Latest news with #BillyT'Billy
NZ Herald
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
Sketch, stand-up and improv comedy with Brynley Stent, Donna Brookbanks and Eli Matthewson – Billy T' Billy
Ahead of the festival, the NZ Herald is spotlighting some of the festival's performers in Billy T' Billy, a podcast bringing comedians together for a look at the industry. And for the final episode of the season, comedians Brynley Stent, Donna Brookbanks and Eli Matthewson talk about their experiences working in different forms of comedy. All three were members of Snort, an improv troupe who performed at Basement Theatre in Auckland most Friday nights for 10 years. Matthewson said the friendships formed between the members was one of the lasting aspects of that troupe. " It provided this opportunity to let loose and it's amazing how I think everyone kind of figured out who they are as comedians through just doing those shows. '$5 cash on the door. It was all in an ice cream container. I remember one night everyone was sitting on the, we had like 200 people in absolute fire risk that were sitting on the floor. It's truly some of my most special memories.' Brookbanks said: 'I think that's what you were saying about how we all kind of found our comedy voice through that, is I think that's another thing that made Snort work so well, aside from the friendship, was that we were all so different in terms of comedy style.' Many of the members went on to write for sketch shows Jono and Ben and Funny Girls, which aired on Three. Stent said working on those shows meant pitching 'some of the weirdest shit'. 'One of my most vivid memories from [those] times is just doing alts, which is where they'll have a script and then you come as the writers with 10 different alternative jokes for every joke, and you pitch them. 'So you go around the circle and you say them out loud and I reckon 90% of them stink up the joint. And so like you have to say to some of your most like best friends, slash the people you respect the most in the industry, you just have to say these jokes and have crickets.' Matthewson said it's a skill that's applicable to working on solo shows: " I tend to go through all my stand-up bits and I approach it the same way. I am like, 'okay, have I thought of every angle?', and I try and beat the jokes that I have." Listen to the full episode for more of the pros and cons of sketch, stand-up and improv.
NZ Herald
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
Jack Ansett, James Mustapic and Ray O'Leary talk viral moments, working with family members, and PowerPoint comedy - Billy T' Billy
When it comes to family, all three of them had experienced the awkwardness of their family coming to shows early in their careers, when things weren't going smoothly. 'I think some family members, especially in my family, some of them I think were initially embarrassed or worried it would be bad, and to be fair, in the beginning it was bad,' Ansett said. 'I remember I had one early show. And all the family came, Grandma, everyone, and it was shocking. And then I just think, eight, nine years pass and they... must just think, oh, 'he's still not that good', they don't know that you then moved to Auckland and you hustle with the best in the country and you do get a lot better.' 'I have some aunts and uncles who saw me do that very first Billy T show I did in Auckland,' O'Leary said. 'I was horrible. I remember just bombing in a room of 50 that was almost entirely my extended family. 'And then the worst thing about bombing to your family is you have to hang out with them afterwards. They have to grimace and say how impressive it was you remembered everything, and how brave you are for standing on stage. 'And then some of them have never come back. And I do wonder what they must think. Like we've all done things like been on TV or whatever, and I wonder if they see that and think, what's going on? This guy's no good!' For Mustapic, the only time his grandparents came to see him perform was six years ago, and he doubts they are ever coming back. 'The venue had a rule that it was free venue hire as long as the audience bought $300 of drinks, and then no one was buying drinks. 'I just bought heaps of drinks. 'cause I was like, either way, I'm paying for this. And then I was very drunk and just the crowd hated me. And I had to have a break in the middle of my show, but there was no backstage or green room for me to go to, so I had to sit in the crowd, after bombing, at halftime. 'So I just sit in the crowd with my grandparents, and be like, 'We'll be back in 10′." Listen to the full episode for more stories from the New Zealand comedy scene. Billy T' Billy is a NZ Herald podcast celebrating local comedy, in partnership with the New Zealand International Comedy Festival. New episodes are out every Wednesday. The festival runs from May 2nd to 25th in Auckland and Wellington.
