World famous in Wellington, MR FUNGUS is the creation of comedian and actor Fergus Aitken.
For the past two decades, Fergus has programmed and hosted the Buskers Pitch for the Newtown Festival.
Now in his 41st year as a performer, Fergus is a character actor, stand-up comedian and corporate entertainer.
Starting his performing career 1984 with Robert Bennett’s Wellington-based Mime International, Fergus began touring throughout many schools and theatres across Aotearoa. In 1985 at only 19 years old, he played at an arts festival in Moscow and then went on to entertain in villages in Northern Poland, with Nina Nawalowalo.
Long before the existence of emails and cellphones and during the USSR’s ‘Eastern Bloc’, this was a feat of Robert Bennett’s organisational prowess, and to this day an experience Fergus and Nina can scarcely believe really happened.
Fergus spent several years living and training in the UK, developing a highly interactive street performing style with visual comedy and mimicry, at London’s Covent Garden, and also at numerous festivals in the UK and Europe.
Returning to Wellington to perform MR FUNGUS in the 1990 NZ International Arts Festival, Fergus then programmed one of NZ’s first major international street entertainer’s events, Lotto World Buskers, as part of the 1992 Festival. Producing experience has including coordinating pre-show entertainment for the World of Wearable Art and also consultancy on many other corporate and festival contracts.
Over the decades Fergus’s work has developed to encompass a a host of performing styles and a broad variety of clients.
He has played mime characters at Edinburgh Fringe, the Chelsea Arts Ball, Glastonbury Festival, and in Tahiti and Fiji… He has played Living Mannequin characters at London’s famous Madam Tussaud’s Wax Museum and at the iconic Selfridges department store.
As MR FUNGUS, he has appeared in five TV commercials, won an award for comedy at the Rotterdam Straatfestival… also as guest juggler with the NZSO, and much more… from Sweetwaters to the Golden Shears, to MCing main stages at Cubdupa.
As another MC character, deluded East European circus ringmaster Piotr from Uzbekoslavia, Fergus won ‘Favourite MC’ several times at the NZ Burlesque Cabaret Industry Awards, as well as wowingt audiences across NZ and in Melbourne.
Several years ago, theatre collaborative MR FUNGUS AND FRIENDS achieved a sold-out season with a brand new, devised family theatre show MR FUNGUS DREAMS at Wellington’s Circa Theatre.
Fergus is also a teacher of physical theatre and mime, regularly working at performing arts schools and giving public workshops around the motu. Last year he was a key movement tutor for actors at Te Auaha’s Stage & Screen course.
Newtown Festival is one of his favourite places to wiggle to music for the amusement of the humans.
Keep your eyes peeled, for further antics of the twat in the hat… check out https://www.fergusaitken.co.nz/mr-fungus
"The wonderful dead-pan humour made me, as an 83-year-old, laugh as much as the numerous children near me…"
Audience member, Circa Theatre 2021
"Engaged, smart and skilled physical humour for all ages… a real gem…"
Theatreview
"Manic physicality… Knicker-wettingly funny… Right up there with the best…"
THEATREVIEW
"One of Wellington’s most highly regarded headline comedians…"
SCOTT BLANKS, THE CLASSIC COMEDY CLUB, AUCKLAND
"My friend laughed so hard, she got hiccups! Be warned…"
DOMINION POST
