Posts Tagged Comedy
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May 9, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Comedy Festival: Rhian Wood-Hill (Cavern Club, Wgtn)
Rhian Wood-Hill: Rhian Vested Cavern Club Tuesday May 8 – Saturday May 12 (7.00pm) Like a lot of fresh Kiwi comics Rhian Wood-Hill appears, for most of his set, to be delivering a ramshackle-endearing, but largely unfunny and overly long, amateur TEDTalk. It’s so awkward as to be almost excruciating – there’s no timing to […]Archive
April 14, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Wellington Film Society: Preview – Mon Oncle (April 16)
The Wellington Film Society’s program resumes – following the world’s oldest existing feature-length animated film, The Adventures of Prince Achmed we move to the world of Jacques Tati and the first of his colour films, Mon Oncle. The film centres on the socially awkward yet lovable character of Monsieur Hulot and his quixotic struggle with post-war France’s infatuation with […]Archive
April 14, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 414
Flanders & Swann, The Bestiary of Flanders & Swann (1963) I got onto Flanders & Swann – the comic-songwriting duo of Michael Flanders and Donald Swann – as part of my tenure at the CD Store. Reviewing music and then listening to it all day as a retailer I was burnt out! But I was […]Archive
March 20, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
The Party: Film
The Party Director: Sally Potter Adventure Pictures/Great Point Media At just 71 minutes – and it rips by too – there’s no room for spoilers. Sally Potter’s latest, The Party, features the titular event; straight into it. You see, Janet (Kristin Scott Thomas) has just been announced shadow minister for health. So we’re at her […]Archive
March 16, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Ricky Gervais: Humanity
Ricky Gervais: Humanity Director: John L. Spencer Netflix In his first stand-up special since 2010 Ricky Gervais wastes no time being desperately irreverent. This of course is default-setting stuff for Gervais. He has no interest in checking his privilege, not when he can whip it out and waggle it in your face. He was broke, […]Archive
February 27, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Chris Rock: Tamborine
Chris Rock: Tamborine Director: Bo Burnham Netflix In Chris Rock’s first comedy special in a decade he runs across the same ground he always has: race and politics, relationship and sex. And it’s a long time since Rock was funny, or relevant. Here he has a few okay-lines early on, but it’s well-worn, you don’t […]Archive
February 25, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Christina P: Mother Inferior
Christina P: Mother Inferior Director: Jay Karas Netflix Christina Pazsitzky is now “Christina P” – easier to say, easier to deal with I guess. But with her first Netflix comedy special she comes out swinging, armed with jokes, not just about her experiences as a new mother, though to begin with that’s the thread.Archive
December 22, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 455
Monty Python, The Album of the Soundtrack of the Trailer of the Film of Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) Like quite a few of us, certain age/stage, I watched the re-runs of Monty Python and was hooked. Off to find the films, the albums, more of the show…to read books about them and […]Archive
December 21, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
Sweetman Podcast: Episode 95 – Gavin Rutherford
Welcome to episode 95 of Sweetman Podcast with support from our sponsors – T Leaf T, Yeastie Boys and Le Petite Chocolat. This one is a conversation with Gavin Rutherford, he’s a Wellington-based actor closely associated with Circa Theatre – but maybe you’ve seen him across film and TV appearances also. He does voice work, some directing and anything that needs […]Archive
December 19, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
Judd Apatow: The Return
Judd Apatow: The Return Director: Marcus Raboy Netflix A huge part of the Judd Apatow narrative, one he’s constantly been pushing across the last decade in particular, is his “Comedy Nerd” persona – there’s a fair bit of proof there too, sure. At 15, he started interviewing legends in the game – but this comedy […]Archive
December 11, 2017 by Simon Sweetman