How Comedian & Actor Brynley Stent Makes Her Career In Comedy Work

Comedian, writer and actor Brynley Stent is currently in Melbourne, performing her show Soft Carnage. Ahead of her shows at the NZ International Comedy Festival in May, she tells Viva how she makes a “9-to-11″ career in comedy work.

Brynley Stent is a comedic master of mediums.

Over the last year, she has performed in theatre show Camping, opened her dating life up to a documentary series, guest-starred on the silver screen, debuted an absurdist comedy sketch show and toured her acclaimed stand-up sets for international audiences.

Brynley’s start in comedy came when she was 14, after her drama teacher (shoutout to Miss Versteeg), invited her to join the school ‘theatresports’ team.

“I said yes – and probably did some of the worst improvising of my life. But the moment I hit that stage, I felt a thrill like nothing I’d ever experienced before. I was hooked.

“After that, I said yes to every school production, stage challenge, uni drama society show, outdoor Summer Shakespeare, and comedy sketch gig I could find (all unpaid, of course). Over the years, I’ve done improv shows in closed-down movie theatres, spent three years at drama school, been a ‘Parking Angel’ for Wellington businesses, and even performed an extracurricular theatre show in the basement of an abandoned Baby City.”

After moving to Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Brynley joined late-night improv group Snort, which was made up of a rotating cast that performed at Basement Theatre every Friday. The show featured a gaggle (giggle?) of comedians, including Chris Parker, Kura Forrester, Tom Sainsbury, Alice Snedden, Rose Matafeo and David Correos, among others, throughout its 10-year run and is often credited as a launching pad for major comedic careers.

After performing with Snort, Brynley went on to write and perform her own shows at Basement Theatre and in the New Zealand Comedy Festival. She’s also made appearances on Jono and Ben, Funny Girls, Golden Boy, Taskmaster NZ and Celebrity Treasure Island.

“It’s been a labour of love from the very beginning,” Brynley says.

Her latest project marked the biggest shift in format. Brynley starred alongside Kura Forrester in Bryn & Ku’s Singles Club, a documentary series/road movie/buddy comedy for The Spinoff that sees the two comedians roaming the country to survey the dating scene in Aotearoa.

“It was one of the most easeful jobs I’ve ever done.

“We got to show up on the day and really experience the dates, events, and interviews. I think that made us both more open and honest on camera. When we were watching it back in the edit suite, I thought to myself, ‘Wow, this is the best acting I’ve ever done!’ And then I realised – duh, it’s because I wasn’t acting.”

Currently, Brynley is wrapping up her last week at Melbourne International Comedy Festival, performing Soft Carnage. The show won the Billy T Award in 2021 and has since travelled across Aotearoa and to London. What is it like performing in front of international crowds?

“Taking a show to a festival is simultaneously hard, rewarding, confronting – and the most fun. The highs are so high, and the lows are very low ... mostly it just reminds me how much I love live performance.”

It’s another part of a job that is constantly in flux and demands a lot of “ball-juggling”.

“It’s all about trying to stay present in the job you’re doing at the time, while also future focusing to make sure you’ve got work lined up.

“There’s a lot of unpaid application writing, endless emails, prepping for 15-minute line-up spots at bars, writing shows for upcoming festivals, and performing at night. It’s absolutely not a 9-to-5 – it’s more of a 9-to-11 kind of job.”

At the New Zealand Comedy Festival, which opens on May 2, Brynley is set to host Bonetown across five nights in Auckland and Wellington.

“I’ve been grinding out solo comedy hours for the last four years, so this time I thought – why not have some other performers on stage with me?"

It’s a game show, featuring a rotating cast of comedians who will argue and debate to find a very important truth.

“The format is based on a party game called Sexcapades (sometimes also known as F**k), where, through a process of elimination, the group decides what thing is the most bone-able.”

Below, Brynley shares some insight into making her (not) routine work for her, from cultural inspirations to her favourite spot in Tāmaki Makaurau.

The best time of the day is ... Breakfast.

I get inspiration from ... Going to festivals and watching as much live performance as I can.

When I’m not working you’ll find me ... Cooking elaborate meals or playing Dungeons and Dragons.

A comedian who has impacted me is ... Kristen Wiig.

An album I’m loving is ... Volcano by Jungle.

The best TV show at the moment is ... Severance.

Podcasts I’m enjoying are ... I’m bad at listening to podcasts. I’m either listening to music or silence.

An Instagram I like to follow is ... @1salem_a_day.

My favourite movie is ... Spice World: The Movie.

My favourite artist is ... Ron Mueck.

My favourite place to shop for fashion is ... I would dress all day every day in Kowtow clothing if I could.

The best beauty product is ... Neutrogena Oil Free Eye Makeup Remover. That stuff strips everything right off.

My favourite place in Auckland is ... The top of Maungawhau.

If I’m going out, I’m heading to ... Basement Theatre.

I’m keen to travel to ... I wanna bike the Otago Rail Trail!

At the moment, I’m looking forward to ... hugging a cat.

If someone wanted to pursue comedy, I would tell them ...

See Brynley Stent’s show Bonetown on May 7-10 at Basement Theatre, Auckland and May 17 at Te Auaha, Wellington. You can also see her at the Best Comedy Show On Earth on May 18 at Skycity Theatre, Auckland.

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