NZ's 'dark knight' of stand-up returns

April 10, 2006

NZ's 'dark knight' of stand-up returns

NZ's 'dark knight' of stand-up returns from his comedy crusades BENJAMIN CRELLIN - 'Gagz4themassez'

NZ's 'dark knight' of stand-up returns from his comedy crusades. Two years ago BENJAMIN CRELLIN set out to discover a world beyond the comedy stages of New Zealand. He has since enjoyed the highs and lows of the international stage in Australia, North America and Europe.

While on the Canadian Fringe CRELLIN discovered his posters torn down in one town and his flyers dumped in a bin to be replaced by little gold badges with a sunshine image that turned out to be the symbol of a huge local Christian civic group. "Whoops!" - maybe it was something he said. Political and social satire is not always music to the ears of audiences in unfamiliar territory

Local reviewers were a little more welcoming ". some of his funniest stuff is damned offensive . he had audience members laughing till their bellies shook like bowls full of jelly" said the EDMONTON JOURNAL "If Crellin weren't so charismatic, he'd be offensive. But bald, buff, intelligent and funny, he gets my vote for Irony Man of the Vancouver Fringe." VANCOUVER COURIER

But in Saskatoon there we very few stars in his front page review but in the next town, Edmonton, rave reviews and a sellout season. Fickle Canadians!

He kicked off his 2005 Canadian tour with just three people in the audience including 2 volunteers , a german backpacker and , unfortunately, the all-important talent scout for the prestigious Montreal JUST FOR LAUGHS FESTIVAL (ouch that has got to hurt), only to be subsequently voted BEST OF THE FRINGE at the Vancouver International Comedy Festival.

During the All Black tour of England an in-form CRELLIN was booked by the Jongleurs Comedy circuit to play their notorious venue in Portsmouth the night the ALL BLACKS played England , and he was promptly told to "F#*K OFF" by the partisan crowd. Strangely he was booked again to play Jongleurs Edinburgh venue the night the All Blacks played Scotland.

BENJAMIN takes a brief break from his roller-coaster ride on the global comedy circuit to catch up with audiences in Auckland and Wellington.

BENJAMIN CRELLIN - 'GAGZ4THEMASSEZ'

Live at The CLASSIC STUDIO, Auckland - Sat 13 May to Sat 20 May / 8:45pm

Live at BATS THEATRE , Wellington - Tue 23 May to Sat 27 May / 8pm

ENDS

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