IDIOTS OF ANTS
Herald Theatre, Aotea Centre, The Edge, Auckland
28/04/2012 - 05/05/2012
NZ International Comedy Festival 2012
Production Details
“ROCK ‘N’ ROLL HYSTERIA MEETS SHARP AND BRILLIANT COMEDY” – Time Out
Edinburgh Comedy Award 2009 nominees and 2010 Chortle Award Winners, Idiots of Ants, bring their unique blend of fast paced sketch comedy to New Zealand for the first time.
“GREAT, ORIGINAL, FOCUSED COMEDY WRITING, PERFORMED BY A CONSUMMATELY
TALENTED FOURSOME” – The Scotsman
Prepare to witness the most bizarre revelation of World War 2, the launch of the new Idiots of Ants computer game (‘Urban Sword Fighter 3’) and, ladies, find out what really happens in the male toilet. It’s the only show at the festival with a sketch performed entirely in German (don’t worry there’s subtitles).
“AS STRONG VISUALLY AS THEY ARE VERBALLY…RIOTOUSLY EXUBERANT… IF YOU WANT TO
GUARANTEE PUTTING A SMILE ON YOUR FACE, IT’S HARD TO THINK OF A BETTER SHOW TO SEE” – The Telegraph
Idiots of Ants are Andrew Spiers, James Wrighton, Elliott Tiney and Benjamin Wilson. Since forming in 2007 they have gone on to completely sell-out five Edinburgh Festival shows and a West End run as well as performing at comedy clubs and festivals across the world.
Sketches made by Idiots of Ants with BBC Comedy have attracted a staggeringly large Internet following. Their ‘Facebook in real life’ and ‘Wii Breakfast’ sketches have become two of the most viewed comedy sketches of all time on YouTube with almost 10 million views.
“YOU LEAVE UTTERLY ELATED BY THIS COMEDY COCKTAIL” – Dominic Maxwell, The Times
Idiots of Ants sketches have been shown around the world on TV shows including The Today Show in the US and ChannelPlus in France. They have appeared at The Montreal Just for Laughs Comedy Festival where they performed at the HBO British Gala alongside Jimmy Carr, Ross Noble and John Cleese who they also interviewed for their YouTube channel.
They recently released their first radio series, Totally Gizmo, and in 2012 they’ll be recording a sketch show for BBC Radio 4.
As part of the NZ International Comedy Festival 2012
IDIOTS OF ANTS
AUCKLAND
Date: Sat 28 April , Tue 1 – Sat 5 May, 8.45
Venue: Herald Theatre, Aotea Centre, THE EDGE, 50 Mayoral Dr
Bookings: 0800 BUY TICKETS www.buytickets.co.nz
Tickets: Adult $28, Conc. $25
Duration: 1 hour
For a full line up of performances, booking details & more information, visit www.comedyfestival.co.nz
Idiots or Savants?
Review by Sharu Delilkan 29th Apr 2012
Entering the Herald Theatre greeted by four slightly dodgy war film characters it was great to see that the British obsession with the World Wars, (2-0), was still alive and kicking. This of course soon descended into the chaos and confusion that we expect from a show like Idiots of Ants.
Having already been to another show earlier in the evening, our funny bones had been tickled so we were ready to be tickled pink. And tickle us pink they did. [More]
Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer
Side-splitting
Review by Joanna Page 29th Apr 2012
A UK boy-band had NZ teens in a state of constant hysteria a couple of weeks ago, but now a band of four UK comedians is set to have anyone older and with a brain in stitches.
Comedy quartet Idiots of Ants has landed and taken over the Herald Theatre. And if the roars of mirth, the squeals, screams, tears and guffaws from last night’s audience are anything to go by, they’re worth checking out.
Trust me – they’re definitely worth checking out.
Anthony Spiers, Elliott Tiney, Benjamin Wilson and James Wrighton are the Idiots of Ants – as the husband described them last night, “They’re like Monty Python’s offspring with a dash of Conchords and no fourth wall.” We can’t think of any other sketch-comedy troupe like them. And we tried.
From the moment we walked into the Herald’s slightly claustrophobic theatre, they were on. Literally. They were onstage, in British and German WWII military uniform, shuddering along in a rickety plane on their way to thwart Germany’s plans. There they stayed as the theatre filled.
It isn’t what I expected. But all is not as it seems. (Although it might have been the only 10-minute block they managed to stay in character for.)
What with an increasingly funny string of technical issues – either the tech person is plagued by jet-lag, or someone has stepped in at the last minute – the show becomes even more side-splitting as the Idiots cope with challenge after challenge. At times it feels as though we’ve crashed four guys having a laugh, and I for one don’t want to be kicked out.
If you like their work on YouTube (e.g. Shotgun!), you’ll love what they do on stage. If you never seen them before, you’ll love what they do on stage. And if you have a ticket for another night and you can’t make it, let me know. I want to go again – just for the subtitles.
Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer
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