James Roque is the headline act at Hello Comedy Showcase on March 11. Photo / Supplied
James Roque is the headline act at Hello Comedy Showcase on March 11. Photo / Supplied
Dave Wiggins is a native of Maine, in the north-east of the United States, and now he lives in Whanganui, promoting comedy.
He got involved in the laughs industry about 20 years ago.
“I was living in Auckland and a friend just said, ‘You’re funny, you should do comedy’. I went along to The Classic, the comedy club in Queen St and I did the Raw competition there, which they do every year. I didn’t win but I made it to the final. Ever since then I’ve been doing it.”
He describes his act as “clean, energetic, observational”.
“I went to Auckland and up to Piha Beach, because I was into that. At 19 I came to New Zealand to study ... I met a girl and I’ve been here ever since.”
They have been married now for 18 years and have four children.
“Through a mutual comedic friend I met Elizabeth [McMenamin-Pervan]. She grew up in Whanganui then spent 10 years in Auckland as an actress. She hung out with a lot of comedians and saw a lot of comedy. Elizabeth moved back about a year or two before I moved here. In 2021 I started doing comedy again [after a break] and she started doing comedy.”
Together they decided there needs to be more comedy in Whanganui and a year ago they ran their first Hello Comedy gig.
“We sold out the Musicians Club and we’ve done other gigs since then. Our dream is to do a mini comedy festival but we’re doing a gala as a step towards that.”
The Whanganui Comedy Gala features Dai Henwood and is on stage at the Royal Whanganui Opera House on June 16.
“We just want to bring more professional comedy to Whanganui.”
Dave still performs and hosts the Hello Comedy Monday night Open Mic evening, Fresh Comedy Monday.
“We started the Open Mic, but there’s another show that happens on a Thursday night, which our company doesn’t run. It’s kind of semi-pro and is a regular once-a-month Thursday. I perform in that sometimes. Between that show and our show there’s a scene happening in Whanganui. Last year we had nine people from Whanganui do comedy for the first time.”
He says the Monday night audiences have been great.
He sees a future for comedy and Whanganui comedians, but he says they have to do more shows. The more often they perform, the more they develop.
“It’s only a couple of years old but it’s making a name in the region and nationwide.”
On Saturday, March 11 at 7.30pm, it’s a Hello Comedy Showcase at the Whanganui Musicians Club, with featured artist James Roque with Hoani Hotene and Miranda Camden with the show hosted by Samantha Hannah.
“For this show we always bring in a headliner from Auckland, " says Dave. “Air Chathams has come on board as a sponsor now, so they’re flying our headline act [James] down for free.”
Samantha Hannah is from Scotland.
“She’s based in Wellington. She’s been in New Zealand for a couple of years but did comedy in the UK.”
Samantha Hannah hosts Hello Comedy Showcase on March 11. Photo / Dianna Thomson
Dave says the other two acts are from Wellington and they will have a local act as well.
