Kiwi funny men making big impact overseas

Brendhan Lovegrove

Local comedians are making a good living and perfecting their craft overseas thanks to critical crowds in Britain.

Rhys Darby and Brendhan Lovegrove have been performing there, and in other parts of the world, for about five years. And last year, Ben Hurley, 2004 winner of New Zealand's premier comedy award the Billy T., moved to London.

All three perform at the New Zealand International Comedy Festival this month.

The trio were managing to make a living in New Zealand. However, says Darby, he was "surviving" on three gigs a week while on an artist's benefit. Now, based in London, Darby is booked six months in advance.

Similarly, when Hurley gets back to London after the festival, he's booked until Christmas.

Lovegrove, who is now based in Australia because it's closer to home, started earning good money in Britain early on because top comedy club, Jongleurs, booked him for regular gigs. He was doing four or five shows a week and making four times as much for a gig as he made in New Zealand.

But it's not just about the money. The main thing these guys gush about are the crowds, and how their stand-up skills are improved.

"Basically the reason I left New Zealand," says Lovegrove, "was because [comedian] Radar came up and told me to, 'F-off', or he wouldn't be my friend anymore, because he knew I was stagnating here.

"Everybody has it in their mind about, 'Can I cut it overseas?' The real test is whether you can come on night after night in the big clubs, when there are really good comics performing all around you.

"What it teaches you is that you can't get away with being funny every night by being methodical. The way you do it is by finding what it is about yourself that is inherently funny."

Then again, says Lovegrove, in a club like Jongleurs you have to be reasonably methodical because there are 500 people and they're "really ripped".

"If you've got any lack of confidence, lack of material, or lack of funny, they will jump all over you. And if you've got any evidence of something new, they will absolutely love you."

It's no surprise to Hurley that New Zealand comics are popular in places as diverse as South Africa and Dubai, because he believes we have some of the best comedians in the world.

"I guess there's a novelty factor. We're congenial, lovable people. Kind of like the Irish of the South Pacific. And we do have a cute kind of way."

In Britain, comedy is a serious business. For example, each performance at Jongleurs is videotaped and if you have a bad gig the owners want to know why.

"Their point is you can't afford to lose the crowd," says Lovegrove.

For Hurley, who lives in Fulham, the comedy circuit is very rock'n'roll.

"They've all paid a decent amount of money to see you and they're up for it and as much as we like to think we drink in New Zealand we don't drink like the English. It really is rock'n'roll, flashing lights, booming voiceovers, and like nothing I've seen."

Darby agrees: "They are the best audiences in the world. They go out for comedy, and they're up for it. You get your full laughers and they're good at heckling, too. And if you are shit they'll let you know. So you can't drop the ball."

One thing they agree on is you can't beat home. That's why Lovegrove still has a house in Auckland. Hurley sums it up: "You've got to live in London - that's the only thing, and it's stinky. It's not New Zealand."

PERFORMANCES

* Brendhan Lovegrove in The Brendhan Lovegrove Project
The Kingslander, 470 New North Rd
May 18, and May 25 and 26, 8.30pm

* Rhys Darby in Based On Actual Events
Transmission Room, cnr Mayoral Dr and Queen St
May 30 - June 3, 7pm

* Ben Hurley in Here I Go Again On My Own
The Comedy Underground, cnr Wellesley & Queen St
May 17 - 20, 8.30pm