Rhys Darby in Queenstown Winter Fest line-up
22 May 2009
New Zealand funny man Rhys Darby, best known for his role as Murray in Flight of the Conchords, is heading home for a comedy debate that promises to be the highlight of this year’s Queenstown Winter Festival.
Darby, considered one of the most sought after live acts in New Zealand, will join some of the country’s top comedians at the American Express Great Comedy debate in Queenstown on 29 June.
The debating team will include New Zealanders Dai Henwood, Te Radar, Oliver Driver, Paul Ego, MC Jeremy Corbett and local funny lady Emma Lange who will debate the sensitive issue - ‘Should there be more Women on Top?’
Murray Hewitt
Darby, who shot to international fame as Murray Hewitt in the Emmy-award nominated HBO sitcom Flight of the Conchords, has also starred alongside Jim Carrey in the US number one hit movie Yes Man, and is currently featuring on the big screen in The Boat that Rocked.
Despite becoming a cult figure on the international comedy circuit and being sought for performances all over the world including more recently, the Middle East, Darby has agreed to include the Queenstown Winter Festival in his tight schedule.
Comedy debate
Festival Director Sally Feinerman said the comedy debate was always a highlight of the festival and this year would be "one of those stand out nights".
"With such a dynamic and eclectic line-up of high calibre performers you can expect a night of non-stop laughs," she said.
Big winter party
The Queenstown Winter Festival runs from 26 June to 5 July. This year the festival celebrates 35 years as the southern hemisphere’s biggest winter party with a reputation for outrageous and unique events.
As well as a strong theme of comedy and fun - which sees strangely attired people leap into the freezing waters of Lake Wakatipu and dogs accompanying their owners on the ski slopes - the programme includes more than 60 events encompassing sport, art, music, comedy, food and wine.
More than 60,000 people attend the 10-day festival, and events draw crowds throughout the region from the streets of Queenstown to the nearby mountain slopes, wine-growing valleys and historic villages like Arrowtown.
The event injects an estimated NZ$45 million annually into the Queenstown economy.
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