Kiwi comedian to play Carterton

Michele A'Court stages her show titled Stuff I Forgot To Tell My Daughter at the Carterton Events Centre on Friday, March 25, as part of Arts on Tour. PHOTO/FILE

Stand-up Kiwi comic and author Michele A'Court is to grace a Wairarapa stage with her award-winning brand of humour as part of an Arts on Tour show.

The 32-date nationwide tour, which is titled Stuff I Forgot To Tell My Daughter after her first book of the same name, will take A'Court from Otamatea in the north to Stewart Island in the south. A'Court will stage her show at the Carterton Events Centre on Friday, March 25.

The 54-year-old mother and grandmother has won a mass of awards during her entertainment career including Miss Junior Hawke's Bay in 1970, NZ Comedy Guild Best Female Comedian each year from 2002 to 2007, and NZ Comedy Guild Female Comedian of the Decade in 2010. Her debut book was published last year and like her stage show deals with "all the big and small issues" she forgot to tell her daughter Holly, now 23, when she left home -- from the right way to store ginger, to an explanation of feminism.

A'Court was presented last October with the Reilly Comedy Award by the Variety Artists Club of NZ for achieving excellence in the field of comedy and her latest show has gained critical acclaim throughout the country.

A'Court initially trained as a journalist and, armed with a Victoria University degree in English literature and drama, went on to forge a New Zealand entertainment career since first appearing on the small screen in 1987 as a children's TV presenter.

She has also since worked in radio, theatre and television, and performs live in pubs and clubs nationally and internationally.

Her first book was published by Harper Collins and has been a bestseller here. The book will be released in Britain in June and A'Court is in the midst of her second book which is set for publication in 2017.

A'Court also writes a weekly column for The Press newspaper and is a freelance writer. She is a successful and sought after speaker, event host, and conference MC and is also patron of the Moving & Handling Association of New Zealand, which supports carers in the health sector.

The Arts On Tour New Zealand (AOTNZ) organises tours "of outstanding New Zealand performers to rural and smaller centres in New Zealand", according to spokeswoman Diana Moir.

The trust receives funding from Creative New Zealand, support from Interislander, and liaises with arts councils, repertory theatres and community groups, Ms Moir said, to "bring the best of musical and other talent to country districts".

Michelle A'Court's Stuff I Forgot To tell My Daughter show at the Carterton Events Centre starts at 7pm and tickets cost $25 each plus a booking fee. Tickets are available online at eventfinda.co.nz.