| FASITUA AMOSA - Ruufless |
| Written by Brendon Green |
| Thursday, 29 April 2010 15:08 |
 FASITUA AMOSA is one hell of a performer. The man has charisma to burn, and a confidence that is magnetic. If it were just you and him alone in a room, the room would still feel full. It's obvious he has been taking notes from his comedy idol Chris Rock, as he stalks around the stage enthusiastically ripping through his material, commanding the audiences attention, and coming as close to the great American performer as I have ever seen in New Zealand comedy. And it's a good thing, too, that he has such a strong stage presence, because his material is indeed 'Ruufless'. Now, he assures the audience that the shows title isn't a typo, claiming that Ruufless is not so much a word as it is an attitude. To be Ruufless is to take no prisoners and to pull no punches, and by that standard, Fasitua most definitely lives up to the billing. The New Zealand-born Samoan, who grew up in Canterbury, has our country's politically correct melting pot of cultures firmly in his sights. When a performer promises he is going to shake PC-ness like a baby, you know you are in for fun ride. There is no hot-button topic off-limits, and he takes a special amount of glee from mocking every kind of culture you can think of. Fasitua would give Winston Peters a run for his money in diplomatic race relations, as he finds fresh ways to milk well-worn stereotypes, while also inventing some completely new ones, all to hilarious effect. I'm trying to think of a nicer way to describe the show than 'racist, in a good way'. Racist but funny, perhaps? How about, just plain funny? One of the main functions of stand-up comedy is to have the comedian be able to say things that aren't meant to be said. Fasitua has taken this commission and run with it. This is his first solo stand-up show, and the talent on display is a sure sign that his stand-up career will be on the rise for some time yet. I know I'm looking forward to seeing how much more Ruufless he can be in the future. |
