About The Laughing Samoans - Reviews
What: Laughing With Samoans - Refreshed
Where: Victoria University Memorial Theatre, Saturday
Reviewed by: Ewen Coleman
“If the aisles in the Victoria University Memorial Theatre had been big enough to fit Saturday night’s full house then the old adage- laughing in the aisles- would have been a reality such was the hilarity and laughter caused by Eteuati Ete and Tofiga Fepuleaí in their show Laughing With Samoans- Refreshed.
To have an audience roaring their heads off in the opening moments of a show while asking to have all cell phones switched off and explaining where the emergency exits are is a sure sign this is going to be a fun night, which it was.
To sustain continuous laughter for an hour and a half is no mean feat, but that is what these two very clever and accomplished performers do, never letting the energy or momentum drop in what must be one of the funniest shows in town since they were last here.
Sure they had a sympathetic audience of mainly Polynesians, but the fact that many of the jokes were at the expense of the audience covering such topics as their size, ability or inability with the English language, and eating, made it all the more funny.
The first part of the show is presented by Eteuati Ete who is not only a gifted and engaging comedian able to traverse a range of impersonations and characters with ease but who also uses very well prepared material. Short, pithy and succinct jokes and stories that cover such topics as Samoan weddings, Fafafine, his childhood in both Samoa and New Zealand, and his visits to America, produced wave after wave of laughter rolling through the audience.
When he was joined by Tofiga Fepuleaí to give their rendition of Taualuga, a traditional Samoan action song, they brought the house down. Fepuleaí’s routine that followed was just as funny, his strength being the very animated and physical way he presents his material about growing up in Rongotai and boy racers, among other things.
Although a big man- his muscles are just relaxing- Fepuleaí is incredibly agile, his break dancing routine one of the many highlights of an evening of sheer delight enjoyed by both audience and performers.”
What: Crack me off, by the Laughing samoans.
Where: Clarence St Theatre
Reviewed by: Gail Pittaway
“Crack me off, as its title indicates, is a show full of intercultural puns and misunderstandings. It’s nearly two hours of sketch comedy, performed without break by the two extremely talented members of the Laughing Samoans.
Eteuati Ete is the more experience performer of the two and often works as the straight guy or foil for the extravagances of his partner, Tofiga Fepuleaí. But both are equally capable of total buffoonery and the combination works really well to bring out knee-slapping laughs.
In black afro wigs they are both schoolboys telling how they get into and out of trouble; in wigs and lavalavas they are rugby mothers, trying not to appear to encourage violence, while wanting their boys to smash the opposition. In another skit they are headmaster and parent discussing the son’s misbehaviour at school. How can he be too smart? Aren’t school kids supposed to be smart?
Undoubtedly the most popular skits were the It’s Island Time spoof of a kids’ TV show- the presenters reverting to beaming grimaces every few seconds, breaking into song with Eteuati on guitar and the trials of Tale Something-Hyphen-Smif (Tofiga in long black wig) who, in money-making mode, demonstrates her exercise video, driving–in-the-car dance moves, to a by now roaring audience.
I’ve not had the chance to see these guys before and won’t miss them again. They are funny, sharp and very clever.”
