By Jake Ebdale

Date / Venue: Sunday May 10th, Bruce Mason Centre, Auckland

I was a huge Mighty Boosh fan at university. They were my everything. Noel Fielding, Julian Barratt and a host of mind-meltingly crazy characters comprised the ‘Zooniverse' - bits Python, Milligan, Miles Davis and Morrissey; a grown-up's playground of escapism and wonder. It was fucking nuts.

The Boosh lasted three seasons, and now Fielding is out doing stand up after another similarly insane series,Luxury Comedy. I had no idea what to expect, and had no reason to think Fielding could hold a show for over two hours. But this was insanely good.

Fielding is so wonderful, eccentric and quick-witted, he has an instant connection with the audience. The best part of the show is listening to the guy improvise, laugh at himself and talk about inanimate objects. He shoehorns in stories about spiders, being a chicken boy with nugget teets, jizzing into slippers in your forties, and his mate Russell Brand getting into politics.

He knows people go to his shows for weird shit - and calls them out on it repeatedly - but he can also weave a great joke together for stand up's sake. He is a talented storyteller; his imagination let loose with animation and props (including a limbless manikin called Lionel Messi). The Moon (along with his alter ego, the equally funny Dark Side of the Moon) is also featured throughout, as well as his brother Mike Fielding and Tom Meeten, who does triple duties as Antonio Banderas, a drug-taking high chief, and a triangle with Toblerone boner. This sounds weird on paper, and it was even weirder in real life.

It felt like it could fall apart in a second. Fielding would fuck up, then relish the moment. Perhaps the funniest point in the show was when Fielding asked an audience member, Steve, on stage for a bit, and enquired about his job. Steve said he re-housed hermit crabs for a living - and then everyone lost their shit, the audience - and the members of the show - in fits of laughter. The spontaneity, the good-hearted humour and the pure elements of wonder made this Noel Fielding gig an absolute joy to behold.

For entertainment's sake, this was the best comedy show I've seen yet. An excellent night out.

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