• 
• 

Behind the LOL (laughing out loud) at the NZ International Comedy Festival, there is a serious side. It involves a Trust, a Creative Comedy Initiative fund and ‘supporting performers that push the boundaries’.

The inaugural fund recipients, Jamie Bowen and Steve Wrigley, popped onto The Big Idea to answer your questions about their shows and other funny business. See the comment box below.

* * *

Creative Comedy Initiative

In September 2010 the New Zealand Comedy Trust, with the support of ASB Community Trust and ART Venture, launched the Creative Comedy Initiative in the lead up to the 2011 NZ International Comedy Festival. The programme objective is to encourage, develop and support performers who want to create new, innovative and visionary comedy performances that push the boundaries of the traditional comedy genre.

Jamie Bowen (Munfred Bernstein's Cabinet of Wonder) and Steve Wrigley (Kevin The Musical) presented show concepts that both excited and inspired the selection panel.

NZ Comedy Trust managing director Kylie Aitchison says on initial reading their ideas leapt off the page, and both performers captivated the panel with their show's potential during the pitching sessions.

“It's been incredibly inspiring to be involved with Jamie and Steve over the last few months and I can't wait to see their shows premier at the Festival.”

Jamie Bowen

Jamie Bowen has established himself as one of the local comedic talents to watch. He has over a decade of performing under his belt and in that time has been all over New Zealand, not to mention Edinburgh, London, Singapore and Australia. He was the co-creator and writer for TVNZ’s cult hit A Night At The Classic, has appeared on TV3’s AotearoHa and works both on-screen and behind the scenes at hit show 7 Days.

2011 marks his 11th year at the NZICF and instead of showing signs of slowing down or being a one-trick-pony, Jamie has again pushed the creative boundaries to bring you a hugely entertaining hour of something that’s hopefully a little bit different and definitely a little bit wonderful.

Munfred Bernstein’s Cabinet of Wonder

Munfred Bernstein’s Cabinet of Wonder is a place to celebrate the mystery of the world and the oddities of those who inhabit it. You’ll witness a treasure trove of tales both loose and wild from a man slightly bent; all accompanied by music from instruments that sound like they should be put out of their misery. It’s more than just stand-up… It’s a fast-paced, fun and frenetic one-man traveling sideshow.

Devised under the supervision of Ben Crowder (Head, Bad Jelly The Witch) and directed by Jesse Griffin (Wilson Dixon, The 4 Noels), this new and innovative work combines all of Jamie’s talents to make for a truly unique and entertaining hour of comedy. It’s a touch of vaudeville, cabaret, circus, music hall and soapbox oratory; all mixed in together with good old-fashioned story telling.

Steve Wrigley

One of the stars of TV3’s 7Days, Steve Wrigley can always be relied upon for the most leftfield answers and ideas that often send other cast members searching for some kind of sanity. His 2008 Comedy Festival show The First Time won Steve the Billy T Award and he has twice since been nominated for the Festivals most prestigious award, the Fred Award.

Since Steve made the move from his beloved Wellington to Auckland he has become a mainstay of the local comedy industry mentoring for the Class Comedians programme and in 2011 becoming one of the first recipients of the NZ Comedy Trust’s Creative Comedy Initiative. His regular appearances on TV have seen him become recognised for his trademark high energy story telling, always with hilarious results.

Kevin: The Musical

The small New Zealand town of Kevin is all a-flutter with the prospect of getting it’s first traffic light. But what sort of scandal and intrigue lie behind the placid exterior of this sleepy town? This is a quintessentially New Zealand story which plays on our nostalgic view of small towns throughout the country.

Steve Wrigley starts in this one-man all-singing all-dancing all-mania musical spectacular.

With a full set and score written by the incomparable Mark Dennison, this will be the definition of a Kiwi battler rising up against the odds to make this masterpiece.

• The NZ International Comedy Festival 2011 is on from April 29 to May 22.