Stephen K. Amos is like your favourite uncle – funny, familiar, and prone to dropping an f-bomb or two. It’s been a while since he’s been to visit, though – ten years since his last trip to Aotearoa. He’s back for just a single show in Wellington and a couple of afternoon gigs in Auckland, at the “weird time” (his words) of 5pm – referred to throughout the set as “this afternoon-slash-evening”. There were plenty of punters in attendance though, obviously happy to come out early to start a long night of laughs or have a cheeky chortle before enjoying a dinner out on the town.
Q Theatre, Auckland – 9 May 2026
Amos was “in a very good mood” and the audience were too, lapping up his gags, his dissing of various Australian locales which he’d previously visited, and his engagement with a number of people foolish enough to be sitting in the first few rows. He astutely observed that there were three types of attendees at his shows – comedy fans, those who had to be there (venue staff and Amos himself) and those “dragged under duress”. These unfortunates may have been accompanying a friend or family member, or there as an “intervention” in their otherwise miserable, humourless lives. If that were the case, they would certainly have cheered up after an hour of Amos’ gentle, entertaining and thought-provoking gags.
It’s 25 years since Amos made his debut at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival and he’s now a real master of his art, easily running through topics ranging from AI and social media, parental expectations and family dynamics, to racism and stereotyping. In these days of “woke”, he addressed whether accents were acceptable and what we are “allowed” to find funny. It’s tongue-in-cheek, with a few winks and a lot of chuckling to his own gags – old-fashioned stand-up brought up-to-date through astute observations and topical material. He covers COVID and refers to world politics in passing, but on the whole it’s just like hearing from a particularly erudite mate, contemplating the passing of time and how it affects us. From the perils of having irritating elderly parents staying with you to the imperative of respecting an aging bladder, Amos’ material certainly resonated with the (mostly) middle-aged audience.
Amos talks about the importance of honesty, exposing personal views and foibles and encouraging others to laugh at themselves too. He discusses the Dunning-Kruger effect accompanied by entertaining facial expressions and much hilarity from the audience – because, of course, we’re all far too self-aware to be susceptible.
As a reviewer, it’s unfair to relay and dissect too much of a comedian’s material – why spoil it for those who have yet to enjoy it, or present it without the nods and winks of accomplished performance? If you’re not lucky enough to catch Stephen K. Amos’ final performance in Auckland tonight, you’ll be able to catch him on the TV in shows such as QI, Live at the Apollo and Have I Got News For You, or on his upcoming podcast Me, I Blame the Parents, due to start in July. Otherwise, let’s just hope that it’s not another decade before he returns to Aotearoa to delight and entertain us again. Come back soon, Uncle Stephen.
By Carin Newbould
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