Overview
Situated in the roomy basement under Toto's Montecristo is a live comedy venue, renowned for intimate comedy delivered by a host of New Zealand's best stand-up talent. They also won Spirit of Festival at last year's Comedy Festival and their opening event promised free pizza and drinks - so I was a little bit excited as I parked up and skipped towards the doors.
Upon entry we were greeted by a friendly wee lass who gave us a goody bag, explained there was a free drink for us on arrival and that the show was starting in an hour. I asked about the pizza I had been promised and she explained it was en-route as we speak. We hung around for 45 minutes drinking, feasting on amazing Toto's pizza and mingling with comics before we were ushered into the next room. Leigh Hart played jazz (or a poor imitation of jazz) on the piano and bantered with fellow comedian Tim Batt, who was on stage welcoming us as we sat down. The room quickly filled with people and the sounds of laughter and clinking beers, as Tim announced the comedy was about to begin. What followed was around 15 comedians, each providing quickfire humour in snappy 3 - 5 minute long segments (all of whom have an individual show at the Monte during the Comedy Festival).
What an awesome way to experience standup. We were treated to several different comic personas, including highlights Jessie Griffin, The Artist, Jamaine Ross, Guy Montgomery (with a touching monologue about the struggles of the blowfly community) and finally Tim Batt; a nice guy with good intentions. Griffin deluded with a Jesus-like persona, The Artist was a favourite of mine and his tales of cruci-fiction and non cruci-nonfiction were side split tingly funny, and Jamaine Ross was perhaps second favourite with his relaxed style and truthful but amusing monologue about racism and judging people based on appearances. Click here to check out the full list of performers and find their individual shows.
After the stand-up, Griffin and Brendon Green gave out prizes from the event's sponsors. This was almost funnier than the stand-up as Green and Griffin ignored any and all prize giving protocol and awarded the loudest and keenest of crowd members in a hilarious display of improvised humour and audience involvement. The night then wrapped up with rhythm and blues two-piece Hopetoun Brown, who feature a lead singer with powerful bluesy vocals and a fellow who can play an sax like nobodies business. They came pretty close to being the night's most entertaining act, so I suggest you check them out and go see their next show.
As Hopetoun played their last song and the crowd filtered out into the bar or the street the comics stuck around and chatted to audience members, beers in hand. It reminded me of VKs in Wellington, a place which is almost a comedy community, where the show is close-up and intimate and the performers stick around to enjoy a night out just like the rest of us. I'm stoked to have discovered somewhere like that in Auckland, and will definitely be back to see more of these talented funny folk in this unique and intimate venue - I suggest you do the same.