The NZ International Comedy Festival with Best Foods Mayo returns in 2024 with three weeks of non-stop laughter for the 31st year, from 3–26 May.
This year, the festival will be hosted by none other than the self proclaimed People's Princess of Aotearoa and winner of the Topp Prize, Chris Parker.
Prepare for a night brimming with comedy gold in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland on Friday 3 May, at the Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre, Aotea Centre. The Best Foods Comedy Gala, a rock solid show-stopping sell-out, promises the perfect bite-sized taster of the finest local and international acts from the festival.
First on the bill from across the ditch comes one of Australia's best comics, Heath Franklin’s Chopper. He’s been nominated for two ARIA’s, a Logie, won Comic’s Choice at the Melbourne International Comedy Fest and sold more than half a million tickets worldwide, and is a regular on 7 Days. Chopper is a genuine comedy icon.
The first local acts joining Chris at the 2024 Best Foods Comedy Gala include star of everything from Taskmaster NZ, Celebrity Treasure Island, Golden Boy and Shortland Street, and 2021 Billy T Award winner, Brynley Stent, returning after making an incredible Gala debut in 2023.
Award-winning comedian and 2020 Gala host Pax Assadi. A familiar face from his days in Frickin Dangerous Bro, he’s also hosted The Great Kiwi Bake Off, made regular appearances on 7 Days and The Project, and created and starred in NEON’s Raised by Refugees.
Reigning Billy T Award winner Abby Howells, whose credits include Shortland Street, 7 Days, Guy Montgomery's Guy Mont-Spelling Bee and Comedians Giving Lectures. A Festival favourite, Abby has previously taken out the Director’s Choice Award in 2021.
After his first appearance at the NZ Comedy Fest in 2023 Takashi Wakasugi returns to take to the Gala stage. After relocating to Australia from Japan in 2018 he’s gone on to build a burgeoning comedy career, sharing his unique perspective on Aussie life. Since then he’s sold out comedy festivals around Australia and this year was winner of Director’s Choice Award at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
The 2024 NZ International Comedy Festival with Best Foods Mayo runs from 3 – 26 May, with the full programme to be announced in March 2024.
