Laughter guaranteed, says comedian
‘‘People always want to watch comedy that reflects their world view.’’
Whenever comedy trio Frickin Dangerous Bro heads to South Auckland, they manage to turn heads.But it’s not because they dress outrageously or smell bad, but because member Pax Assadi has created something of a cult following with his solo comedy work.
The comedian, who used to live in Ma¯ngere, calls himself ‘‘hood famous’’ after becoming wellknown for talking about Ma¯ngere in his stand-up jokes.Now, he leaves his comedian mates, James Roque and Jamaine Ross, in his dust when they venture out south.
‘‘We can’t walk around South Auckland without people coming and saying ‘hey Pax’,’’ Roque says.
They’re hoping to capitalise on that fanfare when they stop off at Ma¯ngere Arts Centre as part of their World Tour of Ta¯maki Makaurau on October 6.
Funded by Creative New Zealand, it’s their opportunity to bring their sketch comedy performances to Auckland communities. By getting out of the city, they’re hoping to engage with more Ma¯ori, Pacific Island, and Asian audiences.
The three of them represent the cultural diversity of Auckland themselves. Roque is Filipino, Ross is Ma¯ori and Assadi is of Iranian and Pakistani descent. Their shows often feature sketches about life from their perspective, which they say resonates with people from similar backgrounds.
‘‘People always want to watch comedy that reflects their world view,’’ Assadi says.
While they’re enjoying the belly laughs and stomping feet responses from their Ma¯ori and Pasifika audiences so far, they say Pa¯keha¯ audiences aren’t excluded by any means.
‘‘We want white people to come and give us their money too,’’ Roque says.
They describe their tour as a hybrid of theatre and stand-up comedy, combining sketches of their sold-out New Zealand International Comedy Festival shows of the past three years.
Assadi says it will be awesome because it features only the ‘‘bangers’’ of their best gigs and Roque guarantees audiences will laugh at least three times.
Frickin Dangerous Bro’s World Tour of Ta¯maki Makaurau is on October 6 at 7.30pm at Mangere Arts Centre. Tickets are $15 and available at Eventfinda.