Show bringing the laughs to Pahiatua
Hosted by former Pahiatua woman Maggie Malone
AOne Night Stand was one of the highlight events in Pahiatua in 2020 and now the crew from DIY Comedy are bringing back another show, this time with a familiar face and a brand new line-up of performers on Saturday, May 15.
Hosted by former Pahiatua woman Maggie Malone, the show features Kitty Fitton of Wellington, Mike Osborne from Wairarapa, Dave Wiggins of Whanganui and will be headlined by Te Rina Taite, who has recently returned to New Zealand after five years on the Sydney comedy circuit.
Maggie has become a regular pro in the Manawatu¯ region and she got her start in the 2018 Raw Comedy Quest in Palmerston North and also won Best Newcomer and Best Female Comedian at The Comedy Hub awards that year.
“I was very surprised at how quick that came about. People kept telling me I’d be good at comedy and I started to wonder if maybe they were right.
“With my 50th birthday looming, I decided to do a comedy course before I got any older and see if I could make people laugh. I never imagined it would lead to where I am now,” says Maggie.
Since then, she has gone one to be one of the stars of the Manawatu¯ scene and has gigged professionally with the likes of Cohen Holloway (of The Ma¯ ori Sidesteps and Hunt for the Wilderpeople fame) and Billy T winner Cori GonzalezMacuer.
Maggie has overcome horrendous stage fright regularly when she performs, but believes it’s all worthwhile when you hear an audience laugh.
“I felt nauseous and nervous before my first gig and I still feel the same before every gig since then. I feel great once it’s all over though. The first time I relaxed on stage, got a laugh from an audience, it was absolute magic,” says Maggie.
Other than the stage fright, the travelling to and from gigs is a challenge, says Maggie.
“If you want to get stage time you must travel because we are in a smaller region. We have the shows in Palmerston North but there’s lots of comedians competing for space there. So, you may end up travelling to Wellington or some of smaller towns nearby. It’s all worth it though when you connect with an audience and you hear the laughter,” she says.
■ Headlining the show, Te Rina is a Kiwi comedian who returned to New Zealand last year, having gigged on the competitive circuit in Australia.
As well as comedy, she’s also a radio star and a competitive quizzer.
You may have seen her on