Comedy Festival review: Inside James Mustapic, James Mustapic

James Mustapic. Photo / Supplied

New Zealand has seen a boon in social media comedians in recent years, thanks to the increasing prevalence of TikTok and Instagram and all their potentials, but few have had the same career progression as James Mustapic.

A breakout viral star with Shorty St Scandal last decade, Mustapic has seamlessly made the transition to stand-up, having already been nominated for the Billy T Award in 2019 and now up for it a second time.

He has cultivated a very specific style that combines stand-up with SnapChat-length sketches, viral clips, and highly intricate slideshows. All that was on show at the start of his latest hour, Inside James Mustapic, which initially touched on his love life, his family and Mustapic's unique perspective on local celebrities – namely Sue Nicholson from Sensing Murder.

But then a message appears on screen, telling Mustapic he only has 45 minutes left to live. He quickly takes the audience on a Magic School Bus-style journey through his body as he tries to cure his ailments and save himself.

While it sounds daft on paper, it proves to be an effective framing device, allowing Mustapic to cover a lot of ground – from last year's lockdown and his family to relationships and his infamous "Repressed Memories" – while still infusing everything with his trademark sense of humour and connecting to his opening set.

The slideshow-show is a staple of The Basement, but whereas a lot of comedians use it as a background tool, Mustapic has incorporated visual elements into almost every joke, and it succeeds in a way few of those other shows can ever hope to achieve. Having found fame online with this style of comedy, it makes sense for Mustapic to play to his strengths, and after an hour with him and his laptop it's clear he has it down to a fine art.

There is a madness to Inside James Mustapic, infused with millennial cultural references and plenty of MS-Paint level effects, but Mustapic has crafted a very intricate hour oozing with callbacks and references that adds to every punchline. It helps that he is a charismatic and relatable performer and it's easy to follow him down this madcap tech-infused rabbit hole.

The storyline to this show is insane – it builds towards Mustapic having a multimedia battle with "Straight James" – but every element works in surprising harmony to make an incredibly tight show that lets Mustapic highlight his strengths. The final moments are moving without feeling forced, and showcases a range from Mustapic few of his fans would have had the chance to see online.

Mustapic has perfected this niche and made it his own, and you don't need to be a psychic to know he has big things ahead of him.

What: Inside James Mustapic, James Mustapic
Where: Basement Theatre, until May 22