A wide shot of Wellington comedy with A Welly Full of Laughs
Photo: Nina Hogg, L, and Megan (Mog) Connolly who perform as Ginge & Minge — photo by Mark Tantrum
Wellington comedians Megan (Mog) Connolly and Nina Hogg, better known on stage as the messy, provocative sketch duo Ginge & Minge, first met in a sketch writing class back in 2020. We had the absolute pleasure of asking them a bunch of serious questions for this blog, all about the upcoming show A Welly Full of Laughs – a community-driven show that emerged as an idea at a workshop which was co-producer Nina’s idea: gathering local comedians to talk about how they could do more, right here in Welly.
A Welly Full of Laughs makes its debut at The Hannah on Saturday 24 January, featuring 14 of Wellington’s best comics delivering their best sets. Find tickets here.
“We didn’t like each other initially,” Mog laughs. “But now we’re very good friends.”
Five years, five shows, and countless absurd sketches later, the pair are excited to be involved in a concentrated celebration of Wellington’s best laughs.
A comedy scene worth celebrating
Nina, who runs production company Mon Platon with her partner Austin Harrison, organised a workshop because she had noticed a growing frustration in the Wellington comedy community.
“There are many fantastic comedians in Wellington, who have had the opportunity to tour all over New Zealand and Australia, us included,” she says. “But it feels like we’re presented with one option if we want to continue our careers: move to Auckland.”
That didn’t sit right, especially in Wellington, the Creative Capital with so much to offer.
“There’s no reason why there couldn’t be more of us doing full time comedy here in Wellington. We have incredible filmmakers, studios, and such a diverse group of comedians. I think it’s time Wellington knew.”
Nina brought together a group of local comics to workshop ideas around staying, thriving, and building careers in the capital. Out of that discussion came the seed of a show.
“I put together the group,” she says. “We’d been talking about it for a while, and then it was like – okay, let’s actually go and do it.”
A lineup that shows the full spectrum
The result is a hand-picked roster of 14 performers, ranging from Billy T nominees to cult favourites, stand-ups to clowns. All Wellington comedians with hours of crafted sets to their names.
“I think we’ve curated 14 comics that really reflect the breadth and stylistic differences of Wellington comedy,” Nina says. “There’s someone for everyone in one room.”
It’s a deliberately local focus with the intention of celebrating and showcasing the sheer talent that exists in the Greater Wellington Region.
“This is a reflection of what Wellington has to offer all year round,” she explains. “All of these comics are gigging every single week, multiple times a week. Every single one of them has hour-long shows. You don’t often get the opportunity to see a wide shot of Wellington comedy.”
And for $35, audiences get to experience 12 acts in one night – something Nina sees as uniquely accessible.
“Outside of a gala, which can be an inaccessible price point, you don’t really get this format. This is a real taster – six minutes of everyone’s best work.”
This will be A Welly Full of Laughs’ first outing, but the hope is that there is an appetite for more.
What makes Wellington comedy different?
Ask Nina what sets Wellington apart, and she doesn’t hesitate.
“I think Wellington has more of an appetite for alternative comedy. People here love character comics, clowning, absurdism. There’s a real appetite for not just observational humour.”
That local flavour matters, Nina says, because it’s our unique, and often shared, lived experiences.
“Comedians reflect back the absurdity of our situations. If you engage with local comedians, they can connect with you in a way that watching an American comic on Netflix just can’t.”
Whether it’s political satire about the Prime Minister or jokes about the peculiarities of life in the capital, local comedy hits differently.
“It’s cathartic to have the state of Wellington reflected in a way that’s uplifting and hilarious,” she says. “Also – people here are just really, really good.”
Mog agrees.
“Your sense of humour only grows if you watch and listen to more comedy. Watching more good comedy evolves your taste.”
Crafting the “best stuff”
The premise of A Welly Full of Laughs is simple: every performer brings their tightest, most polished material. So how does a comedian decide what their “best stuff” actually is?
“For regular stand-ups, it’s refining jokes over and over again,” Nina explains. “Removing words, testing at gigs throughout the week, until it’s word-for-word perfect. If those jokes work every time in front of a new audience, that’s how you craft your best jokes.”
For sketch acts like Ginge & Minge, the process is a little different.
“Our stuff is at the mercy of friends at a social gathering first,” Mog laughs. “If the premise goes well there, then it gets crafted over and over. Our sketches go through three drafts before they get on stage.”
Either way, what audiences see on the night is the result of hours, and sometimes years, of honing.
About Ginge & Minge
Mog and Nina describe themselves as “alternative comedians,” a label they wear proudly.
“We really like absurd, ‘wrong’ sort of stuff,” Mog explains. “We’re quite physical performers. We don’t just stand there… we kiss each other in five different ways, douse ourselves with fake oil. We like messy, icky, cringe stuff.”
Their shows are wild mixtures of improv, sketch, characters, and audience interaction. But behind the performance is a serious amount of craft.
“People think we just throw stuff on ourselves – and we do – but it’s very thoughtful,” Mog says. “It might look stupid, but it’s very carefully stupid.”
That balance of fearless performance and careful preparation has bonded them creatively. They’ve learned to support each other through the inevitable ups and downs of live comedy, especially with their before-stage ritual of encouraging each other to have a terrible time on stage.
“We hype each other up by saying, ‘What are we going to do?’” Mog explains. “And the answer is, ‘Bomb.’ ‘When are we going to do it?’ ‘Now!’ It sets the bar real low. Let’s go do a bad job and have a good time. It’s worked wonders because when you remove expectations, it can only be good.”
More than just laughs
Beyond the punchlines, both Mog and Nina believe live comedy offers something deeper.
“There’s no wrong situation when having a laugh,” Nina says. “If you’re divorced – go to a comedy show. If you’re grieving – go to a comedy show. It’s one of the most uplifting things.”
Mog adds that it’s also a welcome break from the digital world.
“It’s a full experience you get to share with other people. We’re all guilty of searching for the next funniest thing online. This is about remembering that human quality about our soul.”
And if you’re still unsure?
“Why come to our show?” Nina grins. “Because your mates aren’t that funny.”
One night, one community
Ultimately, A Welly Full of Laughs is more than a comedy night. It’s a statement about what Wellington has to offer.
“It feels like a big fun evening with your funniest friends,” Mog says.
Nina agrees.
“There is a massive Venn diagram of people working all over the performing arts industry in Wellington. It’s such a great opportunity to see all the top comics doing their best stuff in one place with the support of their community.”
The pair hope this will be just the first of many.
“We came together as a collective to create this opportunity,” Nina says. “We’re pretty excited about it. We all love each other very much – and we hope there will be another one.”
A Welly Full of Laughs makes its debut at The Hannah on Saturday 24 January, featuring 14 of Wellington’s best comics delivering their best sets. Get tickets here, or — if you missed out this time — keep a look out for the next one!