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The Cryptid Factor
New Zealand International Comedy Festival review
Bigfoot, Yeti, El Chupacabra, The Loch Ness monster....
The list of unsolved mysteries within the animal world goes on and is a constant source of mystery to those who are enamoured of the Cryptozoological world.
Cryptozoology - for those of you who are new to the genre - is the study of hidden animals.
As well as Leigh Hart and his foray into our Mysterious Planet, two others who are interested in this world are Rhys Darby and David Farrier, who've teamed up to bring to the stage this live version of their weekly radio show as part of the NZ International Comedy Festival.
While this pair's banter is one of the major highlights of the show, it's actually the world which they delve into which is the real source of entertainment for this outing.
Starting with an actual recording of a 911 call with someone reporting a creature in their garden, The Cryptid Factor is a look into the strange world of hidden animals - along with a multimedia show and some live music thrown in for good measure.
Darby begins by telling the crowd that the show is "unscripted and may be a bit shambolic" but what lies ahead is a wonderful snapshot of how this duo - along with Buttons, their technical guy - got intrigued and had their lives changed by this cryptozoological interest. There's a kind of chat show feel to this live stage show with guest contributors brought in to explain their sightings and a slideshow to demonstrate how the dynamic duo have followed their passion. Throw into the mix the live songs of Boono, a regular contributor who pens music and lyrics about Nessie, Bigfoot as well as a truly infectious number about the mousse of Fiordland and you've got the formula for a winning 90 minutes.
There's a lot of self effacing humour in The Cryptid Factor, but it's clear those involved aren't actually mocking the subject; it's treated with a genuine warmth and desire to share their hobby; a great deal of the warm glow of the show arises from the rapport the trio have and onstage banter doesn't feel forced ; there's a genuine energy and interest on stage that Farrier seems genuinely upset they're running out of time and still have much to cover.
It strikes me no two versions of The Cryptid Factor will be the same - with a revolving door policy for contributors and a level of audience interaction, there's clearly much to be had from this - both in terms of fun and also in learning. Recommended for broadening the mind - as well as the smile on your face.
The Cryptid Factor is on at Auckland's The Basement on May 1st and May 8th at 3pm.
