Espressoholic, Cuba St , Wellington. NZ International Comedy Festival Welcome to a satirical comedy where four socially inept friends attempt to operate a Wellington coffee shop β with spectacularly selfish, chaotic and hilarious results!
Last year, you fell in love with Owen, Donna, Kenny and Doug, now let them lie, cheat and scheme their way into your heart all over again! Each week features a different, brand new episode with special guests. This show will not play in Auckland , and features only 3 jokes about the wind. Espressoholic will be open to ticket holders from 7. Review by Lori Leigh 07th May By that I mean, the story structures are pre-planned, but the dialogue is unscripted.
Likewise, the show is at its strongest when the improvisational elements are utilised to their full potential: spontaneity, listening, complete connection and collaboration with the audience.
One way audience connection is successfully accomplished is through the choice of venue. Some of the performers are clearly very adept improvisers. Despite a lovely setting, some enjoyable performances and nice topical, contemporary Wellington themes, the show was not as full of laughs as I expected. At many times, I noticed audience members become more entertained by the Friday night Cuba Street traffic outside the windows of Espressoholic than the performance we were physically immersed in.
Some of the performers seem to overtly rely on tired jokes. I also find jokes about Wellington weather, already conjured by the title, wearisome after awhile. Other times the scenarios and characters become too preposterous, forgetting there is always a strong element of truth in comedy. Furthermore, many of the characters Donna Quigley excluded tend to depend upon the ignorance or stupidity of their characters for laughs or lack of , thus patronising the audience somewhat.
