Immediately after the Billy T Jams show on Friday night, it was easy to overhear a number of audience members remark on just how difficult it will be this year to choose a winner. After a set from each nominee, the excitement in the crowd was palpible; each set brought a fresh form of comedy to the table, with not a single low point over the entire two-hour show.
Melanie Bracewell set the bar high with the first set of the night, offering a masterclass in joke construction and execution. Bracewell's tone is brilliantly unfaltering, and her knack for deadpanning towards her most singular and hilarious punchlines is absolute comedic wizardry. Alice Snedden, a standout from the Snort team, followed with her dry wit and sharp undertones, finding comedic gold in detailing her childhood and her mother's eccentric behaviour. Snedden deserves to be seen over a full hour - her niche humour can take some time to warm into, but she draws a crowd in excellently, and the payoff is fantastic.
Two Hearts (Laura Daniel & Joseph Moore) was one of the highlights of last year's festival, with its blend of comedy and pop performance providing a refreshing diversion from regular stand-up routines. Both a biting parody of pop music and a fantastically coreographed performance in its own right, the three sample songs offered to the crowd on Friday night proved that this show is back as one of the most dynamic and wholly original on offer in the festival.
Donna Brookbanks' self-deprecating act is hilariously endearing - and she managed to make the best use of the night of Q Theatre's Rangatira venue in her unforgettable entry. Brookbanks has long been one of the most quietly genius performers in Snort, and it's a delight to see her blossom on stage with a set that riffs on the idea of not quite having one's life together.
Closing out the night was the wonderful James Malcolm, who delivered an incredible - and hilarious - deconstruction of the way society stereotypes queer people. Comedy that draws from being part of a minority often risks losing control and sliding into stereotypes itself, with much resting on how crowds respond to the humour. But Malcolm's set remained firmly in control, ensuring he retained agency without losing momentum - a testament to his comedic intelligence and whip-smart delivery.
