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!
SATURDAY 8 MARCH
GERALDINE HICKEY – MEANDER 6-7pm Studio Theatre
LAUGH LOUNGE – TOP FLOOR COMEDY SHOWCASE
7-8.50pm Laugh Lounge (The Gallery)
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
CHILDREN ARE STINKY
10-10.50am The Playhouse
CLASS CLOWNS
12-1pm Studio Theatre
NAZEEM HUSSAIN – YOU PAID FOR THIS 4-5pm The Playhouse
ABORIGINAL COMEDY ALLSTARS
5.30-6.40pm Studio Theatre
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
LAUGH LOUNGE – WHEEL OF JOKES
7-8.15pm Laugh Lounge (The Gallery)
ABORIGINAL COMEDY ALLSTARS
8.30-9.40pm Studio Theatre
CELESTE BARBER – BACKUP DANCER
9.15-10.30pm The Playhouse
FESTIVAL OPENING
Thu 6 Mar, 5.30pm Darwin Entertainment Centre | FREE
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.
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.
REUBEN KAYE –THE PARTY’S OVER
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!
OKAY, WOW
Fri 7 Mar, 7.15pm The Playhouse | $51-$60
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.
SAMMY J –THE KANGAROO EFFECT
Fri 7 Mar, 9pm The Playhouse | $42.50-$50
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
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
Sat 8 Mar, 5.30pm & 8.30pm Studio Theatre | $38.25-$45
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.
LAUGH Lounge Hit the Laugh Lounge before and after the shows!
CELESTE BARBER –BACKUP DANCER
Sat 8 Mar, 7pm & 9.15pm The Playhouse | $72.25-$85
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!
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
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!
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.
Hosted by Sarah Reuben and Brent Watkinson
TOP FLOOR COMEDY SHOWCASE
Fri 7 Mar, 7pm
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
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
WHEEL OF JOKES
Sat 8 Mar, 7pm
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.
Hosted by Brent Watkinson
SNAP UP A DEAL
SAVE BIG WITH THE GRINNERS MULTIPACK DISCOUNT!
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 yourcentre.com.au
Phone 08 8980 3333
In person 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.
FOLLOW THE LAUGHS
Follow the Festival at Darwin Entertainment Centre’s Facebook and Instagram @darwinentertainmentcentre
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.
