
Rowley evenly intersperses his own jokes, observations and impressions with clips of many of the best sketches that they wrote together from several of Billy’s shows. It’s essentially a mixed-media stand-up presentation with a charming, witty host that has been well rehearsed and researched, inside and out.
It is a bit disheartening that Rowley has to apologise publicly for much of the material screened, as there has been little effort made to preserve the archive tapes until now and it all looks a bit frayed around the edges; the slightly VHS tracking look to it does add some charm though.
We’re asked to stand and raise our glasses to Billy at the end, which Rowley turns on its head to get an ovation for himself, but this gag falls a little flat. So we are left a little short and not on the usual high that comedians want us left with at the conclusion of most stand-up shows.
While this is probably not the show with the most outright belly-laughs of the Comedy Festival, this hour with Rowley does serve to remind us of the history of New Zealand comedy and how it used to be so anarchic and personal, and how it has expanded and matured over the pervading years.
‘The Cuz’ would be proud, bro!
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