In a review, an attendee at the Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre details comedian Greg Davies’ Auckland performance on Monday night, arguing that the Taskmaster host turned oversharing into a chaotic and joyful stage experience during his debut New Zealand tour.
Greg Davies Brings Full Fat Legend Tour to New Zealand
- Greg Davies performed two sold-out dates in Auckland on Sunday and Monday for his Full Fat Legend tour before heading to Wellington and Christchurch.
- The 58-year-old comedian addressed an 18kg weight loss on his more than 2-meter frame before launching into two hours of humiliating stories covering toileting misadventures, prostate issues, and male anatomy.
- The 1News columnist noted that Davies successfully made a global touring show feel newly created for a New Zealand audience while frequently losing himself in his own trains of thought.
The Origins of the Legend Title
The 58-year-old actor and comedian arrived in New Zealand for the first time to stage his Full Fat Legend show, playing two sold-out dates in Auckland at the Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre on Sunday and Monday. The reviewer, who was one of more than 2,000 people in attendance on Monday night, noted that she initially knew Davies primarily from his role as Taskmaster, which he has held for more than 11 years, his role as Mr. Gilbert in The Inbetweeners, and guest appearances on Graham Norton’s couch.
According to the column, the entire production explores the origin of the title “legend,” which fans frequently shout at him in the street following its origin on The Inbetweeners. Davies reportedly set out to prove that he is anything but worthy of the moniker. The performance opened with an acknowledgment of his significant 18-kilogram weight loss on his more than two-meter-tall frame before diving straight into self-deprecating humor.
Stories of Humiliation and Bodily Dysfunction
The 1News writer stated that she would not attempt to paraphrase the bulk of the material, describing the set as a continuous stream of tales concerning toileting misadventures, prostate issues, and male anatomy. The narrative arc spanned Davies’ upbringing in the 1970s, a brief career as a qualified teacher, and his eventual rise to stardom.
The columnist described laughing out loud and cringing in her seat while observing superfans behind her cackling and whooping throughout the performance. Despite the show having toured globally for nearly two years, the reviewer observed that Davies managed to make the material feel fresh for local crowds by frequently losing himself in his own comedic tangents.
Unscripted Chaos on Stage
Illustrating the spontaneous nature of the evening, the reviewer highlighted a specific moment when Davies described asking his brother-in-law to inspect his butthole on Christmas Day. The bit reportedly descended into such disorder that the comedian repeated the exact same joke five times, though it continued to draw laughter from the audience.
At one point during the night, Davies reportedly doubled over with his hands on his knees, laughing at the lunacy of his own life and remarking that he had genuinely lost the plot. The columnist concluded that this unpolished, flying-by-the-seat-of-his-pants approach formed the essence of a successful comedy performance, leaving the audience seeing the television host in a thoroughly personal light.
| Tour Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Performer | Greg Davies |
| Show Title | Full Fat Legend |
| Auckland Venue | Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre |
| Attendance (Monday) | Over 2,000 people |
Full seasons of Taskmaster UK and Taskmaster New Zealand remain available to stream on TVNZ+ as the comedian continues his tour onward to Wellington and Christchurch.
