James Roque, the Filipino-New Zealander comedian, is bringing his one-man show, ‘Badong’, to the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. The show will run for a limited period, from March 27th to April 9th, and promises to be a funny, moving, and thought-provoking exploration of Roque’s upbringing as a Filipino-New Zealander.
Roque’s show, ‘Badong’, takes its name from the traditional Filipino baby nickname that was given to him by his parents. It is a deeply personal show that explores Roque’s experiences of navigating his culture and identity in western society. The show is a love letter to anyone who has had to try to “blend” in and forget their culture to survive as a child, only to realise as an adult that their culture is what makes them unique.
The show has received widespread acclaim and has been described as “bold” and “unflinching” by the New Zealand Herald. Roque’s slick and engaging stage presence has also been praised by critics, with Chortle UK describing him as the “epitome of slick” and Metro Mag NZ naming ‘Badong’ as their favourite show of the festival.
Roque is no stranger to success. He debuted his first stand-up comedy special, ‘Boy Mestizo’, on TV3 in New Zealand in 2022 and has taken ‘Badong’ to Edinburgh. He has also been a Guessing panelist for The Masked Singer NZ. Roque is excited to bring ‘Badong’ to Melbourne for the first time and looks forward to performing to new audiences and finding little pockets of migrant communities that live in the area, especially Filipinos.
The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is one of the most significant comedy events in the country and attracts comedians and audiences from around the world. The festival has a reputation for showcasing the best and brightest talent in the comedy industry. Roque’s addition to the festival’s lineup will surely be a highlight.
‘Badong’ will be showing at Campari House Melbourne, and tickets are available now. Don’t miss your chance to see this critically acclaimed show and experience James Roque’s unique brand of comedy.
Live performances
March 27th – April 9th Melbourne International Comedy Festival Campari House Melbourne
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