James Nokise is a multi-talented comedian, playwright, columnist, podcaster, theatre maker, and social commentator.  Known for his fearless approach and his ability to give a voice to underrepresented communities.  Late last year James was the recipient of the Topp Prize from the NZ Comedy Trust, honours individuals who push boundaries and inspire through their work.

He will be be performing  at Comedy Fest At Kāpiti on 10 May at Te Raukura ki Kāpiti Performing Arts Centre and One Night Rant on 14 May at Te Auaha.

Over the course of his illustrious career James has been nominated twice for the Billy T Award (2005, 2006) and the Fred Award for Best New Zealand Show (2013), which he subsequently took out in 2019 for his show God Damn Fancy Man. He won Best Male Comedian at the NZ Comedy Guild Awards (2013), Spirit of the Festival at the 2021 NZ Comedy Fest, and was finalist for Best Podcast at the Voyager Awards and Radio Awards (2020) for his critically acclaimed RNZ podcast Eating Fried Chicken in the Shower, exploring mental health. ​​He was also nominated for Best Production at the Wellington Theatre Award for his solo show Rukahu.

James has an extensive touring career, including 11 shows in the NZ International Comedy Festival and multiple Comedy Gala performances, as well as years on the international Fringe Festival circuit, performing successful seasons in Edinburgh, Perth, New York and Guam.