Comedy
Werewolves, hypotheticals and a ’90s boy band: The first comedy festival reviews are in
From shower thoughts to a shanty about gaslighting, this year’s comedy festival is in full swing. Keep an eye on our ever-growing list of reviews here.
- Nell Geraets, Rose Lu and Vyshnavee Wijekumar
Latest
- ★★★
- Review
True crime has never been so daggy. This is NZ’s answer to Only Murders in the Building
Much like other awkward Kiwi comedies, Small Town Scandal will be an acquired taste, but it’s worth sticking with.
- Meg Watson
It’s groundbreaking to be a woman that doesn’t do self-deprecating humour: Elouise Eftos
Billing herself as “Australia’s first attractive comedian”, Elouise Eftos describes her comedy as “punk rock”.
- Lenny Ann Low
- Exclusive
- Domestic violence
How a ‘rush of feelings’ from a Botox jab unlocked a comedian’s domestic abuse trauma
UK radio star James Barr was beaten and belittled by his boyfriend – but because he thought he was “meant to be strong”, he struggled to acknowledge what was happening.
- Michael Lallo
- Dicey Topics
- Good Weekend
Matt was 12 when he came home to find his mother collapsed in the shower. She died just weeks later
The comedian, actor, musician and author Matt Okine on life priorities, facing tragedy at a young age – and an unexpected political passion project.
- Benjamin Law
- ★★★
- Review
Yep, Scrubs is back. But is nostalgia enough to keep this old favourite alive?
The hospital comedy was pronounced dead after its ninth season. Sixteen years on, it’s back with the same crew.
- Karl Quinn
Scout endured a harrowing night in a small town. Then they wrote an award-winning show
As soon as the misery set in, Scout Boxall began looking for a way to get something positive out of it.
- Daniel Herborn
- Opinion
- Satire
‘Comedy poison’: I watched the Pauline Hanson movie so you don’t have to
A Super Progressive Movie clearly wants to sit in the tradition of Australian satire. It just badly overestimates how long one joke can survive on screen.
- Rob Harris
A thousand faces, one heart: The quiet modesty of Catherine O’Hara
Forged in the fire of improvisational comedy, Catherine O’Hara possessed the rare ability to turn a grain of truth into the most absurd characters.
- Michael Idato
This new ABC show is Celia Pacquola’s dream gig (just don’t ask about Bluey)
“I wasn’t even asked to audition. I asked to audition … I don’t know if I manifested it, but if I did, good on me.”
- Nell Geraets