The NZ International Comedy Festival is now an annual highlight on Aotearoa’s arts calendar; the 2023 Festival saw over 75,000 people experiencing live comedy. The audience satisfaction rate is a whooping 98.5%. Each year The Comedy Festival showcases the best of local comedy and a taste of some of the world’s best. Over 120 show seasons, with over 600 performances from around 200 comedians.

This year we have numerous GCM talent lined up for The NZ International Comedy Festival. Including:  Johanna Cosgrove , Vincent Andrew-Scammell, Rhys Mathewson, Robbie Nicol and Melissa Lawlor. Check out their shows below.

Johanna Cosgrove - A wild alt-cabaret ride; ICONOCLAST scratches off the gilt and dives into the guilty with ecclesiastical sleaze with creator Johanna Cosgrove (Aunty, Hi Delusion!) Revelling in provocative imagery and classic cabaret tropes, including 1920's Berlin nights and early American stand-up, this naughty nun, accompanied by a lone musician (Alistair Deverick, Desperate Late Night Energy), explores faith, loneliness and grief in a mad attack on all things sacrosanct. Directed by Barnie Duncan. Winner of Best Poster 2023, NZ International Comedy Festival,  Outstanding Performance 2018, Dunedin Fringe and Winner - Best Comedy 2017, Auckland Fringe

Vincent Andrew-Scammell - With a 30k student loan, and no career prospects, Vincent's life is hurtling down the wrong track‚ luckily, he has found the solution: an ancient Grecian artifact said to grant him the power of the 9 muses. In a show described as a "hugely entertaining", "bonkers multi-genre supercut of The Iliad". Vincent uses the power of these muses to transport the audience to the ludicrous, deadly, and whimsical world of Greek mythology.

Rhys Mathewson –not only has One but Two shows this year...SURBLIBOR & 10th Rodeo

The smash hit of last year's festival is back for a second season. A brand new line up of 10 comedians, competing to win the title of Sole Surblibor and $1000 cold hard cash. There will be backstabbing, blindsiding, challenges and tribal councils, and of course the merge feast. If you think this sounds like Survivor, legally speaking we have no idea what you're talking about.

10^th Rodeo - This is my tenth stand up show in the comedy festival and I promise you with every fibre of my being that if I were shit at this I would have realised by at least show #9 and given up. Winner of  Fred Award for Best Show 2016, NZ International Comedy Festival and  Billy T James Award 2010, NZ International Comedy Festival

As seen on almost every comedy panel and every celebrity dancing show that NZ has to offer. "one of NZ's best comedians" - stuff.co.nz

Robbie Nicol  also has not ONE but Two show this year!

New Zealand finally has a late night talk show! Sure it's not on TV, but this is a pretty good start. Robbie Nicol has been called the "Kiwi John Oliver" by the Sunday Star Times and a "satire genius" by Jacinda Ardern. He's written for Taskmaster NZ, Taskmaster AU, 7 Days, but all that is for nothing if he can't convince fancy TV execs to give him a show. Join Robbie and special guests as he frantically tries to sell out as fast as humanly possible. Winner of Best Web Show 2015, New Zealand Web Fest Winner - Best Newcomer 2017 Wellington, NZ International Comedy Festival

THE GREAT COMEDY DEBATE - Armed with only their comedic genius, impeccable wit, and intellectual nous, two teams of comedians battle it out in Festival favourite The Great Comedy Debate of 2024!    Come prepared for good points and dirty tactics, hot takes and wild yarns... and a fight to the debatable death over this year’s moot: Are Humans the Best Animals? 

To the role of Moderator, we welcome satirical genius, Robbie Nicol (White Man Behind A Desk, Best Newcomer Wellington - NZICF). Our formidable Team Captains are none other than Kura Forrester (Billy T Award Winner 2019, Shortland Street) and Josh Thomson (7 Days, Taskmaster NZ), rambunctiously supported by Laura Daniel (Taskmaster NZ, Celebrity Treasure Island, Two Hearts), Matt Heath (Taskmaster NZ, Radio Hauraki), Abby Howells (Billy T Award Winner 2023) and Jack Ansett (Billy T Award nominee 2023). It’s fast, factual (?) and funny as – with the audience deciding who’ll take the win on the night!

JOSH METCALFE, MELISSA LAWLOR

The Sassy Sexy Gorgeous Hilarious Comedy Show!

Josh is a comedian with a cheeky flare who gets very passionate‚ and slightly aggressive! He takes the piss out of annoying Britneys and arrogant Gregs we all know. You can't help but laugh at his extra and boujee ways.

Melissa is a pre-award winning comedian who performed stand up for years in LA. Her latest comedy is about riding the wave of becoming a mum, marriage and growing up in Sydney in the early 2000s. "It's a bit much"- Mel's Mum. As seen on Educators, in Snort and Bullrush.

You can book your tickets here

Taking place in Auckland and Wellington, it is vital part of the arts scene and a key revenue driver for venues; as evidenced by some of the biggest months at Q Theatre, Basement Theatre, Bats, Te Auaha Creative Institute of NZ, The Classic, Covert Theatre, Fringe Bar and San Fran.

The NZ Comedy Fest exposes audiences to a diverse range of high-quality live comedy, develop new comedy audiences, reflect NZer’s multi-culturalism and celebrate what makes us laugh as a nation. They encourage innovation in the development of comedy in New Zealand and encourage international promoters to see us as an important stop on international tours.

At all levels of programming, the New Zealand Comedy Trust champions the values of accessibility and diversity, contributing to a culture of inclusion and celebration.