Political satire tends to have a reputation for being biting, cutting, and even aggressive. That doesn’t have to be the case. Koru Hour: 2 Elite 2 Handle, a new sketch show by Anna MacLean and Lesa Macleod-Whiting of Airhorn! fame, proves that punching up can be goofy, authentic, and above all, fun.

The sketches all take place within the confines of the Koru Lounge, an exclusive area for those with high status within Air New Zealand’s clientele, and their partner airlines. Every scene dabbles into the lives of the types of people who would claim such status, and having been a frequent guest myself, they couldn’t have nailed the vibe better.

The meat of the show comes in the form of sketches where Macleod-Whiting dons a bald cap and MacLean dons an unkempt wig, representing the Prime Minister Chris Luxon and his lapdog, David Seymour. There’s never a meanness to these portrayals, often resorting to delightful goofy caricatures that never fail to make the audience chuckle. This goofiness extends to every other character played by these two magnetic performers, from disgruntled public servants to cults who worship The Market.

And therein lies the success of this show.

There’s no malice in the satire, no intention of holding these people to account. It’s just a phenomenal, joyous romp through the ridiculous mindset of the type of people who visit the Koru Lounge. It’s never a commentary on the individuals themselves, it’s a commentary on the gap between those inside, and those outside. It continuously brings up real issues that the New Zealand public is currently facing, without stooping to low blows – the outfits are there for character placement, not mockery of appearance. Any perceived ‘attack’ on the elite is merely stating a fact or even repeating their own words back at them. It’s political spoof at its goofiest and I loved every second of it.

Mechanically, the show is stunning. Every piece of the set evokes the soulless lounge, and the fluid interspersions of audio cues are perfectly timed. There are a ton of costume changes that are cleverly covered by audio sketches performed by cardboard cut-outs, who feel just as real as the actual KPMG middle managers you’d find helping themselves to scrambled eggs and kranskys before a 7am flight. The only let-down is when music is playing a little too loudly and it becomes harder to hear the hilarious words pouring out of their mouths, but that’s a problem for the back of The Stage. Otherwise, it’s a flawless, seamless show that runs smoother than anything this current government has been able to pull off.

Koru Hour: 2 Elite 2 Handle is a goofy, compelling show that prides itself on authentic absurdity. MacLean and Macleod-Whiting demonstrate repeatedly how in touch they are with their completely out-of-touch characters and keep the audience in giggles throughout the entire show. Their on-stage chemistry is dangerously electric, and they never miss a chance to show how much they adore playing together.

The Koru Lounge is open, and everybody’s welcome.

Koru Lounge: 2 Elite 2 Handle is running from 7th of May to the 11th of May, 6.30pm at BATS Theatre. Tickets available from the New Zealand International Comedy Festival website.

Disclosure: As a somewhat active member of the Wellington performing arts community, I am quite familiar with a number of the performers in this show.
Having said that, I am not a liar, and there is zero bias in my reviews, shut up.