Comedian Ben Hurley put in a masterclass at Napier's 7 Days Live last night, writes Mark Story. Photo File
Napier's Municipal Theatre was packed to the gunnels.
For good reason.
Last night's rare visit from the 7 Days crew of Jeremy Corbett, Paul Ego, Jeremy Elwood, Dai Henwood, Justine Smith, Ben Hurley and Josh Thomson provided for Monday mirth of the highest order.
Last night's 7 Days Live included a 5-minute solo standup from each before the well-worn but timeless 7Days comic game show.
Nothing was lost on the live adaptation of the TV format - in fact it was a step up.
What impressed from the outset was this was no perfunctory-provincial whistle-stop.
Pleasingly, much of the content was deftly localised and researched. Referenced were the hot buttons of amalgamation, Mahia's Rocket Lab "Hastings, we have a problem", our dogged quake recovery, Art Deco and swimming in Ahuriri.
MP Stuart Nash made a guest appearance and was fawned over by Smith, while Henwood reminisced about his time as a visiting schoolboy in Flaxmere where he was beaten up by a big thug and had his new studded cricket shoes stolen.
To atone, Nash, as Minister of Police, then gifted the diminutive Henwood a pair of kids' shoes.
There was frequent crowd interfacing from Corbett as host, with a text caption competition and winner reveal later in the show a skilled piece of audience engagement.
The show's "mature" TV rating was appreciably ramped up to X-rated in this live version.
Which is why some of the highlights, including Hurley's bawdy take on how he pays his respects on Anzac Day, will never make this review. Suffice to say The Last Post will never be the same.
His standup was a personal highlight; a masterclass in irreverent hilarity from someone on top of his game.
Jeremy Elwood told everyone Napier's muni was one of his favourites, yet had a go at the theatre's "fake royal boxes", hinting they were intentionally bogus as the designers "knew the royals would never come here".
The only disappointment came from a few dimwits in the audience who insisted on snapping distracting flash photos of the very format they can see every Friday night on TV. Who photographs humour?
Perhaps this suggested the world-class calibre of wit on display; 7 Days and seven of our best comics on the same stage.
A stellar night of experiencing first hand what is undoubtedly the country's best domestic comedy product.
“I am looking at options – should I get rid of this business? The risk is too high.'