North Shore Times (New Zealand)
Comedy trio takes show to new hoods
For comedy sketch group Frickin Dangerous Bro, it is important their comedy is reaching further than just a white inner city Auckland audience.
Stand-up comedians Pax Assadi, Jamaine Ross and James Roque, who all bonded over their ‘‘darker complexions’’, will take their show to neighbourhoods that wouldn’t traditionally go to a lot of comedy.
The World Tour of Tamaki Makaurau, funded by Creative New Zealand, will include five shows around the city: in the CBD, Mangere, Glen Innes, New Lynn and Birkenhead College on the Shore.
‘‘We want it to be people from those hoods who don’t normally go into the city to watch comedy to come and watch our shows,’’ Assadi said.
Raised in Glenfield by his parents who immigrated from Iran and Pakistan, Assadi said there is a bigger ethnic diversity on the North Shore than people think.
The 26 year-old said immigrants who come to New Zealand see the North Shore as a place you move to once you have made it.
The group is looking to engage Maori, Pacific Island, Asian and Middle Eastern audiences by visiting the more ethnically diverse suburbs.
Assadi said he hoped that, if those ethnicities see more people who look like them, they will be more interested in comedy and the arts in general.
Within their sketches the trio often tackle social issues, such as race and stereotypes.
The group even got the opportunity to share one of their sketches on national television as a part of the 2017 Flick Electric Co. Comedy Gala.
Assadi said the premise was two young brown kids in South Auckland, who were ‘‘shaming out’’ their teacher by being smarter then him, challenging the stereotype.
‘‘We don’t go out there trying to change people’s minds about social issues but, if we find an opportunity to inject what we think is constructive for society, then we will,’’ Assadi said.
‘‘We like to live by the notion of funny first.’’
❚ will perform at Birkenhead College, September 30, 7.30pm till 8.30pm. Tickets $15 from Eventfinda.co.nz. Phone sales, call 0800 BUY TIX (289 849).