Darwin Comedy Festival 2025 Program Guide

DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE PROUDLY PRESENTS

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WELCOME TO THE INAUGURAL DARWIN COMEDY FESTIVAL! It’s about time the Top End got its own festival of giggles, snorts, and belly laughs, and Darwin Entertainment Centre is absolutely buzzing to bring you three days of side-splitting fun. We’re all about delivering unforgettable entertainment for Territorians and our visitors, and this festival is a brand-new way to crank the fun dial up to 11.

Brace yourselves, Darwin, because the comedy big guns are heading your way.

From razor-sharp stand-up to laugh-’til-you-cry performances, we’ve packed the program with something for everyone. Our carefully crafted schedule is designed to keep you hopping between events, sampling every delicious morsel of comedy gold on offer.

A very big thank you to the Northern Territory Government and City of Darwin for their ongoing support, and to our event sponsors Northern Territory Major Events Company and AANT for helping us make this festival a reality.

As the great Charlie Chaplin once said, “A day without laughter is a day wasted.”

So, what are you waiting for? Let the hilarity begin - go forth and laugh like nobody’s watching!

Georgia Hendy CEO, Darwin Entertainment Centre

festival planner Step into the laughing heart of the Festival at Darwin Entertainment Centre.

With theatres, bars, and all the laughs conveniently located in one buzzing (air-conditioned!) hub, we’ve made it super easy to hop from show to show and fully immerse yourself in the laughter.

THURSDAY 6 MARCH FESTIVAL OPENING 5.30-6pm Darwin Entertainment Centre LAUGH LOUNGE – SWEAT SEAT 6.30-7.45pm Laugh Lounge (The Gallery) RAW COMEDY NT FINAL 7.30-9.30pm Studio Theatre REUBEN KAYE – THE PARTY’S OVER 8-9.50pm The Playhouse FRIDAY 7 MARCH

BEATS & LAUGHS AFTER DARK Fri & Sat late night DJ & drinks at the Balcony Bar!

GERALDINE HICKEY – MEANDER 6-7pm Studio Theatre LAUGH LOUNGE – TOP FLOOR COMEDY SHOWCASE 7-8.50pm Laugh Lounge (The Gallery)

18+ REC!

LUKE MCGREGOR – OKAY, WOW 7.15-8.15pm The Playhouse GERALDINE HICKEY – MEANDER 8.45-9.45pm Studio Theatre SAMMY J – THE KANGAROO EFFECT 9-10pm The Playhouse

SATURDAY 8 MARCH CHILDREN ARE STINKY 10-10.50am The Playhouse CLASS CLOWNS 12-1pm Studio Theatre

3+ KIDS 14+ TEENS

NAZEEM HUSSAIN – YOU PAID FOR THIS 4-5pm The Playhouse ABORIGINAL COMEDY ALLSTARS 5.30-6.40pm Studio Theatre

18+ REC!

LAUGH LOUNGE – ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A COMEDIAN? 5.30-6.45pm Laugh Lounge (The Gallery) CELESTE BARBER – BACKUP DANCER 7-8.15pm The Playhouse

18+ REC!

LAUGH LOUNGE – WHEEL OF JOKES 7-8.15pm Laugh Lounge (The Gallery) ABORIGINAL COMEDY ALLSTARS 8.30-9.40pm Studio Theatre

18+ REC!

CELESTE BARBER – BACKUP DANCER 9.15-10.30pm The Playhouse

18+ REC!

LUKE McGREGOR – OKAY, WOW

FESTIVAL OPENING Thu 6 Mar, 5.30pm Darwin Entertainment Centre | FREE

Fri 7 Mar, 7.15pm The Playhouse | $51-$60

Join us as we open the inaugural Festival with a special Welcome to Country acknowledging the custodians and country that our Festival takes place on.

Known for writing and starring in Rosehaven, and appearing on The Amazing Race Australia with his mum, Luke brings his hilarious new stand-up show about life, love, and parenting (with jokes approved by his chickens and axolotl!).

Don’t miss his impeccable comic timing and laugh-out-loud stories.

RAW COMEDY NT FINAL Thu 6 Mar, 7.30pm Studio Theatre | $34-$40 Brace yourself for the emergence of the Top End’s newest comedy stars, competing to win a spot at the RAW Comedy National Grand Final during the 2025 Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

SAMMY J – THE KANGAROO EFFECT

REUBEN KAYE – THE PARTY’S OVER

Fri 7 Mar, 9pm The Playhouse | $42.50-$50

Thu 6 Mar, 8pm The Playhouse | $51-$60 Fresh from an Edinburgh Fringe comedy nomination and starring in Jesus Christ Superstar, Reuben Kaye returns with a razor-sharp, hilarious new show. Featuring reimagined hits with a brand-new band, and sharp social commentary, it’s an outrageous, joyous night of music and laughter. Face the apocalypse with Reuben – if we’re going down, let’s go down swinging!

LAUGH

Lounge

Hit the Laugh Lounge before the show!

GERALDINE HICKEY – MEANDER Fri 7 Mar, 6pm & 8.45pm Studio Theatre | $38.25-$45 Join Geraldine Hickey for a meandering journey through life’s big questions and hilarious everyday moments. A master of smart, observational comedy, Geraldine transforms low-key yarns into high-stakes, wildly funny adventures.

LAUGH

Lounge

Hit the Laugh Lounge after or before the shows!

Join Sammy J for a time-bending memoir that bounces through the life of a recovering attention seeker via song, stories and VHS tapes. A butterfly flaps its wings and four decades later Sammy J accidentally turns up to a 40th birthday party dressed as a kangaroo. Who is to blame?

Welcome to The Kangaroo Effect.

LAUGH

Lounge

Hit the Laugh Lounge before the show!

CHILDREN ARE STINKY Sat 8 Mar, 10am The Playhouse | $29 Get ready for a ‘90s-inspired circus adventure! Packed with laughs for parents and onstage challenges for kids aged 3-12, this award-winning show promises an unforgettable trip down memory lane. Don’t miss the ultimate family fun!

CLASS CLOWNS Sat 8 Mar, 12pm Studio Theatre | $15-$20 Watch the next generation of comedians shine in the Darwin Heat of Melbourne International Comedy Festival’s Class Clowns. The winner scores a spot at the National Grand Final in Melbourne!

NAZEEM HUSSAIN – YOU PAID FOR THIS Sat 8 Mar, 4pm The Playhouse | $46.75-$55 One of the biggest stars of Australian comedy, Nazeem is back in the Top End and we couldn’t be more excited! The boundary pushing comic returns with a rapid-fire show where he tells brand-new jokes for an hour, and everyone leaves feeling like they got their money’s worth.

LAUGH

Lounge

Hit the Laugh Lounge after the show!

ABORIGINAL COMEDY ALLSTARS

Hosted by Sarah Reuben and Brent Watkinson

TOP FLOOR COMEDY SHOWCASE Fri 7 Mar, 7pm

Starring Australia’s premier First Nations comedians Andy Saunders, Elaine Crombie, Janty Blair, Jay Wymarra, Kevin Kropinyeri and Sean Choolburra. With sell-out seasons and five-star reviews, the Allstars bring huge belly laughs from the heart of this wide brown land.

Lounge

SWEAT SEAT Thu 6 Mar, 6.30pm Darwin’s top comedic talent face off in a fast-paced, unpredictable battle of wits and weird knowledge. With chaotic challenges and zero room for routines, expect unfiltered hilarity and untamed fun.

Sat 8 Mar, 5.30pm & 8.30pm Studio Theatre | $38.25-$45

LAUGH

YOUR GO-TO SPOT FOR LOCAL COMEDY, DRINKS, AND LAUGHS BEFORE OR AFTER SHOWS ON THE BIG STAGES. BRING YOUR FRIENDS AND DIVE DEEP INTO DARWIN’S ELECTRIC COMEDY SCENE. Laugh Lounge (The Gallery) | All tix $25

Get ready to roll on the floor laughing! Top Floor Comedy brings a stellar lineup of local comedy stars to the Laugh Lounge. With the hilarious Briant Clark as MC, it’s a night of non-stop laughs you won’t want to miss!

Presented by Top Floor Comedy

Hit the Laugh Lounge before and after the shows!

CELESTE BARBER – BACKUP DANCER Sat 8 Mar, 7pm & 9.15pm The Playhouse | $72.25-$85 Australia’s queen of comedy brings her new show to Darwin! From freeing nipples to texting therapists, childhood obsessions with Janet Jackson, and dreams of being Taylor Swift’s backup dancer, expect hilarious storytelling and high kicks galore.

LAUGH

Lounge

Hit the Laugh Lounge before the shows!

ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A COMEDIAN? Sat 8 Mar, 5.30pm Local comedians battle each other - and the audience - in a hilarious quiz show packed with surprises, twists, and a dash of mischief. Will punchlines triumph, or will the audience reign supreme? There’s only one way to find out!

Hosted by Brent Watkinson

LAUGH LOCAL, LAUGH LOUD

WHEEL OF JOKES Sat 8 Mar, 7pm

Local comedy treats continue beyond the Darwin Comedy Festival stages as Top Floor Comedy presents Unleash Your Inner Comedian Workshop & Show.

Darwin’s best comedians take on the challenge of a giant wheel dictating their punchlines! With the audience holding the power to send them off in shame, expect brutal hilarity and lots of laughs.

Sun 9 Mar, 5pm Top Floor Comedy, 35 Cavenagh St, Darwin Tickets at Top Floor Comedy

Hosted by Brent Watkinson

SNAP UP A DEAL

FOLLOW THE LAUGHS

SAVE BIG WITH THE GRINNERS MULTIPACK DISCOUNT!

Follow the Festival at Darwin Entertainment Centre’s Facebook and Instagram @darwinentertainmentcentre

Make the most of the Festival by booking more laughs. Save 15% on full-priced tickets when you add the Grinners Multipack ticket type to three or more eligible Darwin Comedy Festival events in a single transaction. It’s the perfect way to experience the best of the Festival while keeping your wallet happy!

BOOK YOUR TICKETS Online Phone In person

yourcentre.com.au 08 8980 3333 Darwin Entertainment Centre one hour prior to events

Email enquiries boxoffice@yourcentre.com.au BOOKING FEES A one-off service fee of $5.50 per transaction applies on all purchases online, by phone and at the Box Office. All ticket prices include GST.

Subscribe to our e-news at yourcentre.com.au for the latest updates and offers.

VENUE INFO

Darwin Comedy Festival takes place at Darwin Entertainment Centre 93 Mitchell St, Darwin City.

Stay fuelled and refreshed with onsite Festival bars and food options.

ACCESS For access requirements please contact the Box Office.

Darwin Entertainment Centre respectfully acknowledges the Larrakia people, the traditional owners of the land on which we hold our Festival. We pay our respects to Elders, past and present, and recognise all First Nations peoples as the original storytellers of these lands.