Urzila Carlson has been a part of the local comedy scene for a while now but I believe she hit the comedic jackpot last year with her now famous catchphrase “don’t go falling in love now!”.  Since then she has become an undeniable local favorite.

Don’t let her South African accent throw you; she now calls Aotearoa home and we have been more than happy to return the favor, proudly embracing her as our own.  The Long Flight To Freedom, put simply, is an autobiographical recount of how Urzila came to be in New Zealand.

Throughout the hour, she shares candidly a collection of comical stories that span from birth to childhood and finally to present time.  Dreaded family holidays at the farm, a memorable family team building exercise involving a resident mouse, tips on dealing with noisy neighbors and her genius plan on disciplining her soon-to-be-born “Jesus baby” – Urzila bares all.  Her casual delivery and laidback style made it feel more like a conversation among friends which suited the narrative perfectly.

There is no doubt that Urzila was born to do comedy.  From start to finish she had the audience hooked on her every word.   Her ability to garner laughs from the crowd so effortlessly coupled with her skill in delivering material so naturally that it feels completely unscripted is a real gift and mark of a brilliant comedian.

This is an entertaining hour of getting-to-know-Urzila that will bring endless laughs.  Everybody needs to see this extremely talented lady live – here’s hoping for an encore, and in a bigger venue!

The Whimsical Banana rates The Long Flight To Freedom: 5/5 bananas!

Urzila Carlson has already sold out her entire season but you can still see her in action as co-host at Le Comique this Sunday May 12th – for more details and tickets to this event, click here.