NZ Comedy Festival & Best Foods Mayo present
Best Foods Comedy Gala
Hosted by Chris Parker
Rounding out an already stacked line-up of comedians from across Aotearoa and beyond, the Best Foods Comedy Gala adds
the final names to the ultimate night of comedy. On as part of the 2024 NZ International Comedy Festival with Best Foods
Mayo, audiences can get a taster of the best in the biz on Friday 3 May in Auckland and Saturday 4 May in Wellington,
with host Chris Parker.
In Tāmaki Makaurau and Te Whanganui-a-Tara, audiences get to experience Aotearoa’s favourite American country music and
comedy legend Wilson Dixon, following sell out seasons and numerous awards and nominations across NZ, Aus and the UK,
including a coveted Fred Award. Fred Award nominee, Barnie Duncan, makes his Gala debut in both cities, with his unique
off-beat style of comedy. Barnie has been highly awarded for his theatrical comedy both here and internationally and is
known for his acting roles on shows like Wellington Paranormal and Shortland Street. He's joined by Comedy Fest regular,
Wellington's own legend, MC and comedy producer Jerome Chandrahasen who will bring plenty of laughs.
In Auckland, last year’s Gala host and comedy force and previous Billy T Award winner Melanie Bracewell returns. Making
audiences laugh on screen and in the writer’s room in both Aotearoa and Australia, her credits include The Cheap Seats,
Have You Been Paying Attention?, 7 Days, and Wellington Paranormal. Winner of Best Live Show and Best Gag at the 2019
New Zealand Comedy Guild Awards, Paul Douglas has been making audiences laugh for more than 14 years and returns to the
Gala after being a highlight in 2023.
Also in Auckland are international acts, the award-winning UK comedian, actor and writer Ian Smith, who was nominated
for the Edinburgh Comedy Award for Best Show last year and Aussie Kirsty Webeck, who brings her upbeat and relatable
brand of comedy to the Gala for the first time after seasons at both the Sydney and Melbourne Comedy Fests.
The Capital will be treated to Courtney Dawson, who made the final three in Celebrity Treasure Island, Have You Been
Paying Attention? and Paddy Gower Has Issues. She kicked off her comedy career with a bang, winning 2019’s Raw Comedy
Quest and Best Newcomer. She’ll be joined by Lesa MacLeod-Whiting, who also made a big impression in her first year of
comedy as 2020 Raw Comedy Quest national finalist and Best Newcomer at the 2020 Wellington Comedy Awards. She won Best
Comedian in the 2023 Wellington Comedy Awards and is also the co-host of the podcast Are We Pals? with acclaimed
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah, a regular act and MC in Wellington and across the country, who will also be joining
the Gala line-up.
These outstandingly funny comedians join the already announced line-up of Heath Franklin’s Chopper, Brynley Stent, Pax
Assadi, Abby Howells, Takashi Wakasugi, Nazeem Hussain, Hayley Sproull, He Huang, Alice Snedden, Rhys Mathewson, and Eli
Matthewson for an unforgettable night of comedy, filmed exclusively for THREE.
The 2024 NZ International Comedy Festival with Best Foods Mayo runs from 3 – 26 May, with the full programme live at:
www.comedyfestival.co.nz
EST FOODS COMEDY GALA
AUCKLAND
Friday 3 May, 7.30pm
Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre, Aotea Centre
50 Mayoral Drive, Auckland Central
Tickets via Ticketmaster
WELLINGTON
Saturday 4 May, 7.30pm
The Opera House
113/111 Manners Street, Te Aro
Tickets via Ticketmaster