logo
Kāpiti Get Ready – NZ Comedy Fest Is Back In Town For One Night Only This May

Kāpiti Get Ready – NZ Comedy Fest Is Back In Town For One Night Only This May

Scoop28-04-2025

Back for the third year, the NZ International Comedy Festival with Best Foods Mayo returns to Kāpiti for the one night with a bite-sized comedy show packed with top-tier talent and guaranteed laughs. Don't miss the chance to catch some of Aotearoa's best comedians on the coast, with Comedy Fest at Kāpiti, on Saturday 10 May at Te Raukura ki Kāpiti.
The evening will be hosted by one of Wellington's favourite comedians, MC and comedy producer Jerome Chandrahasen. A regular performer at the NZ Comedy Fest, he's performed at the Best Foods Comedy Gala, The Comedy Mixtape and performs and has taken his shows to the Edinburgh Fringe, NZ Fringe, and even a nice little pub in Kāpiti.
One of NZ's great stand up comedians, the evening will feature award-winning comedian Justine Smith. Justine is much-loved from her stints on 7 Days and Taskmaster. She also hosted the Best Foods Comedy Gala in 2021, won the Billy T Award in 2003 and has won the NZ Comedy Guild's Best Female Comedian four times.
2024 Topp Prize winner James Nokise comes home to join the line-up. A multi-talented comedian, playwright, columnist, podcaster, theatre maker, and social commentator, James has been making audiences laugh for over twenty years. Known for his critically acclaimed RNZ podcast Eating Fried Chicken in the Shower, he's also taken out the Fred Award in 2019 and has performed across the globe.
Joining them is Sera Devcich, a stand-up comedian known for her razor-sharp observations and no-nonsense approach. Drawing from real life, Sera delivers bold, relatable comedy with confidence and punch. She's performed at the Comedy Gala, appeared on 7 Days, and toured with some of Aotearoa's comedy legends, including Ben Hurley and Paul Ego.
Also joining the lineup is Dan Boerman, originally from the Wairarapa he's now based in Scotland. Dan returns to Aotearoa following a packed-out debut at the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe, where his observational, high-energy, and chaotic humour made a lasting impression. Most recently, he stopped traffic—literally—drawing hundreds to Wellington's Cuba Street with a live performance of him folding a fitted sheet.
'Kāpiti knows how to turn it on — every year the laughs get louder and the crowds get bigger! We're bringing a power-packed lineup for one unforgettable night of comedy on the coast. If you've ever needed an excuse for a great night out, this is it. Don't miss the chance to see some of the country's sharpest comedy minds in action!' says the Festival's Chief Executive, Lauren Whitney.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Announcing the winners of the 2025 Aotearoa Children's Music Awards
Announcing the winners of the 2025 Aotearoa Children's Music Awards

Scoop

time8 hours ago

  • Scoop

Announcing the winners of the 2025 Aotearoa Children's Music Awards

Press Release – APRA – AMCOS APRA AMCOS Aotearoa, Recorded Music NZ, and NZ On Air are bursting with excitement to share the winners for the 2025 Aotearoa Children's Music Awards | Ngā Manu Tīrairaka – celebrating music written and recorded for children. This afternoon, at a family friendly event at Auckland's Tuning Fork, children's music creators from across the motu joined forces to celebrate and spotlight tunes especially made for the tamariki of Aotearoa and beyond. Christchurch-based Loopy Tunes were announced as winners in an exceptional three categories including the coveted Tūī for Recorded Music NZ Te Manu Taki Kerekahu o te Tau | Best Children's Music Artist. This is the first Aotearoa Children's Music Awards win for the sibling music duo of Siu Williams-Lemi and Leah Williams-Partington, who released their first recordings for children in 2019. Bringing a super-fun vibe to the children's music world, they create waiata reo rua / bilingual Māori and Pasifika children's music, sung in their own harmonious style. With Māori and Tongan ancestry, Loopy Tunes' kaupapa is to normalise the use of Māori and Pacific languages in everyday life, through music. Currently playing shows at festivals and libraries, touring their most recent album Matariki, they regularly perform their Outreach Music Classes, visit preschools, and run workshops for educators – all while continuing to create episodes for their YouTube series Music Time with Loopy Tunes. Also from Christchurch, Michal Bush, who performs under the name Music with Michal won the APRA Best Children's Song – Primary | He Pī Ka Rere for her fun guitar-based pop song 'Shapes and Colours', bringing vibrancy and fun to fundamental learning. Having won a Tūī for Best Children's Artist in 2022, Michal continues to create joyful, imaginative songs and videos for young children and their families. Recorded Music NZ Te Manu Taki Kerekahu o te Tau | Best Children's Music Artist: Loopy Tunes Preschool Music for Kahurangi – Little Treasures APRA Best Children's Song – Primary | He Pī Ka Rere: 'Shapes and Colours' written by Michal Bush, performed by Music with Michal NZ On Air Best Children's Music Video | He Manu Tūtei: 'The Maui Dolphin' written by Siu Williams-Lemi, performed by Leah Williams-Partington and Siu Williams-Lemi of Loopy Tunes Preschool Music, animation by Ross Payne APRA Best Children's Song – Preschool | He Manu Pīpī: 'Lele Means Run' written by Siu Williams-Lemi, performed by Leah Williams-Partington and Siu Williams-Lemi of Loopy Tunes Preschool Music KŌKAKO AWARD WON BY 11-YEAR-OLD EMERY GOODWIN were honoured as 2025 recipients of the Baysting Prize for Children's Champion. Since 2011, Sistema Aotearoa have been providing free, high-quality music education to tamariki in South Auckland, with a focus on building strong communities through collective music-making. The award, established in 2019 by APRA AMCOS Aotearoa, is presented in honour of the late Arthur Baysting. Also presented was the Kōkako Award, nurturing our young performers in their endeavours and was won by 11-year-old Emery Goodwin of Dunedin [pictured right, above]. Emery will have their performance of their mother's original song, 'Enjoy the Ride', arranged by the Auckland Philharmonia – performing it live on stage with the orchestra later this year. The Kōkako judging panel offered: 'What an incredible group of finalists we had for this year's Kōkako Award – five outstanding young performers (Aiden Gao, Emery Goodwin, Naledi Mhuka, Sophie Jack, Yumi Chen), each of whom performed an original song. The talent on display was truly inspiring, making for a very tough decision. Our 2025 winner, Emery Goodwin, stood out with a performance full of maturity, vocal range, and expressive depth. On behalf of Kiwi Kids Music, NZ Opera, and Auckland Philharmonia, we warmly congratulate Emery and all of the finalists – we're excited to watch all your musical journeys unfold.' The Kōkako Award for Best Children's Performer is presented by Kiwi Kids Music, NZ Opera and the Auckland Philharmonia. The Awards were held this afternoon, Sunday 29 June, at a special family friendly event atThe Tuning Fork in Tāmaki by Suzy Cato alongside a gaggle of talented tamariki and rangatahi, the celebration was preceded by a public Sounds Fun event that included performances from several Aotearoa Children's Music Awards finalists. Presented by Recorded Music NZ, APRA AMCOS Aotearoa, and NZ On Air, the awards have the support of Kiwi Kids Music – the national association of children's songwriters, creators and producers. Formed by some of the most passionate creators of music for kiwi kids, the association supports NZ children's music creators and seeks to advance the potential of all our children to live healthy fulfilling lives.

Fast Favourites with NZ Listener editor Kirsty Cameron
Fast Favourites with NZ Listener editor Kirsty Cameron

RNZ News

time10 hours ago

  • RNZ News

Fast Favourites with NZ Listener editor Kirsty Cameron

media books 36 minutes ago Editor of NZ Listener, Kirsty Cameron, got her start in journalist at RNZ and broadcasting before moving into print where she's stayed ever since. She spent more than a decade working in Australia; initially as a feature writer and political reporter before moving in magazines and editing In Style and becoming editor in chief and overseeing several women and home magazines. After moving back to New Zealand, Cameron continued her role as an editorial director and prior to the Listener, was editor of North and South magazine. Kirsty Cameron joins Culture 101 to discuss her cultural favourites including the one novel she considers the most elegant.

The Quest Is On To Find Wellington's Next Comedy Stars
The Quest Is On To Find Wellington's Next Comedy Stars

Scoop

timea day ago

  • Scoop

The Quest Is On To Find Wellington's Next Comedy Stars

The capital's premier open mic comedy competition, the Wellington Raw Comedy Quest, returns for 2025. A stepping stone for many New Zealand comedians, the Raw Comedy Quest offers the chance to witness the rising stars in stand-up comedy before they hit the big time. The first heat kicks off in Wellington on 3 July at Fringe Bar, MC'd by 2020 Quest finalist and 2025 Billy T nominee Lesa Macleod-Whiting. Subsequent heats will follow every Thursday from 10 July – 7 August at Fringe Bar. The top comedians from each week will go head to head at the semifinals on 13 & 20 August, before the Wellington final takes place on 29 August at Hannah Playhouse, with MC Justine Smith. The Wellington Raw Comedy Quest is held annually by the Humorous Arts Trust, who will be celebrating 15 years of supporting local comedy this August. This year also marks the 15th year Humorous Arts have run Wellington Raw. Over this time, many winners and finalists have gone on to carve out successful careers in comedy. Last year's winner, Liv Ward, went on to become a finalist in the National Raw Comedy Quest, before also taking out Wellington's Best Newcomer at the NZ Comedy Festival this year. 2022 winner Hoani Hotene, who first kicked off his comedy career with Humorous Arts Trust's Raw Meat Monday (Wellington's longest-running open mic comedy night), became the coveted 2025 Billy T Award winner. They aren't the only successes to come out of Pōneke from the Comedy Quest, with other winners including the likes of Janaye Henry, Maria Williams, Gabby Anderson and Orin Ruaine-Prattley. "The Raw Quest is a real highlight of my year, I can't wait to see the next generation of Kiwi comics succeed and bring more great laughs to the capital" , says Humorous Arts Trust co-founder and comedian Jerome Chandrahasen. To enter the Wellington Raw Comedy Quest all you need is 6 minutes of original material, and the guts to give it a go. To enter, just contact contact@ The Wellington winner and runner up are flown to Auckland to compete in the National Raw Comedy Quest final at The Classic later in the year, on Saturday 25th October. Wellington Raw Comedy Quest is sponsored by KiwiTicket Ltd and is supported by the Wellington City Council. WELLINGTON RAW COMEDY QUEST First Heat Thursday 3 July, Fringe Bar MCd by Lesa Macleod-Whiting Heats Thursday 10, 17, 24, 31 July & 7 August, Fringe Bar Semifinals Wednesday 13 & 20 August, Fringe Bar Final Friday 29 August, Hannah Playhouse

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store