Autumn Season Begins with Laughter at the Honest Liars Show

A calm, mild evening set the perfect tone for the first Honest Liars improv comedy show of the autumn season on 7 March 2026 at Tauranga’s 16th Ave Theatre. While the sky outside was tranquil, inside the theatre, the energy was quietly building as the players finished their warm-ups backstage and the audience began arriving.

It soon became clear the evening was going to be a busy one. More people arrived than had booked tickets, which meant the team quickly scrambled to bring out extra chairs. By the time the show began, the theatre was comfortably full, always a wonderful sign that word about the Honest Liars’ unique brand of comedy continues to spread.

The players burst onto the stage to warm applause, greeted by plenty of familiar faces returning for another evening of unscripted chaos.

The opening game, Categories, is always a great way to get both performers’ and the audience’s brains firing. Starting with different types of fruit, the players raced to keep the ideas flowing without hesitation. Apples and bananas were soon joined by more obscure entries before the category suddenly shifted to cats. What followed was a whirlwind of feline creativity — from moggies to panthers, from the Cat in the Hat to the slightly questionable (K)cathmandu. It may not all have been zoologically accurate, but it certainly got the laughter flowing and the players thinking on their feet.

Next came the ever-popular Pocket Note, where audience-written phrases must be slipped naturally into a scene. This time, the setting was a rather tense situation. Sue played a surrogate mother, while Ryan and Kathy appeared as the hopeful parents awaiting their baby’s arrival.

However, as the scene unfolded, a rather inconvenient truth emerged. Ryan and Sue had been having an affair. The scene spiralled into delightful chaos as the players worked in their mystery lines, including “They weren’t supposed to do that,” “Baby I’m into you,” “Sit on one and rotate,” and the beautifully cutting “That’s rich coming from someone like you.” Each line landed perfectly, sending waves of laughter through the audience.

The show continued with Rant and Rave, in which performers deliver passionate speeches on unlikely topics. This time, it took a particularly surreal turn with the audience suggestion involving Donald invading Iran. The resulting rants and reactions ranged from political satire to wildly imaginative theories. You can see a snippet of the mayhem in the video below.

 

Next up was He Said, She Said, featuring Jon and Kathy transported to a Renaissance fair. Medieval references quickly gave way to wonderfully odd moments — from cries of “bring out your dead” to the concept of naked jousting. The scene finished with Kathy delivering what might have been the line of the night: “I just love Thursday night dress-up.”

The ever-popular Dating Game followed, with Gala playing the charmingly curious Little Miss looking for her forever friend. Her potential partners were certainly memorable: Jon, a vegan abattoir worker; Mark, who collected granny underwear from clotheslines; and Ryan, whose personality shifted between cheerleader enthusiasm and something far more sinister.

When asked their favourite food, the answers were predictably strange. Jon cautiously replied, “Not sausages.” Mark suggested tea and scones near retirement villages, and Ryan launched into a cheerleading chant of “Give me a pea, give me a cucumber, give me a carrot!” before abruptly sitting down again.

After several rounds of questioning and much laughter, Gala chose Bachelor Number One. Whether the romance blossomed remains a mystery, but the audience certainly approved.

The evening continued at a cracking pace with more games, quick thinking, and spontaneous silliness. We’ll leave you with a video featuring a brand-new game titled “But What You Didn’t See.” If it sparks your curiosity or simply makes you laugh, perhaps it will inspire you to join us at the next Honest Liars show.

After all, no two improv nights are ever the same — and that’s exactly the fun of it. 🎭

A great, fast-paced night!

Thanks to:

Book your tickets for the next show and join the players for loads of laughs.

1^st Saturday of every month.
16th Ave Theatre.
16th Avenue, Tauranga.
Show Starts: 7.30 p.m.
Licenced bar available.