Auckland's new comedy venue set to open for New Zealand International Comedy Festival

Auckland’s new independent comedy venue opens for the New Zealand International Comedy Festival

Three week blockbuster season of comedy at The Montecristo this April and May

The Montecristo is set to sing and dance with arms wide open as the brand new independent comedy venue for the 2015 NZ International Comedy Festival. The scene of many legendary gigs and events over the years, The Montecristo will be the stage for many more as some the Festival's best and brightest comedians take over the venue for 3 weeks from Thursday 23 April to Saturday 16 May.

Along with a full programme of shows including Wilson Dixon, Guy Williams, Guy Montgomery and Jon Bennett (UK), the Montecristo is presenting a host of late night and afternoon shows to tick every comedy box. Innovative? Tick. Experimental? Tick. Exciting new formats? Tick. Hilarious? Two ticks.

From the hot pizza and cold beer, to the white baby grand piano being tinkled in the bar, the Montecristo will be the destination venue during the Festival where anything that can happen probably will.

The Montecristo Opening Showcase

The Opening Showcase on 23 April will give you a degustation sampler of the great shows being staged at the Montecristo: American country music legend Wilson Dixon, 2014 Billy T Award winner Guy Montgomery and 2012 winner Guy Williams, the exciting young talents that are Tim Batt, Joseph Moore, Sanjay Patel and Brendon Green, The Cavaliers (Rhys Matthewson, Nick Gibb and Jamie Bowen), along with the UK’s Jon Bennett who is bringing to NZ for the first time his award winning worldwide smash hit show “Pretending Things Are A Cock.” You’ll also have a taste of the Montecristo late night programme with performances from Rose Matafeo, Tom Furniss, and New Zealand’s foremost colour-coordinated comedy dance troupe, DYNAMOTION.

The Montecristo Late Night Shows

The Montecristo Late Night Shows are brought to you by a crack team of award winning comics with swags of awesome shows under their belts. The Montecristo will be the place for late night comedy in the Festival. Coupled with the prospect of cold beer and hot pizza made by the famous Toto’s upstairs, it’ll be hard to go past the Montecristo without poking your head in, following with your body, finding a seat and then sitting down and laughing heaps.

The Shows..
Wednesday: “Past Bedtime.” Rose Matafeo is hosting a late night slumber party and you’re invited! In exchange for money! Join her and our favourite comedians from around the festival as they tell their favourite spooky stories, play truth or dare and spill the goss all whilst possibly inebriated! BYO blanket and torch.

Thursday: “Comedy Loser Brigade.” Tom Furniss and Guy Montgomery host a rotating line up of comics with ideas they probably wouldn’t try anywhere else. Otherwise talented comedians putting themselves in abject peril by doing something no other comedy room would accept, all for your entertinment. We are the losers, and we’re proud of it.

Friday: Auckland’s favourite colour coordinated comedy dance troupe, DYNAMOTION, perform a road trip revenge story involving sassy waitresses, hell-bound hillbillies and sadistic gator farmers told entirely through dance. Join Thomas Sainsbury and Lara Fischel-Chisholm, and a cast of talented dactors (dancing actors) and dance off into the wee small hours… with the Devil himself.

Saturday: “Dope Joke Party” with Joseph Moore. It's a party! Lock the doors! Nobody goes home! (Until the show finishes. Also we will unlock the doors if you need to go to the bathroom. Maybe we won't lock the doors). DOPE JOKE PARTY defies God by bringing together live comedy and live music for the most obnoxiously loud late night show in the festival.

Sunday: “Character Comedy.” Jesse Griffin (Wilson Dixon) hosts a night of shining stars and dreams fulfilled as comics from around the festival and beyond stop being themselves for a while and perform altered egos doing character stand up. Expect John Leigh (Outrageous Fortune), Jonny Brugh (What We Do In The Shadows) Gareth Williams (Jesus Christ Superstar) and many others.

The Montecristo Afternoon Shows

Not everyone likes going out on a week night. Not everyone likes going out late at night. Some people don’t like going out at all (we can’t help those people, we suggest continuing staying at home and developing a range of hobbies). So for those who want a few options with their going out, we have The Montrecristo Afternoon Shows on Sunday 26 April, 3 May and 10 May at 4:30pm.

The shows:
“The Worst Idea Of All Time” podcast… live. Since January last year Guy Montgomery and Tim Batt have watched the film Grown Ups 2 once a week and then reviewed it as a podcast. Attracting a cult following and then a viral one (15k downloads a day) and a trip to LA and articles in Vice magazine and items on American Public Radio, Guy and Tim have revolutionised the concept of watching something over and over again and then talking about it. So why not join them for two very special live podcasts, laugh quite a lot, and be a part of history? Sunday 26 April and 10 May at 4:30pm.

“A Young Man Dressed as a Gorilla Dressed as an Old Man Sits Rocking in a Rocking Chair for 56 minutes and Then Leaves.” The Montecristo is very proud to be staging a one off performance of this Edinburgh Fringe cult show. The title literally says it all, but what ends up happening must be seen to be believed. Performed by a mystery guest and with free entry, this show will sell out and be one of those festival events everyone wished they saw. Sunday 3 May, 4:30pm
Beer, pizza and comedy… late at night

The Montecristo. Where is it? Situated in the famous band and function rooms underneath the institution that is Toto Pizza on Nelson St, the Montecristo is the perfect place to drink cold beer, eat hot pizza, (or have a coffee and a biscuit) and enjoy some great comedy. Huzzah! See you there.

The Montecristo Opening Showcase

Date: 23 April, 7pm – 8pm show, with party after
Venue: The Montecristo, 53 Nelson St
Tickets: $20
Bookings: 0800 BUY TIX (289 849) or www.eventfinda.co.nz

The Montecristo Afternoon Shows

Dates: Sundays: 26 April, 3 May and 10 May at 4:30pm
Venue: The Montecristo, 53 Nelson St
Tickets: $15 and $10. NB Gorilla show is free
Bookings: 0800 BUY TIX (289 849) or www.eventfinda.co.nz

The Montecristo Late Night Shows

Dates: 25 April – 16 May, Wednesday – Saturday 10:45pm,
Sundays at 7:30pm
Venue: Montecristo, 53 Nelson St, City
Tickets: $15
Bookings: 0800 BUY TIX (289 849) or www.eventfinda.co.nz

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