Ben Elton announces second Auckland show as part of his massive Authentic Stupidity tour.
Just give him a stage and a microphone and Ben Elton is the best. No contest
The Sunday Times
Elton’s timing and phrasing remain impeccable, his structure is masterly
Daily Telegraph
There is nothing, absolutely nothing, to beat Ben Elton live!
Evening Standard
Vital, relevant and passionate
The Scotsman
AUCKLAND, NZ (7 APRIL 2025) – Due to popular demand a new show at SkyCity Theatre Auckland has today been announced for BEN ELTON, the undisputed godfather of modern stand-up’s brand-new live show – Authentic Stupidity.
Ben will play Hamilton, Rotorua, Tauranga, Napier, Dunedin, Wellington, Christchurch and now two Auckland shows across April and May.
Tickets for the new Auckland show will go on sale at 3pm on Monday 7 April. For complete tour and ticket information, visit: livenation.co.nz.
The world has changed a lot since Ben last toured – a whole new existential threat has emerged to challenge our very existence: Artificial Intelligence. Apparently, it’s going to render all human life meaningless, but Ben is here to warn you that AI is not the greatest threat that we face; it’s Authentic Stupidity!
Ben said: The verdict’s in! Humanity is thick! Homo halfwit. The idiot branch of the Ape family! We need signs to tell us to step off escalators, we elect gibbering fools to lead us and now we’ve invented Artificial Intelligence which is going to replace us! I’ve spent 45 years in comedy exploring the outer limits of human idiocy and my mission has never been timelier. Forget AI! It’s AS we need to be worrying about!
Ben Elton’s multi-award-winning career spans over four decades and includes seminal and groundbreaking television shows (The Young Ones, Blackadder, Upstart Crow), West End plays (Popcorn, Upstart Crow), West End musicals (We Will Rock You, The Beautiful Game, Close up: The Twiggy Musical), best-selling novels (Stark, Dead Famous, Two Brothers) and feature films (Maybe Baby, Three Summers, All is True).
In October last year, Ben returned to Channel 4 for a one-off revival of Friday Night Live to rave reviews. The reincarnation of the original smash-hit Saturday Night Live was critically acclaimed, and Ben won the BAFTA for Comedy Entertainment Programme 2023.
BEN ELTON
AUTHENTIC STUPIDITY NEW ZEALAND TOUR 2025
CLARENCE ST THEATRE, HAMILTON – SATURDAY APRIL 19
SIR HOWARD MORRISON CENTRE, ROTORUA – TUESDAY APRIL 22
BAYCOURT ADDISON THEATRE, TAURANGA – WEDNESDAY APRIL 23
MICHAEL FOWLER CENTRE, WELLINGTON – SATURDAY APRIL 26
KIRI TE KANAWA THEATRE, AUCKLAND – MONDAY APRIL 28
NEW SHOW – SKYCITY THEATRE, AUCKLAND – TUESDAY APRIL 29
NAPIER MUNICIPAL THEATRE, NAPIER – WEDNESDAY APRIL 30
TOWN HALL, DUNEDIN – THURSDAY MAY 1
TOWN HALL, CHRISTCHURCH – FRIDAY MAY 2
TICKETS TO ALL OTHER SHOWS ARE ON SALE NOW
For complete tour and ticket information, visit: benelton.live & livenation.co.nz