Comedy Review - Ben Elton - Auckland - 29th April 2025

Presented By Live Nation

BEN ELTON IMAGE SUPPLIED

Review By: Andra Jenkin

Artist: Ben Elton

Venue/City: Sky City Theatre, Auckland, New Zealand

Date of Event: Tuesday 29th April 2025

My expectations are high as I file into the Sky City Theatre to see Ben Elton’s stand-up comedy show Authentic Stupidity. I’ve loved his work since my father allowed me to watch The Young Ones with him even though it was well past my bedtime. I loved Blackadder, Filthy, Rich and Catflap and Upstart Crow. I read all of his books, starting with Stark (except for Time and Again, which is in my bag right now). The First Casualty is in my top ten books to take to a desert island (and washing up on a desert island is probably the only way I’d get time to read it again with my schedule). So when the opportunity to review his current show came up, I ditched my ninjitsu class, crossed my fingers that I could write my other 7am deadline afterwards, and just went.

Elton is the original left-wing comedian ranting his social commentary to all who will listen, aimed at those who will not. Would I get cynical Elton opining on a dystopic world, or optimist Elton espousing feminism, or insightful Elton, applying his razor wit to complex issues to break them down into manageable sized jokes so we don’t gag on them? Yes, I would. It’s D, all of the above. Authentic Stupidity absolutely rails against the conservative hate filled vitriol of the far right but also more insightfully warns of the hate filled vitriol of the left, as well as offering waves of feminism and more than a little self-reflection on everything from gender roles to the fear of becoming what one hates, a conservative, reactionary, old man shouting at clouds.

From the moment he practically skips onto the stage, Ben Elton has the energy and fervour of a man in his 20s. His ability to maintain a rapid-fire monologue for an hour at a time without ever having to breathe led my companion to remark that his wife must be a happy woman indeed. His working-class South London accent has been making audiences laugh for 44 years now and tonight was no exception. I can hear, people yelling out ‘Yeah!’ above the laughter, as he hammers home his points, the audience agrees with every word and is thoroughly appreciative with rolling laughs, and plenty of clapping too.

He doesn’t need props or fancy staging. The show is just Ben Elton and a microphone. Yet the show does have a theatrical quality as he acts out characters for purposes both comedic and satirical. He’s written for everyone from Ronnie Corbett to Stephen Fry since the 1980s and still has something to say. The show covers the gamut from alternative politics and elderly hobbies to James Bond and the Barbie movie along with the idiosyncrasies and idiocies of life. There’s satire, irony and puns, all told with a surprising physicality. He’s like the freaking energiser bunny. Really, how does he breathe? He literally never stops talking for a moment.

There are no sacred cows. He doesn’t shy away from discussing anything, including the fact that so many performers today shy away from discussing controversial topics. The theme that society changes around us is an important and interesting one and his hot take is well worth the time to listen to it. His show is relevant today and he doesn’t punch down. There’s gentle mockery of himself and his own generation as well as the younger ones, but not contempt. He doesn’t dismiss or disrespect anyone, unless you count Trump, Elon Musk and the Act party, which I don’t.

There are discussions of things he’s passionate about, calls to activism, and I’m positive that like my friend and I, there were others in the audience who were inspired to really delve into political and social commentary in the car on the way home. I’m sure were all talking about absolutism, or cultural appropriation and diversity. Because that is one of the best things about watching something created by Ben Elton. The knock-on effects of spreading ideas and thoughtfulness and reflection and galvanising passion for creating a better world, no matter how cynical you are about the one we live in now. It’s worth seeing the show for this feeling alone.

But don’t worry, if you don’t think you’re highbrow enough for all the intelligent political commentary, there’s also some really good knob gags.

Ben Elton Authentic Stupidity NZ Tour Poster 2025

---