If you love laughter or you love and appreciate The Naked Samoans, come to this show. If you love magic, come to this show too. Follow the white rabbit into a world of mystery and mayhem. After the death of a mysterious fan, the guys discover they are the inheritors of the keys to a rambling dilapidated villa in Ponsonby. With Auckland house prices skyrocketing and money to be made, the boys gather to sell it off and get on with their lives. But the house, and who has left it to them, are not what they seem…. Imbued with the spirit of magic, the house and what it contains will lead the boys to face their biggest challenge yet.
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This minute reunion show was a curious, endearing, almost old-fashioned piece - half comic play, half old-school magic show. At times, it felt as good as anything they've done, sharp, clever, properly funny; at times, it felt unfinished, as if they'd run out of writing time to quite add that final polish. The elaborate backstory began with a comic John Campbell voice-over explaining the dismal failure of the original Naked Samoans show back in and the mental toll that critical pasting had on the boys: Mario Gaoa and a mute Dave Fane toiling at KFC, Heto Ah Hi living in Myers Park "freedom camping," he said indignantly , gout-afflicted war veteran Shimpal Lelisi washing car windscreens, Oscar Kightley working for the ministry of Pacific Island Affairs and, extracting the most comic effect, Robbie Magasiva re-invented, "and transitioning to become a palangi" in Wanaka, complete with southern man accent, casual racism and a love of hunting and fishing. Then they found themselves unwillingly reunited for the first time in two decades in a lawyer's office, learning that they'd been left a rambling Ponsonby villa in the will of a famous magician. The boys duly went to investigate, and became caught in the spell of the house and forced to work together again. This first section had some brilliant AV effects, some chunks of very clever writing and an incredibly versatile set. Then the curtain suddenly went down, but this was no interval - instead, the Samoans peered around it, saw the audience, and found themselves in dinner suits, somehow compelled by the magic house to perform a magic show.
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The group performs social humour and satire that attracts a broad audience, especially among white New Zealanders, without sacrificing the group's Pacific Island identity. The group has gained success in both television and film projects as well as in theatre, which remains their primary base in entertainment. The show was a sellout success in several cities across New Zealand. It led to a series of successful theatre productions and greater media attention. Their material on such subjects as racism and violence were surprising to some, but nonetheless their base grew. Between and , the Naked Samoans were involved in two major projects. In television, the original members created the animated show bro'Town , New Zealand's first adult animated show. It received critical praise and numerous awards from the country's domestic entertainment industry. In film, most of the group members starred in the comedy film Sione's Wedding , known as Samoan Wedding in other regions such as North America, co-written by Oscar Kightley and James Griffin. However, it also got media attention as being a victim of unauthorized distribution, resulting in some loss of potential revenue.
If this continues please try upgrading your browser or contact us for assistance. Featuring extensive footage from their live shows, this episode of Tagata Pasifika explores comedy phenomenon The Naked Samoans. The performances include early versions of characters who featured on animated hit bro'Town. Co-founder Oscar Kightley talks about the group's "licorice allsorts" cultural makeup, and how prejudice is not the same as racism. Featuring some comical censorship via an off-screen voice, the episode captures the raw, non-PC island humour that filtered into five seasons of bro'Town , and two Sione's Wedding films. Beginning This time: eg. Continue to next clip Stop playing. Search My list. We're sorry, but something went wrong Please try reloading the page.
