CHAOS, ABSURDITY AND TALL GRANDMAS AT THE NZ COMEDY FEST

The NZ International Comedy Festival presents
Stamptown, Jack Tucker and Lou Wall
 
The NZ International Comedy Festival with Best Foods Mayo welcomes three bold and boundary-pushing international acts this May, with the cult phenomenon Stamptown, New York’s unhinged standup Jack Tucker, and the insanely funny and razor-sharp Lou Wall.
 
“We’re genuinely thrilled to be presenting Stamptown, Jack Tucker and Lou Wall at the NZ International Comedy Festival this May. These are world-class acts, and it’s a real privilege to bring them to Aotearoa. Presenting shows like this is a big part of what the Festival exists to do: we work alongside artists and their teams to make ambitious work possible here and create opportunities for local performers to connect with international acts of this calibre. Just as importantly, it’s about introducing these artists to our audiences — and our audiences to them.” says Festival Producer, Jay Law.
 
For the first time, international comedy sensation Stamptown is heading to Aotearoa shores for a raunchy, chaotic, 90 minute spectacle featuring the most exciting alternative performers from around the world on 13 – 16 May in Auckland and 19 – 23 May in Wellington. Hosted by the bad boy of clown, Zach Zucker, Stamptown is a five-time New York Times Top Comedy Pick, and has packed out rooms at Netflix Is A Joke, Just For Laughs, Edinburgh Fringe, Glastonbury, SXSW, Lincoln Center, Soho Theatre, MICF, and Off-Broadway.

Called a "Winningly helter-skelter late-night entertainment"  by The Guardian, this is not a “sit nicely and chuckle” comedy show. You’re not just watching a show, you’re getting swept up in it. Think big laughs, big swings, and the kind of show you have to bring friends to. Joining host Zach Zucker is a contingent of some of the very best alternative comedians and performers from the US, Canada and Australia, including Cory Peter Lane, Martin Urbano, Erin Farrington, Jonny and Dylan Woodley, Jazida, Demi Lardner, Tom Walker and Anna Fisher.

If that isn’t enough chaos, Stamptown’s Zach Zucker is also bringing his award-winning high-energy, offbeat standup alter-ego Jack Tucker for one night only to Tāmaki Makaurau on 15 May and Pōneke on 22 May. Come see what happens when unstoppable confidence meets questionable material, technical chaos, and a performer who learned how to be funny by dropping rocks on his nuts for a laugh.

From across the ditch, nominee for Most Outstanding Show at the 2024 and 2025 Melbourne Comedy Fest Lou Wall also hits New Zealand for the first time on 5 May in Auckland. Called “a comedy whirlwind” by The New York Times and “The voice of a generation” by Chortle, their hilariously unhinged new hour asking, Where Are All the Tall Grandmas?, is a comedic investigation into height, heritage and what it truly means to live large.

A multi-award winning comedian, composer and content creator, Lou has been recognised for their genre-bending, politically savvy comedy and has garnered critical acclaim. They’ve had smash hit seasons in Edinburgh, London and New York. On telly, Lou has featured on ABC America’s Reef Break and ABC Australia’s FISK and Crime Night! as well as Iain Stirling’s Roast the Internet for Comedy Central UK.

The 2026 NZ International Comedy Festival with Best Foods Mayo runs from 1 – 24 May.

www.comedyfestival.co.nz

STAMPTOWN
AUCKLAND
13 – 16 May, 8.30PM
Rangatira, Q Theatre
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WELLINGTON
19 – 23 May, 8PM
Hannah Playhouse
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JACK TUCKER
AUCKLAND
Friday 15 May, 10.45PM
Loft, Q Theatre
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WELLINGTON
Friday 22 May, 10.30PM
Hannah Playhouse
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LOU WALL
Where Are All The Tall Grandmas?
Tuesday 5 May, 8.30PM
Rangatira, Q Theatre
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