Beat's Guide to Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2019

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Contents 12 14 16 18 20

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Aaron Gocs Alex Williamson Ben Gaylard Best of Edinburgh Fest Blake Everett Blake Freeman Cassie Workman Ciaran Lyons Colette Mann & Geoff Paine David O’Doherty DeAnne Smith Demi Lardner Des Bishop Emily Tresidder Faulty Towers the Dining Experience Guy Montgomery Ivan Aristeguieta Jo Firestone Jordan Brookes Josh Szeps Josh Glanc Kings of Comedy Lawrence Money Lazy Susan Luke Heggie Luke Morris Marcus the Motivator Melanie Bracewell Nazeem Hussain Nick Cody Nina Oyama Pamela’s Palace Pax Assadi Richard Stubbs Rory Lowe Snort – With Friends

EDITOR

Tom Parker ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Caleb Triscari

SUB-EDITOR

Kate Streader

ADVERTISING

Greg Pettinella, Tasha Strachan, Kris Furst, Patrick Carr CAPTAIN DESIGNER

Erica May

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Steph Tisdell Stephen K Amos Stuart Daulman The Birdmann and Egg The Stevenson Experience Tim Vine Tom Allen Urzila Carlson You Am I Feasts and Funnies Abandoman Alex Ward Amos Gill Ben Preston Brett Blake Chris Parker Dan Dennis Dan Rath Fakkah Fuzz Flo & Joan Gordon Southern Jack Tucker Jake Howie Jolly Goodfellow Lizzy Hoo Monica Dullard Old Treasury Building Simon Taylor Tahir The Kagools To Be Continued…

Tom Skelton Toxic Kiss Theatre Zach & Viggo Comedy Compass Special Events

CONTRIBUTORS

Daniel Borghesi, Eliza Booth, Joanne Brookfield, Maddison Capuano, Jacob Colliver, Sose Fuamoli, Lexi Herbert, Scott Hudson, Nick Mason, Merryn McDonnell, D’arcy McGregor, Salonee Mistry, Saskia Morrison-Thiagu, Jessica Over, James Robertson, Anna Rose, Ellen Rosie, Chris Swan, Christine Tsimbis, Claire Varley, Marnie Vinall, Dan Watt, Augustus Welby, Megan Whitfield, David James Young, Mitchell Zammit, Nicolas Zoumboulis.

Wise welcoming words with Mark Watson It is my pleasure to welcome you to the MICF edition of Beat Magazine. I’ve always considered Beat to be one of the most reliable and entertaining publications covering this magnificent festival, and I’m absolutely not saying that because their reviews have tended to be more generous to me than certain other people I could name.

No, that doesn’t enter my thinking at all.

Like all comedians, in fact, I am too emotionally robust and too naturally confident to look for my reviews, let alone internalise them. So my interest in Beat is purely that of an admiring outsider. What lovely, wide, attractive pages.

What a concentration of festival data.

WONDERFUL HELPERS

Saskia Morrison-Thiagu, Emilia Megroz, Leland Tan, D’arcy McGregor, Ashley Diamantis, Jesse Burns, Gabriella Beaumont, Jacob Colliver DISTRIBUTION

Bernadette McGough

LIEUTENANT DESIGNER

Ruby Furst

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And, it has to be said again, what a festival. At no other comedy event in the world can you find such diversity of talent without being rained on 16 times a day and harangued by student troupes dressed in bloodied rags (Edinburgh) or have people say ‘hey, I loved your show’ when they haven’t seen it (Montreal).

For Melburnians it is a welcome relief from the barren annual calendar which otherwise only offers festivals for music, food, jazz, film, fashion, books, cheese (!) … Yeah, actually, you people don’t actually NEED comedians in your life. But I for one am, as ever, very excited and grateful to be here. Let’s go!

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The Forum 28 Mar - 21Apr

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11

Aaron Gocs Divorced… with Children

As far as Australian cult heroes go, Aaron Gocs is up there with the best.

Kitty Flanagan Smashing Comedy darling Kitty Flanagan brings her five-star show, Smashing, to the stage where she’ll be talking sex, Cirque du Soleil, footy players and everything in between. You’ve seen her on The Project, Utopia, Have You Been Paying Attention? and The Weekly with Charlie Pickering, now witness her whip-cracking wit in action. She’ll be at The Palms at Crown Casino on Thursday April 4 and Fridays and Saturdays April 5, 12,13,19 and 20. Tickets are $59.

Maria Bamford The Irrelevant Redundancy Star of her own Netflix series Lady Dynamite, regular on Arrested Development and voice actor on Bojack Horseman and Adventure Time, Maria Bamford is heading to MICF for a very limited run of shows.

See the American comedy queen in the flesh at The Forum, downstairs from Tuesday April 9 until Saturday April 13.

Tickets are $35 ± $4 0.

Akmal Transparent The ARIA-nominated Akmal is back and he’s not for the faint hearted. Paramedics will be on call to transport his audience members to hospital as their sides split with laughter. He’s going to give it to you straight and it may leave you crying with laughter. Or just crying. Akmal will be at The Palms at Crown Casino on Friday March 5, Friday April 12 and Saturday April 13. Tickets are $49.

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Proudly sporting a signature mullet, an affinity for meat pies and choccy milk, and the kind of selfdeprecating humour our country is renowned for, Gocs has established himself as a comedic force nationally. But, like many comedians, transitioning from hobby to career wasn’t always a guarantee.

“I’d never thought of it as a career. I just wanted to do it somehow, maybe like a hobby. It was only the last few years that I thought, ‘Oh, maybe it’s possible’. Everyone probably thinks they’re funny and it’s then up to the public to decide whether they agree,” Goc says.

Gocs reached impressive heights online, with more than 90,000 fans on Facebook and more than two million viewers with shows like Classic Stitch-Up and Simpsons Impressions. His style has even attracted the attention of homegrown bands like Violent Soho and Skeggs, which Gocs is quick to express his gratitude for.

“It’s really good to be able to work with musos because I’ve always been into music. I know that sounds a bit lame ± everyone likes music ± but even just from a young age, I feel like I had a more obscure taste in music than some kids I went to school with. I think it’d be cool [to collaborate with] some of the older legendary acts, like Barnesy or Paul Kelly.”

Many comedians ground their acts in current issues but Gocs stays refreshingly optimistic, opting to present lighter views of life. This easygoing attitude has rendered him nationally relatable, which is a conscious decision on the comedian’s mind.

“Obviously there’s some people who do political stuff, and I do have my own personal beliefs. People might think, ‘Oh, he doesn’t believe in anything’, but I kind of keep that to the side because I want comedy to be something where it’s people’s escape for a moment, [to] enjoy themselves for a few minutes or an hour, and escape the tougher things in life.”

Gocs’ bogan-esque comedy show next month is cleverly titled Divorced…with Children. It’s Gocs’ chance to present differing shades of his onstage persona by sharing more of his personal life to audiences.

“This one follows the story of what happened in my life where I got married and had kids in my young 20s, and then it didn’t quite work out and I got divorced in my mid-20s,” he says. “But I don’t want it to be sad and mopey, so I try to joke about it, but it does have that underlying theme of how I kind of tried to recover my life and get things going and being a single dad and that sort of thing.

“That’s kind of my goal, to show people different sides to me as well. I feel like the show that I’m doing this year ± ‘cos it’s quite personal about some things that’ve happened ± I feel like that’s hopefully showing people a different side of my life.”

“Obviously there’s some people who do political stuff… but I kind of keep that to the side because I want comedy to be something where it’s people’s escape for a moment.”

Venue: The Victoria Hotel – Boardroom Dates: Thursday March 28 – Sunday April 21 (bar Mondays) Tickets: $20 – $30

BY JESSICA OVER

Alex Williamson Sin On My Face

Alex Williamson, Australia’s loosest bloke, is probably best known for his ocker internet videos and dark humour, leading him to become one of the most loved comedians in the country right now.

After touring across Australia, New Zealand and the UK last year, Williamson, AKA Shooter Williamson, is heading back to Melbourne with his brand new show, Sin On My Face.

“It’s just about how there are too many rules in society and it’s ok to break them because we’re animals as much as we are human beings, so it’s ok to satisfy those urges,” Williamson explains.

“Unless it’s like murdering, that’s not cool. But there’s lesser things you can satisfy.”

Long-time fans of Williamson’s internet style videos will have a lot to look forward to in the new show, with the added perk of a little more insight into his persona.

“If they like what they see in my internet videos, especially the ones I’ve been doing lately on Instagram, my little rants about the world, then they’re going to love what I do on stage because I pretty much just take that to the next level,” he says. “But if people aren’t sure [what to expect], I give a little more of an insight into who I am as a person in this gig as well. I hide behind various masks when I do it on the internet but there’s no hiding on stage. You can come see me for my sick self.”

Probably one of Williamson’s most wellknown videos from his online content is Worst Thing in Australia, a YouTube skit that pokes fun at community fairs. “It was easy to take the piss out of that initially … everyone’s seen one of those ads for a local festival where it says ‘come and have fun’ and there’s just a picture of a dead kid holding a lizard or something like that, and you’re like ‘that doesn’t look fun’,” he laughs.

Since those early days of skits and online videos, Williamson has been busy honing his skills in stand-up comedy through multiple tours both locally and abroad.

“Developing the stage craft is a whole other world on top of Instagram and YouTube, it’s a whole different kettle of fish up there and it’s sort of like you start again. You don’t just step out on stage and you’re really good at it. It’s like going to footy practice and getting better over time and I’ve just hit that peak at the moment, I like to think. I’ve been doing it for enough years now.”

But of all his accomplishments, some stand out more than others for Williamson. “The highlight of my career, being recognised at the train station probably,” he laughs.

BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL

“I hide behind various masks … on the internet but there’s no hiding on stage.

You can come see me for my sick self.”

Venue: Athenaeum Theatre Dates: Tuesday March 26 – Saturday April 6 (bar Sunday and Monday) Tickets: $25 – $34.90

BY ELIZA BOOTH

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Ben Gaylard Bright Side and Suicide

Rural Victorian comic Ben Gaylard has had some dark chapters in his life – things he calls “interesting” – so how does he turn deep and horrific events into a stand-up show? “I think the main thing is to take ownership over it,” he says.

Nurse Georgie Carroll Treat Yourself The inherently funny Georgie Carroll is a nurse in the streets and comedian in the sheets. In her charming and oh so relatable show, Treat Yourself, she wants you to behave badly without shame. Catch her at The European Bier Cafe from Wednesday March 27 to Friday April 12. Tickets are $20 ± $30.

Ross Noble Humournoid Ross Noble is incomparable. He is the king of comedy, of his own design, of the stage and of his audience. This man was born to do stand-up and there is no more effortlessly entertaining show than a Ross Noble show.

The British funnyman rose to prominence through television but ever since has been fixed to the stage and turning the world’s frowns upside down. Take a second out of life for the Noble show, you won’t regret it. Palais Theatre on Friday March 28 and Saturday March 29. Tickets are $49.90.

“I guess the way I’ve turned [darkness] into comedy is with a bit of rage ± I’m angry! But it comes out quite funny and also hopefully touching to people.”

In his show, Bright Side and Suicide, Gaylard looks at the dark stuff in our lives and tries to switch it around. Referring to the brutal murder of Melbourne comic Eurydice Dixon, Gaylard was unsure whether he should comment because he’s not, as he puts it, a part of the Melbourne comedy scene. But he’s of the opinion women should be able to get home safely, and part of the issue is men not standing up and saying enough is enough. “I try and turn that [message] into humour, but I always end with a serious comment about where we’re at,” he says.

“It’s not just women who are affected by this, it’s everyone. This violence, this culture of ‘it’s okay’, that people can be property, I think that’s wrong.

“I guess the show might not be for everyone, it might trigger some stuff, but I’ve been through it. My stuff is quite PC.” In his shows, Gaylard says they’re always a cry out for people to be better. Gaylard says the birth of his infant son and his journey into fatherhood is

a massive influence on his work. “The thing about it is ± and I really want to get this across in the show ± no matter what comes into your life after an event that changes it, you hang onto that. You use those wonderful experiences without getting stuck in time.”

Being from a rural area, Gaylard’s show is likely to bring a different spin to the city circuit.

“It’s something different but people can still relate,” he says. “You can’t talk about farming or whatever else, you have to think about it.

“It’s tough and we do need to talk about rural issues, and I try to make it into a way that city folk can understand, because we are different.

“In some ways it’s backward, in some ways it’s forward, but I think I draw on more of the backward stuff. The forward stuff is definitely what a great community it is, one that rallies when someone has cancer or this or that.

“I guess that’s where my comedy comes from ± challenging people to think. It’s what I do all the time and bring it to my comedy.”

Best of the Edinburgh Fest Comedy gigs are often pretty boozy affairs, which is something Kelsey De Almeida has come to accept during his four years in stand-up.

Michelle Wolf doesn’t need a name for her show, because her name is enough. She has written for The Late Show with Seth Meyers and The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, and is truly a force to be reckoned with in her political and witty Australian debut. Catch her at Max Watt’s from Wednesday March 27th to Sunday March 31st. Tickets are $35 ± $42.

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Venue: The Croft Institute Dates: Tuesday April 9 – Saturday April 13, Tuesday April 16 – Saturday April 20 Tickets: $15 – $20

BY ANNA ROSE

“As a non-drinker myself, it’s quite the antithesis of what I would put myself through ± a carnal atmosphere ± but as long as everybody else is having fun, I’m quite happy to contribute in terms of comedy,” says De Almeida.

De Almeida will be doing just that as part of this year’s Best of the Edinburgh Fest show. The performance places De Almeida alongside fellow UK comic Jimmy McGhie and Canada’s John Hastings in a one-hour show split into three solo sets.

De Almeida just wrapped a month of shows at Adelaide Fringe and gained a fair appreciation for the Australian sense of humour.

“Australian and British humour’s very similar, however I definitely think it’s harder to be selfdeprecating here because everyone’s quite cool,” he says. “If you come on as an Australian comedian and talk about how hard your life is and say, ‘oh isn’t the weather crap?’ it doesn’t really work. The British unite on how shit everything is.”

De Almeida is 23 years old and has been performing comedy since he was 19. He started out with an observational spin but has recently been favouring personal content.

“I love Lee Evans, Michael McIntyre, Jerry Seinfeld, I love that kind of comedy,” he says. “You don’t learn a lot about them, but they speak about your life. Whereas what happens in comedy, you end up

Michelle Wolf

“I guess the way I’ve turned [darkness] into comedy is with a bit of rage ...

But it comes out quite funny and also hopefully touching to people.”

not being anything like your heroes and that’s what I’ve done. I’ve turned from being a very observational comedian to being quite self-reflective.”

Melbourne audiences can expect to learn quite a lot about De Almeida during his 20-minute stint.

“You definitely get a real insight into my life, my beliefs. I talk a lot about being religious,” he says. “When people talk about religion on stage, it’s normally making fun of religion, whereas I talk about religion in comedy from the point of view of a religious person.

“There’s a lot of fear and scepticism around religion, so I talk about what it’s like to live a life where you’re the outsider not only just as a comedian looking at the outside, but also why it’s hard dating.”

De Almeida is from London, a densely populated city with a significant delegation of amateur comedians. It’s been a prime location to hone and expand his craft.

“It’s a very multicultural city, so travelling around the world doing comedy isn’t as difficult because there are some nights I’m performing and 50 per cent of the audience aren’t from the UK,” says De Almeida.

“It’s quite nice to have a very diverse audience there and tailor material to every demographic of person, no matter what the background is.”

“Australian and British humour’s very similar, however I definitely think it’s harder to be selfdeprecating here… The British unite on how shit everything is.”

Venue: ACMI – Beyond Dates: Thursday March 28 – Sunday April 21 (bar Mondays) Tickets: $23 – $36.90

BY AUGUSTUS WELBY

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15

Blake Everett Greatest Hit(s)

I bet you didn’t think that being king hit and great comedy would go in the same sentence, but Blake Everett is about to show you how in his new show Greatest Hit(s) – pun intended.

Diana Nguyen Dirty Diana Back from Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Adelaide Fringe with her eccentric brand of tiger mum comedy, Diana Nguyen likes to get dirty both on and off stage. Never shying away from the risqué, she combines elegant storytelling with a little raunch in what is sure to be a show to remember.

She’s on from Wednesday March 27 until Sunday April 21, bar Mondays and Friday March 29, at Storyville Melbourne. Tickets are $21 ± $ 29.

Tom Gleeson Joy When you think of Tom Gleeson’s withering stare and deadpan humour, “joy” may not be the word that springs to mind.

Perhaps Gleeson’s joy comes from cutting down hecklers and teasing audience members? If one thing is for sure, it’s that you won’t want to miss the Hard Quiz host and legendary comic live. Catch him at Comedy Theatre from Wednesday March 27 until Sunday April 14, excluding Mondays and Tuesdays. Tickets are $35 ± $54.90.

In 2016, Everett was the victim of a brutal, random attack in… Frankston. I know, shocker.

As a result, he was quite seriously injured and needed several stitches.

Most people’s first reaction wouldn’t be to find it funny. But most people aren’t Blake Everett, whose first thought was “I could probably get some material out of this”.

That’s the beauty of Everett, he can make even the most unlikely situation into comedic gold. “Tragedy, whether it is personal or larger, really creates interesting content,” he says.

He also says that “it’s almost like therapy without having to pay”.

Comedy comes naturally to Everett and that comes from being balls-deep in it since he was in third grade, where he made his comedic debut as one of “The Bionicle Guys”. Which was definitely not a rip off of The Umbilical Brothers or the now discontinued Lego toy.

He looks fondly on his first introductions to comedy. “One of the first comedians I saw was Jason Bourne… it was filthy I loved it,” he says.

Ever since then, Everett has been on an upward trajectory to becoming one of the big dogs of comedy. He even auditioned for Class Clowns in year eight. However, he will tell you that it was the “worst five minutes you could ever comprehend”.

What was even sadder, though, was that underneath the YouTube video of the act someone

commented that the “funniest thing about this is the shirt”. While young Everett had mastered the art of performance, he hadn’t quite mastered fashion and the fact is that Hawaiian shirts are not fashionable, and never will be.

However, in true Everett style, he got back up and tried his luck again the following year and made it to the final heat. “My fourth ever gig was in front of 2,000 people at the Melbourne Town Hall,” he says. Little did he know he’d be picking himself back up again a few years later, but this time off the ground.

It’s been a long time since Everett performed at Class Clowns and you can expect to see something more refined in his new show Greatest Hit(s). He is the son of comedy and comedy is his mum and dad.

The show is a mixture of sketch, musical comedy and stand up and is perfect for the shortattention spanned generation of today. “There’s more to comedy than getting up and talking into a microphone,” says Everett.

BY SASKIA MORRISON-THIAGU

There’s Something There

Melbourne up-and-comer Blake Freeman is making a name for himself up the east coast with The Junkyard’s ‘New In Town’ tour, and his bringing his emerging brand to the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

“I did a set in a curated room in Melbourne, and Reggie Watts was playing at the comedy theatre around the corner and I couldn’t afford to go and I was kinda bummed about that. Then I went out on stage doing my gig, I was on super late in the show at like 10pm and I could see up the back of the room the silhouette of Reggie Watts,” Freeman said.

“This was a dude that I was gonna go watch perform and now he’s seen me perform and he laughed. Then, as I was leaving, he tapped me on the shoulder and was like, ‘Hey man, great set that was really funny’… This is a dude that my friends and I used to hang out and watch on YouTube and now he’s saying good stuff. Yeah it’s real wild.”

So, what should new fans be expecting of Freeman’s show? “I genuinely think the best way to sum up my show would be: little dummy trying his best not to be a fuckhead,” he laughs. “People can expect it to be good! It’s actually good, like I’ve worked hard on it, because I’ve been doing stand-up for a few years and this is just sort of a culmination of all the material I’ve been playing around with for ages. It’s actually a funny show and I think people would enjoy it if they came.”

A hit series on Stan, his own cooking show, and comedy tours around the country ± we’d say Matt Okine is more than meets the eye. Always sporting headgear of some sort, his aptly named and critically acclaimed show, The Hat Game, is here for an encore special for two nights only, with smart punchlines and sharp delivery to boot. Catch him at Melbourne Town Hall from Saturday April 13 and Sunday April 14. Tickets are $35.

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Venue: Tasma Terrace Dates: Tuesday March 26 – Sunday March 31 Tickets: $25 – $30

Blake Freeman

There’s Something There is Freeman’s debut solo show. “The show’s not about anything in particular, it’s just me doing stand-up for an hour trying to make people laugh,” Freeman says. “It’s an hour of me trying my best.”

Freeman’s signature storytelling style and personal experiences are the centre of his show, sharing relatable stories about his family, friends and relationships.

“I could never do social commentary stuff,” he explains, “because no one would want to hear a 23-year-old get on stage and be like ‘this is how the world works’. Like, you’d just be so annoyed because I have such limited life experience so I should just talk about me, and tell stories about me and other shit.”

As part of the ‘New In Town’ tour, Freeman performed a set at the Gold Coast Laughs Gala in front of around a thousand people. “Oh, this is crazy that I’m about to do this,” Freeman reflects, “and thank God it went fucking well because that would have been a nightmare if it had gone poorly.”

His greatest moment of his career is having US comedian Reggie Watts come see his gig.

Matt Okine The Hat Game

“Tragedy, whether it is personal or larger, really creates interesting content.”

“I genuinely think the best way to sum up my show would be: little dummy trying his best not to be a fuckhead.”

Venue: The Victoria Hotel – Vic’s Bar Dates: Thursday March 28 – Monday April 1, Tuesday April 2 – Saturday April 21 (bar Mondays) Tickets: $18 – $25

BY D’ARCY MCGREGOR

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17

Cassie Workman Giantess

Last year Cassie Workman conceived a short-lived segment for Tonightly with Tom Ballard called ‘So You Think You Can Trans’.

Hannah Gadsby Douglas On the back of her wildly successful Netflix special, Nanette, which made Hannah Gadsby a household name internationally, the Australian-grown comic presents Douglas. Who is this mysterious stranger, you ask? Well, you’ll have to head along to MICF to find out. Catch Hannah Gadsby at Hamer Hall and Arts Centre, Playhouse from Wednesday March 27 until Sunday April 7, bar Monday, before she takes Douglas to the US. Tickets are $64.90 ± $84.90.

Soothplayers Completely Improvised Potter Who doesn’t love J.K. Rowling’s intrepid tale of a young wizard simultaneously battling evil and adolescence? If you’re a Potterhead who knows your horcruxes from your hippogriffs, this is a way to see the Hogwarts cohort tackle a whole new set of adventures. Entirely improvised, no two nights of Completely Improvised Potter will be the same. Don your best Harry Potter themed get-up for a chance to win some special prizes. It’s happening at The Meeting Room, Trades Hall from Thursday March 28 until Sunday April 21, bar Wednesdays. Tickets are $22 ± $28.

Zack Dyer Sensitive New Age Bogan RAW Comedy 2017 winner, Zack Dyer, is taking the silly and the serious and slamming them together in Sensitive New Age Bogan. Reflecting on his bogan roots and the challenges that come with reconciling his background with the nuances of the modern world, Dyer digs deep into his upbringing in the far north and the consequential situations he’s encountered. Catch him at Trades Hall in The Evatt Room and Archive Room from Thursday March 28 until Sunday April 21, bar Wednesdays. Tickets are $20 ± $25.

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The funny and informative pieces on transgender issues were intended to resonate with young trans viewers and provide enlightenment for those with limited experience with trans people. Workman relished the opportunity, but it wasn’t an entirely fulfilling exercise.

“I felt I had a responsibility to create something that would help my community,” she says. “The response was a mixed bag. I got a lot of contact from young trans people who really felt validated by the segments, which was exactly the aim. Sadly, I also got a ton of threats and hatred, which really opened my eyes to how wilfully misunderstood trans people are.”

Workman’s 2019 Melbourne International Comedy Festival show is titled Giantess. In one of her Tonightly bits, the comedian dismissed the notion that transitioning is akin to a butterfly emerging from a cocoon. Instead, she claimed that because transitioning requires enormous strength, trans people are more like wolverines. The same sort of thinking underlies the show’s title.

“We should be talking about the reality of transition more,” Workman says. “A lot of the criticism of trans people seems to centre around the idea that you can whimsically decide to be whatever you want. And that is totally offensive and false. It requires great strength of character to transition and if you don’t have it at the start, you certainly will by the end.”

An elaboration of Workman’s previous work, Giantess combines music, comedy, storytelling and illustration. “I consider myself a storyteller who can also do other things,” she says. “There’s moments that are best expressed in song or cartoon or prose, so I just allowed those things to happen. The result is something I’m very happy with and the response has been very positive.”

Workman has been performing stand-up comedy for many years, landing a Barry award nomination at MICF 2013 and winning Best Comedy at Adelaide Fringe 2015. Her preference has always been for in-depth, considered and detailed shows, but Giantess plants her in new territory.

“I have a rule that is: it’s not your place as a performer to feel on the audience’s behalf. You are supposed to present the work as you interpret it and allow them to be affected. There’s nothing I hate more than seeing a performer cry at their own show.

However, this one has kind of backfired on me a bit and it is easy to get too deep in the narrative.

“It’s, of course, very personal and when I see other trans people in the audience, it can really move me. I’ve done emotive shows before, but I’ve always sought to remove myself from the middle of it. I can’t do that this time.”

“A lot of the criticism of trans people seems to centre around the idea that you can whimsically decide to be whatever you want.”

Venue: Melbourne Town Hall – Backstage Room Dates: Thursday March 28 – Sunday April 21 (bar Mondays) Tickets: $22 - $30

BY AUGUSTUS WELBY

Ciaran Lyons What’s Next?

Starting his career as a teenager, Lyons had to be chaperoned at gigs by his parents. “For the first three or four years my parents had to sign me into gigs and come along – which was good and bad,” says Lyons.

“The first gig, my dad bought me there…he didn’t ask me what my set was about, so he was recording from the back with the video camera. I went on to do my set and it was all about him and my mum, it was purely five minutes on them and he wasn’t expecting that,” he says of his first show as a teenager.

“I reckon I was better at 14,” he laughs.

Since then, Lyons has exploded through the comedy scene, appearing at Splendour in the Grass, performing at triple j’s Good Az Friday and hosting music festivals across the country, to name a few of his feats.

“When I was in Perth for two years, I was doing The Project’s correspondence for Perth and obviously working at triple j as well has been really fun,” Lyons says of his career highlights so far. “I was on stage in November last year, The Wombats were at Spilt Milk and they had three of us go out in a wombat costume and dance with them on stage to their final song, so that was pretty cool.”

Coming into 2019, Lyons’ career continues to flourish with his new show, which he’ll reveal to audiences at this year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

“The show is called What’s Next? so it’s a mixture of things. It’s just about growing up and being 22 and there’s various elements like living out of home and going back there and a lot of family-based things as well, also stuff on music festivals,” he says. “If you don’t like one topic, the next one’s coming in two minutes.”

Though Lyons is still young, he is conscious of making his stand-up comedy relatable to all ages, so there is something for everyone to get a laugh out of. “I don’t want to force them to come,” jokes Lyons. “Hopefully [audiences] get a good laugh out of coming to the show, that’s the aim.”

“I like to keep it to stuff that’s more relatable to all ages,” he says, “I don’t want to be too specific, so if a mother comes, she’s not just listening to all these references she doesn’t understand. I’m not going to be saying YOLO or anything.”

BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL

“The show is a mixture of things... If you don’t like one topic, the next one’s coming in two minutes.”

Venues: Fad Gallery and Melbourne Town Hall Dates: Thursday March 28 – Sunday April 21 (bar Friday April 5, Saturday April 6, Monday April 8 and Thursday April 18) Tickets: $18 – $27.50

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19

Colette Mann & Geoff Paine Mann Up and Take The Paine

Ed Night An Aesthetic On the back of a sold-out run at Edinburgh Fringe, Ed Night brings the fiercely funny An Aesthetic to Melbourne. He’s supported the likes of Simon Amstell, Phil Wang and Abandoman, now catch his fearless, insightful comedy in his solo show. He’ll be at ACMI Studio from Thursday March 28 until Sunday April 21, bar Mondays.

Tickets are $26 ± $3 3.

New Order

Forget the whole Brexit mess, New Order is uniting the best voices of Ireland and the UK on one stage. Catherine Bohart, Chris Washington, Mawaan Rizwan and Rosie Jones will each flex their comedic muscles, showcasing their unique styles of humour while repping their homelands. New Order is happening at Melbourne Town Hall from Thursday March 28 until Sunday April 21, bar Wednesdays. Tickets are $27-34.

Sam Jay Appearing In ‘Headliners’ Emmy-nominated writer for Saturday Night Live Sam Jay is heading Down Under to add her flavour to this year’s MICF. Drawing on her experience as a gay, black woman, Jay’s comedy is as sharp and thought-provoking as it is warm and relatable. Check her out as part of Headliners at Max Watt’s from Tuesday April 16 until Sunday April 21. Tickets are $31 ± $37.

20 BEAT.COM.AU

Ever wondered what it was like to act on the small screen?

How actors learn their lines or what they do when they forget their lines, especially when it’s a live audience?

Well, Colette Mann and Geoff Paine are here to show you exactly what to do when you are under the spotlight.

Debuting at the 2019 Melbourne International Comedy Festival, both Mann and Paine will bring to stage a 50-minute masterclass in working on TV soaps. Right from crying on cue, walking and talking at the same time to screen tests, self-tests and blood tests, they’ve got you all covered.

“We will be taking a fun workshop in bad acting, basically, for the small screen. It’s a parody of sorts and works on participation from a member of the audience. It also entails a lot of improvisation,” says Paine, popularly known for his character Clive on Neighbours.

Ask them how challenging the process was and Mann explains how this, like everything else, had its ups and downs too. “Knowing each other and having worked together before gave us enough time to work on the concept. We spoke about it a lot before actually getting down to work on it and are constantly changing it even now,” she says.

The name almost wrote itself, the duo say.

Mann had told Paine that the title should have both their names featured with hers first ± that’s where it all started.

Performing opposite each other for years now, the two of them pretty much have their chemistry set. They meet twice a week, rehearse and work on the script and now can’t wait to get on stage.

“The piece is going to be fun and a lot of spontaneous chaos on stage. Our biggest fear is accommodating a bunch of people who will be part of the workshop on a tiny stage, but that is the whole point of improvisation and we are excited for it,” says Paine.

Produced by Shlive Productions, Enter Closer and Crowded, Mann Up and Take the Paine is all set to tickle your funny bones. Over the top, extravagant and unnecessarily dramatic, the show is meant to explore big acting techniques and is in a way, an extension of their on-screen acting. The characters they portray in the workshop, however, are completely new ones.

Having previously performed in the Melbourne International Comedy Festival (Spontaneous Broadway), the two are industrious in the entertainment industry. On top of doing innumerable shows and films and featuring on radio for decades, the two have also been love interests on Neighbours. This show will be an absolute treat.

“The piece is going to be fun and a lot of spontaneous chaos on stage.”

Venue: Campari House Dates: Tuesday March 26 – Sunday April 21 Tickets: $25 – $30

BY SALONEE MISTRY

David O’Doherty Ultrasound

“I think my 20-year-old self would be greatly entertained by the idea that I’m still able to tour with a keyboard and an orange sports bag.”

In his twenties, David O’Doherty decided to pick up his cheap plastic keyboard, get behind a mic and perform at comedy clubs in his home town of Dublin. Two decades on, you will see him performing with the same setup ± only now with multiple awards, TV appearances and several children’s books.

David’s self-proclaimed ‘unplanned’ journey started in 1998.

“Comedy was not a career, there was a few people on TV doing cheesy sketches,” says O’Doherty. “When I started, there was no plan beyond ‘do this gig, hang out with the cool people who do the gig afterwards and then hopefully get booked for another gig’.

“People have a plan now, or agents and managers try to put together plans for comedians, like ‘within five years you could be doing this’.

I was just trying to put together a funny five minutes. There’s been no master plan.”

Now comfortably settled in the international comedy scene, O’Doherty arrives for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival with his 2019 show Ultrasound. But his intention to stick to the theme, which he himself set, varies.

“The joy of [festivals] is you do twentysomething nights of it [and] the thing itself changes. You think a show is about one thing and

then you say ‘oh actually it might be about that bit’, and so the focus of the whole thing changes.”

“Whereas in bands you go into a studio and record a song, the beauty of stand up is you never have to freeze it in ice. It gets to keep flapping around.”

Despite his comedy format remaining relatively the same, O’Doherty is constantly pushing his boundaries and exploring new opportunities for himself.

“I’m finishing a novel at the moment. [The novel’s] for kids, but I think grown-ups will like it as well. We’re in the last bits of it and that’s something I’ve really wanted to do. But you’re never really happy ± especially with comedy. You’re always kind of looking for the next thing. That’s what spurs me on, to keep writing and keep doing it.”

But don’t label O’Doherty as just a comedian looking for the profound.

“I also love dumb jokes, it gets the fundamental tension. People are like, “who’s the greatest comedian and what is the best show you’ve seen?” and on one hand I love [Hannah] Gadsby, I’ve lived with Gadsby for years at various festivals, but I also simultaneously love Mitch Hedberg who would do these beautifully crafted pissy one-liners. That’s kind of the beauty of stand up and you try to find yourself somewhere along that spectrum.”

BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL

“The beauty of stand up is you never have to freeze it in ice. It gets to keep flapping around.”

Venue: The Forum – Upstairs Dates: Thursday March 28 – Sunday April 21 (bar Mondays) Tickets: $32 – $42

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21

DeAnne Smith Epiphany

Dave Hughes Hairy If you’re Australian and you own or have ever been near a TV, you’re probably pretty familiar with Dave Hughes’ half-yelled humour. Well, since last year’s MICF, Hughsey has grown his hair and it’s posed a lot of questions. Is he having a crisis?

What do his loved ones think? You can guarantee he’ll be asking and answering these questions and more in his latest show, Hairy. Dave Hughes hits Melbourne Town Hall, Lower Town Hall on Thursday March 28 until Sunday April 21, bar Mondays.

Tickets are $35 ± $4 5.

Becky Lucas Um, Support Me?!

In her free time, Becky Lucas does solo stand-ups at the Opera House, helms a show on Comedy Central, and she’s just finished a pilot for ABC TV. Overachiever much? She also wants to chop the Prime Minister’s head off (or so her Twitter says).

As far as experience and sass go, we think she’s got things covered. Don’t miss Um, Support Me?! at the Melbourne Town Hall and Swiss Club from Thursday March 28 to Sunday April 21, bar Mondays April 1 and 15. Tickets range from $25-$32.

DeAnne Smith loves Australia – like, really loves Australia. Smith, by her own admission, feels very attached to our comedy scene, and visiting every year has allowed her to develop her own style.

Back again at Melbourne International Comedy Festival this year with her latest show, Epiphany, the Canadian comedian gushes and swoons with anticipation.

“I truly believe Australian comedy is world class. It’s been great to have been exposed to it so early on,” says Smith.

As an international artist visiting so frequently, Smith has a unique perspective on what’s on offer in our comedy circuit. “I feel like Australia gets a UK influence, a US influence, so they understand both types of comedy, but at the same time it’s so far removed from everything else that it has fully developed its own unique scene, its own unique voice.

“A lot of Australian comics are really doing their own thing, and they might not realise how much the rest of the world see this style stand out.”

Many may assume there’s a barrier among these cultures and scenes in understanding the jokes that people like Smith lay down, but it’s never been an issue for her. “I arrived in Australia early in my career with a North American style ± set up, punch, bam, bam, bam ± then I got exposed to a more UK storytelling style and what it is to create a new hour long show every year.

“It helped me develop a middle ground where I’ve learned how to write longer pieces but can cram in as many punch lines as possible.”

Epiphany is a unique concept for Smith ± she’s trying to share little revelations she’s had in the last few years. “How can I say this,” she begins. “We have to submit our show blurbs by October, but I need to be honest with you, by October I never have the show written. It’s the smallest turn of an idea.

“I decided to embrace what I do and what I do is let things develop over the course of a few months. Right about now I’m seeing how everything hangs together and what the scenes are.

“What I’m aiming for this year is digging really deep into some of my own struggles with stuff in the hopes that becomes universal to everybody. My favourite type of comedy is personal stuff that becomes universal.”

When Smith is doing an hour-long show, she builds in a buffer to what she’s scripted. “My favourite thing in the world is to be spontaneous with what’s going on with the people in the room,” she says. “That’s the beauty of live performance, is that it’s different every night. My energy is different, the crowd’s energy is different, and to not be able to respond to that, I find really restrictive.

“I don’t know where or when it’s going to happen, but if I’m flexible and open to the moment, absolutely we’re going to have material unique to that night and that room.”

Venue: Mantra on Russell – Mantra One Dates: Thursday March 28 – Sunday April 21 (bar Mondays) Tickets: $20 - $32

BY ANNA ROSE

Demi Lardner Ditch Witch 800 and We Mustn’t (with Tom Walker)

“I’m so tired, dude,” Demi Lardner admits, powering through the halfway point of the 2019 Adelaide Fringe.

Lardner. “I find it intolerable to not acknowledge that people are in the room and the only way that I feel like I can do that is by, y’know, touching their eyes and stuff. I don’t think that will ever be gone from my comedy, otherwise I’m like ‘arggh, stop looking at me, let’s look at this idiot for a second’, y’know? It’s a lot of kissing people on the head.”

Lardner describes We Mustn’t as the tale of “two insufferable little boys with probably the worst accents and voice tone you could have” home alone, desperately trying to avoid trouble and their father’s wrath. A theatrical explosion of character-driven madness, Lardner cannot wait.

“It [came] from last year when we were in Adelaide Fringe and we were both going insane,” Lardner recalls. “We just started doing these awful characters who were twin brothers and it was the thing that was bringing us the most joy ± just calling each other Johnathon and just going insane in a car because we both had heat stroke and we were so tired. It just brought us enough joy that we were like, ‘yes ± other people must see’.”

Jokingly describing them both as “creepy, evil shows”, Lardner’s philosophy hearkens to a simple, fun-loving core ± sometimes, some ideas are so surreal that there’s no excuse for not doing them.

“We tried to keep heart in it, but it’s also slightly confronting and awful,” Lardner laughs. “So just be prepared.”

Renowned Scottish comedian Danny Bhoy is returning to Australia with his brandspanking new show for 2019. This man is the king of observational comedy and his quick wit carves such storytelling into a sharp blade of unrelenting hilarity. Just when you think Bhoy is about to bounce out of a joke like a jack in the box he’ll slow it down. Bhoy comes to the Athenaeum Theatre from Tuesday March 26 to Sunday April 7 (bar Monday) as well as Tuesday March 16 and Wednesday March 17. Tickets are $49.90 - $54.90.

“I’m so fuckin’ tired. I don’t know what to do with myself, but it’s fun.”

It’s a fair comment; Lardner still has a big year ahead. The award-winning comedian will hit the Melbourne International Comedy Festival by way of Brisbane, before heading to New Zealand, Sydney, America, London and Edinburgh. In Melbourne alone, she’ll be doing two new shows: the hyperkinetic solo project Ditch Witch 800 and the equally frenetic We Mustn’t with fellow comedian and partner Tom Walker. It’s hard work ± she recommends “a bath and a whisky” to stay sane ± but it’s all been worth it.

“I hadn’t realised until people started telling me, but my solo show is incredibly high-energy and I sweat so much,” Lardner laughs. “Then I’m just gonna have to ride that high all the way down to play a tiny, awful, creepy twin brother to my boyfriend.”

It’s hard to believe that Lardner wasn’t even going to do a show this year. Stating that she had “nothing” for the upcoming season, the comedian conjured a cyclone of sketch and observation that audiences already love. Lardner’s unique and interactive approach to comedy in Ditch Witch 800 plays off her audiences’ expectations and may just see them involved in the show.

“I’m gonna make them work for it ± even though they paid, but they’re in it too,” laughs

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BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL

Danny Bhoy Age of Fools

“My favourite thing in the world is to be spontaneous with what’s going on with the people in the room.”

“I hadn’t realised until people started telling me, but my solo show is incredibly highenergy and I sweat so much.”

Venue: Ditch Witch 800: Greek Centre – Parthenon We Mustn’t: Melbourne Town Hall – Backstage Room Dates: Ditch Witch 800: Thursday March 28 – Sunday April 21 (bar Mondays) We Mustn’t: Thursday March 28 – Saturday April 20 (only Thursday, Friday and Saturday) Tickets: Ditch Witch 800: $23 – $30 We Mustn’t: $20 – $25

BY JACOB COLLIVER

BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL

BEAT.COM.AU 23

Des Bishop The Comments Section

Square one is just an international flight away – just ask Des Bishop. Although he was raised Stateside, the 43-year-old lived in Ireland for nearly 30 years of his life.

Tommy Little Self-Diagnosed Genius Between running a marathon in Antarctica with no training and bungee jumping live on TV with his bits out, it’s fair to say this ‘genius’ doesn’t shy away from much.

Combining his passion for absurdity and flair for storytelling, Tommy has the guts to go where no other stand-up will. He’s on Thursday March 28 to Sunday April 21 at The Forum, bar Mondays, tickets are $27 ± $40.

Jamali Maddix Vape Lord Prepare to be offended ± self-proclaimed ‘Lord’ Jamali Maddix is embarking on his first world tour and he’s not shy. In his free time, Maddix hosts Viceland’s Hate Thy Neighbour, interviewing extremists and such. His brand of comedy is honest and unrelenting, with Vape Lord seeing him spout stories from his travels and his views on society. He’s on from Tuesday April 9 to Sunday April 21, bar Mondays, at the Greek Centre, Parthenon. Tickets are $22 ± $32.

There, he’s a star of stand-up and screen, having been a part of several notable TV shows and selling out countless tours of the country.

When he arrived back in the US, however, he found himself doing a lot of open-mic nights ± essentially going back to his roots of some 20 years prior. “I definitely learned a lot from being back in the clubs, not doing my own shows,” says Bishop.

“I’m not well-known there at all. It all changed. I love watching all the younger comics, because I’m watching them discuss all of these dilemmas from their everyday life that I’ve never experienced. All this stuff about social media and dating and interacting with one another... I mean, all my friends have kids, y’know? It was inspiring and really interesting to be around them, because it challenged me in terms of my own stand-up.”

With this, Bishop began work on his next festival show, titled The Comments Section. At the time of submitting the name and theme to the festivals, the show was intended to be more about how online culture has shaped our everyday lives.

As Bishop has worked more on the show, however, the thematic structure has broadened somewhat.

“It’s funny ± you have to send everything in so far in advance, so the show can change so much by the time you’re actually doing it,” says Bishop. “If I was writing the description now, I would say that

it’s a show about me trying to find the antithesis to the phrase ‘toxic masculinity’. Even with that said, I’ve definitely kept my shows fairly broad and somewhat random in their execution over the last few years. It’s definitely traditional stand-up ± there’s no shame in saying that.”

Bishop considers this an equal and opposite reaction to the way that he would create his festival shows in the past. In instances like My Dad Was Nearly James Bond and Tongues ± the latter of which was turned into a memoir in 2011 ± the shows were specifically themed and conceptually structured. In more recent years, however, Bishop has found a certain liberation in not being bound to a single start-to-finish story. “Don’t get me wrong, those were all great shows,” he says.

“At the same time, though, it can definitely get very rigid when you’re bound to a single theme. I find a lot of freedom in being able to get up there and just talk about whatever’s on my mind at the time.”

Venue: Greek Centre – Parthenon Dates: Thursday March 28 – Sunday April 21 (bar Mondays) Tickets: $28 – $38

BY DAVID JAMES YOUNG

Emily Tresidder Just Doing It

One of the questions comedians get asked most often is ‘do you get nervous?’

It’s a fair inquiry, as standing in front of people can be nervewracking.

“I think a lot of people have relationships with people in their lives that they wish were better... sometimes in life you get dealt these really shitty humans that are meant to be more important and more supportive of you, and they’re not, and that can be a real struggle. But it’s been really fun for me to find the humour in it, so I think that’s more what I’m exploring ± this shit happened, but how funny is it?

“My mum is my biggest fan, so it’s basically singing her praises because she raised me singlehandedly and then just talking about the opposite of that, and how that’s affected who I am,” says Tresidder, who says doing personal growth and development work on herself over the past few years has helped both her personal life ± her relationship with her boyfriend also gets a mention in the show ± and her comic perspective.

Tresidder has done the international festival circuit and, along with Vicky Hanlon, hosts the podcast Vic and Em’s Comedy Gems, which hit the iTunes top 50 on its debut. Just Doing It is her fifth show and she feels she’s really now hit her stride.

Even though the title “seems like I don’t give a shit” Tresidder’s passion is apparent. “I’m really proud of this show, it’s super fun and definitely the funniest thing I’ve ever written. I’m excited for people see it”.

As we bumble our way through life, it’s easy to feel inferior as we watch everyone around us kick goals and hit milestones that remain in our own distant horizons.

Well, self-professed show pony Nath Valvo is here to smirk and tease rather than congratulate in his sarcastic show I’m Happy For You. Catch him at Melbourne Town Hall in the Supper Room from Thursday March 28 until Sunday April 21, bar Mondays. Tickets are $25 ± $34.

However, that same adrenaline can also be experienced as excitement, which is what standup comedian Emily Tresidder is currently feeling.

After a few trial runs in Melbourne, where she now lives after starting her comedy career in Sydney as part of the sketch group Not Suitable For Drinking, she’s about to do the show for the first time in front of a full audience at Brisbane’s Sit Down Comedy Club.

“It is the debut tonight, which is exciting but I’m also feeling confident,” she says down the phone line. “I feel really good about this show so I’m going into it excited by the opportunity to do it in its totality. I’m excited to get it up and running.”

The show opens this week for a full run as part of the 2019 Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Called Just Doing It, the poster image features her chewing on a high-top shoe, but don’t go expecting a show containing gags about sport or exercise. “It absolutely does not,” she says emphatically. “I have one joke set in a park but that’s as far as it goes.”

Instead, she named the show after her ability to act on decisions she makes (“I’m like ‘cool, well I’m doing that now’”) and the content has morphed into an exploration of her closest relationships.

24 BEAT.COM.AU

BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL

Nath Valvo I’m Happy For You

“I find a lot of freedom in being able to get up there and just talk about whatever’s on my mind at the time.”

“Sometimes in life you get dealt these really shitty humans that are meant to be more important and more supportive of you, and they’re not.”

Venue: Trades Hall – The Evatt Room and Melbourne Town Hall – Lunch Room Dates: Thursday March 28 – Sunday April 21 (bar Wednesdays and Saturday April 13) Tickets: $15 – $25

BY JOANNE BROOKFIELD

BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL

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25

Faulty Towers the Dining Experience Faulty Towers the Dining Experience is an original piece of dinner theatre inspired by the 1970s British sitcom, Fawlty Towers.

Wil Anderson Wil-Informed Quick-witted and sharp as a hook-turn, it’s no wonder Wil Anderson has sold out the Comedy Theatre for 11 consecutive years. 2019 may mark Anderson’s 23rd Melbourne International Comedy Festival, but you can bet he’ll be keeping it as fresh as ever. Catch him at Comedy Theatre from Wednesday March 27 until Sunday April 21, bar Mondays and Tuesdays. Tickets are $35 ± $54.90.

Anne Edmonds What’s Wrong With You? Anne Edmonds wants you to question your own sanity, and keep from questioning hers, by asking “what’s wrong with you?”.

If you’ve seen her in Have You Been Paying Attention or in her own show The Edge Of The Bush, then you’ll be familiar with her brand of humour that will leave you laughing so hard, you’re gasping for air.

Catch her at Melbourne Town Hall from Tuesday March 28 to Sunday April 21, bar Mondays. Tickets are $25 ± $39.

Chris Redd Appearing in ‘Headliners’ Best known for his recurring spot in the Saturday Night Live cast, along with roles in Netflix’s Disjointed and Andy Samberg’s Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, Chris Redd’s comedy is probably familiar to anyone who likes to laugh. Sketch, standup or impressions ± nothing is out of Redd’s league. Catch him in his solo show on Friday April 19 at The Westin or as part of Headliners from Tuesday April 16 until Sunday April 21 at Max Watt’s. Tickets are $25 ± $30 a nd $31 ± $37, respectively.

26 BEAT.COM.AU

A traditional dinner theatre involves sitting down at a table, getting served dinner and watching a show on the stage in front of you. There’s a bit of interaction between the performers and audience and usually a couple of people get invited onstage.

But Faulty Towers the Dining Experience is far more immersive, chiefly because there is no stage.

“The stage is the actual space itself. It’s as though the audience are the actual guests dining at the Fawlty Towers restaurant,” says cast member Anthony Sottile. “We perform in and around the tables, and above and below the tables as well. We’re in amongst them. When we talk to someone, we’re right there. We’re not talking to them from the stage.”

Sottile plays the role of Manuel, the incompetent Spanish waiter in the Fawlty Towers hotel. He’s joined by Rob Langston as Basil Fawlty and Rebecca Fortuna as Sybil Fawlty.

“There are two 20-minute portions of the show that are scripted,” Sottile says. “The rest of it is totally improvised. So, you’ve got 120 loose cannons in the room essentially. You don’t know what they’re going to say, you don’t know what they’re going to do. You don’t know how they’re going to react, but you play along.

“Within the first ten to 20 minutes of the show, we’re assessing the room. There are those who you can sense are shy. They’re there to watch

the show, but they’re like, please don’t involve me, I just want to watch. You need to respect those parameters as well.”

Basil, originally played by the show’s co-creator John Cleese, is a notoriously misanthropic hotel manager. Langston upholds these characteristics.

“You don’t ever want to offend anyone but of course Basil is such an offensive character,” Sottile says. “It has to be done in a safe way. But most people come expecting to be insulted in some way, shape or form.”

People unfamiliar with Fawlty Towers ± which ran for two six-episode seasons in the mid and late 1970s ± will still be able to follow along and get a feel for the characters.

“The defining characteristics are so iconic,” says Sottile. “Basil is very impatient and rude.

That’s easy. We all know someone like that. Sybil is very bossy with her husband, very impatient with her husband, but she’s very accommodating with the guests. She’s always making sure the guests are looked after.

“Manuel’s the underdog. He’s not stupid, he just doesn’t understand what you’re trying to tell him because he doesn’t fully comprehend the language. He will literally believe every word you say and take it as gospel. If you say to him, ‘Can you please serve the drinks?’, he may actually lob the glasses in the air and start playing tennis with them because he thinks that’s what you mean by serve.”

“You don’t ever want to offend anyone but of course Basil is such an offensive character…

But most people come expecting to be insulted in some way, shape or form.”

Venue: Stamford Plaza Melbourne Dates: Tuesday April 9 – Sunday April 14 Tickets: $89 – $99

BY AUGUSTUS WELBY

Guy Montgomery

I Was Part Of The Problem Before We Were Talking About It Guy Montgomery has been based in New York for the last 18 months, but the New Zealand comedian still spends a hefty chunk of time in the Antipodes.

He’s back for a full season at Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2019, which is largely a financial imperative as his US visa prohibits him working outside the stand-up sphere.

“In terms of having it feel like my feet are on the ground and establishing deep, meaningful and lasting connections with my American brethren, it has made it slightly more challenging,” says Montgomery.

New York is a legendary comedy location and Montgomery’s not afraid to admit he’s chasing his dreams.

“People say you don’t want too many good things to happen too quickly,” he says. “I don’t know. I feel like none of the people who are saying that have had all of the good things happen to them at once.”

There’s still plenty to strive for, but Montgomery’s journey has been pretty smooth sailing. He’s a white, middle class man from New Zealand and he explores the ramifications of excess privilege and entitlement in I Was Part of the Problem Before We Were Talking About It. “The older I get and the more I widen my horizons and surround myself with a vast array of people, I’m realising and then acknowledging out

loud that I have had a charmed run.”

Montgomery’s previous solo stand-up shows tended to be silly and surreal observational pieces.

But his 2018 show, Guy Montgomery Doesn’t Check His Phone For An Hour, probed his addiction to technology and acted as a stepping-stone to this year’s show. “It’s been bubbling away at the back of my mind for a while, but I haven’t quite built up the requisite confidence to actually perform a personal show,” he says. “This show I totally open myself up and reflect on how I’ve wound up where I am and how fortunate I’ve been and all the breaks I’ve had along the way.”

Even if certain presuppositions or personality traits feel like inevitable consequences of social conditioning, that doesn’t excuse negative or ignorant attitudes. Montgomery is using humour to deconstruct certain reflexive actions.

“The stuff that I’m talking about, they’re conversations I have with friends and family and colleagues but it’s stuff that I never really wanted to address onstage,” he says. “But that gnawing idea that I should because I can eventually got to me.

“I’m really excited to do this show. I was also initially very terrified, but I’m very excited because I think it’s the first time in a while I’ve been genuinely scared or felt like I’m in deeper water than I’m capable of swimming in. That’s usually a good sign.”

BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL

“The stuff that I’m talking about…I never really wanted to address onstage. But that gnawing idea that I should because I can eventually got to me.”

Venue: Mantra on Russell – Mantra One Dates: Thursday March 28 – Sunday April 21 (bar Mondays) Tickets: $20 – $30

BY AUGUSTUS WELBY

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Ivan Aristeguieta The Fourth Floor

James Acaster Cold Lasagne Hate Myself 1999 1999 was the best year of James Acaster’s life. He also sometimes hates himself and has been known to drunkenly dine on cold lasagne at 4am. Reflecting on the best year of his life and the worst, Cold Lasagne Hate Myself 1999 is self-deprecating, relatable and totally engrossing. He’ll be at ACMI Beyond and Melbourne Town Hall from Tuesday April 9 until Sunday April 21, bar Monday. Tickets are $30-39.

Simon Amstell What Is This?

Following a sold out tour and residencies in London, Simon Amstell brings his esteemed show Down Under. Amstell wears his heart on his sleeve in What Is This?, giving us honesty, pain, love and happiness but, most importantly, laughter.

Catch him at the Arts Centre Melbourne, Fairfax Studio from Tuesday April 9 to Sunday April 21, bar Mondays. Tickets are $31 ± $39.

The big 4-0. Where most might start stressing about the grey hairs, the wrinkles and the debts they still haven’t paid off, in the run-up to his 40th birthday, Ivan Aristeguieta has decided to have a few laughs about it.

Aristeguieta is celebrating the milestone with a new show, The Fourth Floor, a reference to how people in his native Venezuela wish each other a happy birthday when they turn 40. “Firstly, I have to write a show and every time I write a show it’s like a yearly report in my life,” says Aristeguieta.

“The thing I’ve been thinking the most about is turning 40 so I think it’s fair to talk about this with my audience and be honest. For example, I bought a unit, I got a mortgage. I wanted to do that before I turned 40 and to be responsible. I’ve been on the road for four years.

“I could have rented a place for myself but I went, ‘Nah, I don’t want to use 3M sticky hooks.

I want a hammer and nail on a wall’. That’s why I did it ± not because I’m a grown-up and I want to invest, just because I don’t have time to rip the structures off the sticky hooks.”

In The Fourth Floor, Aristeguieta reflects on his last four decades in an honesty he says people haven’t had since their youth. “It’s not a commiseration, it’s a celebration,” he says. “This is exciting, where you stop caring about people’s opinions ± it ’s a progression in aging.

“There was a time in our childhood when we realised someone could have an opinion for

us and our lives were ruined forever. Then we hit this age around late-30s, early-40s, and you start pretending a bit less.”

Fear not, youth of today, Aristeguieta is very aware that he has members of his audience who aren’t around his age and are younger, so he’s got a special way of compromising any pop culture references he makes for all to understand. “I think comedy is about how you make the world see through your eyes that they can laugh with you.

“It doesn’t matter your position, your references, as long as you can get people to understand the world through your eyes.

“I’m also a foreigner, and I’ve been doing comedy for Australians from a foreigner’s point of view. My job is to put Australians through my point of view so they can laugh with me ± I think I’ve been doing that well.

“We’re constantly moving through different worlds and adapting to different worlds ± when you get a new job, when you meet a new partner.

It’s about empathy, putting yourself in other people’s shoes and seeing what you have to see to make them understand.”

Venue: Athenaeum Theatre Dates: Thursday March 28 – Sunday April 21 (bar Mondays) Tickets: $25.40 – $35.70

BY ANNA ROSE

Jo Firestone Headliners

It’s late afternoon in Brooklyn, New York and stand-up comedian Jo Firestone has just polished off a bowl of Golden Grahams. “They’re like little squares of cereal but covered in like a shellac so they’re so crunchy that when they’re poured into a bowl, it sounds like teeth being put onto a tray,” she says.

be nice to her audience members when chatting with them.

“I want to make people feel good and comedy is a way that I feel good. When I watch comedy I feel good, or I used to before I watched thousands of hours of it, but I think it’s a way to bring joy to people and I like doing that,” she says.

Firestone is making her Melbourne International Comedy Festival debut as part of Headliners: A Star-Spangled Showcase of Comedy from the USA. “It’s a very big deal because who gets to go to Australia? Just going to Australia in the first place is really blowing people’s minds over here and then the fact it’s a comedy festival. People here have heard such good things, everyone is really stoked about it and everyone that goes over there has such fun.”

She’s performing alongside buddies The Late Show with Stephen Colbert writer Emmy Blotnick and Joel Kim Booster. Also performing on other dates across the festival as part of Headliners are Langston Kerman, Liza Treyger, Samantha Ruddy, Sam Jay and Chris Redd (“just an amazing talent to watch”).

Firestone says audiences will see some of the sharpest joke writers around with the Headliners lineup this year. “They’re all like truly some of the funniest people I’ve ever seen, so I think people will be in for a treat.”

Written by award-winning writer Michelle Law, Single Asian Female tackles the stereotypes surrounding race and gender in this clever, comedic venture. Set within a Sunshine Coast restaurant after hours, Single Asian Female follows the Wong family as they delve into intergenerational Westernisation and life as AsianAustralians. It’s happening at Fairfax Studio, Arts Centre Melbourne from Wednesday April 3 until Sunday April 21, bar Sundays and Mondays. Tickets are $30 ± $49.

It’s a day off, so she spent the morning making a video and working from home. Firestone has worked as a writer on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon ± which led to her doing segments with him on-air and also performing stand-up on the show ± and she’s appeared on Broad City, in a long list of other TV acting credits. These days, she’s a writer and performer on Adult Swim’s liveaction comedy series Joe Pera Talks With You. Firestone’s comedy has been described by Rolling Stone as “one of the most whimsical, woolliest and most prolific comedy minds on the east coast”. She’s done “so many, many shows in basements; many, many nights wandering the streets,” she says of her eleven-year career in comedy. She got her start doing improv, which informs the spontaneous nature of a lot of her sets.

“I like to do a lot of audience participation, which has definitely gotten me into a lot of trouble but hopefully the crowds in Melbourne will be really receptive and none of them will try to beat me up or anything, I think it will be ok,” she says, adding that she always tries to

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BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL

Michelle Law Single Asian Female

“[Turning 40] is exciting, where you stop caring about people’s opinions – it’s a progression in aging.”

“I like to do a lot of audience participation, which has definitely gotten me into a lot of trouble.”

Venue: Max Watt’s Dates: Thursday March 28 – Sunday April 14 (bar Monday) Tickets: $28 – $37

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Jordan Brookes Bleed

The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is about to get even more interesting when stand-up comedian Jordan Brookes brings his show Bleed to the renowned festival.

Phill Jupitus Sassy Knack Improviser, poet and stand-up stalwart Phill Jupitus is a jack of all trades. He’s done TV, featuring on QI and Never Mind The Buzzcocks, theatre with Hairspray and Urinetown and radio ± but on the stage is where he truly shines. His new show Sassy Knack comes to Max Watt’s on Wednesday April 17 until Friday April 19.

Tickets are $46.90.

Ahir Shah Duffer Ahir Shah’s show Duffer debuted at Edinburgh Fringe in 2018, where it garnered critical acclaim and saw him continually selling out subsequent shows in the UK. Through his philosophical stand up, Shah wants to tackle the big issues like... Bohemian Rhapsody. Oh, and important social issues. You can catch him from Tuesday April 9 to Sunday April 21, bar Monday April 8, at the Melbourne Town Hall and Mantra on Russell. Tickets are $26 ± $ 33.

“My style is a mix of developing what I think is funny, and I think as long as you’re coming from an authentic place then people will see that,” Brookes says. “No matter how different or unique it might be, I think people will get on board because they can sense authenticity.”

Brookes’ has always enjoyed doing stand-up comedy because he can express himself creatively and give his ideas a whirl onstage.

“I think it’s the freedom to write something and try it out really quickly; there’s nothing more immediate than getting instant feedback on whether it’s funny or not.”

Bleed is actually quite personal, delving into his vulnerable self and portraying Brookes’ stance on relationships.

“I’ve just come out of a relationship and I’m now leaning on the audience emotionally,” he says.

“I’m taking them on a path of what it might be like to be in a relationship with me.

“I think people want to see something they wouldn’t ordinarily see, they want to see something from someone they wouldn’t get in a one-on-one interaction with them. I think it’s important to explore these things and it’s important that people feel excited when you expose something that they wouldn’t ordinarily get.”

“When I was building the show, I wanted to create an experience that feels like they’ve gone on a rollercoaster and they’ve come out at the end completely confused about what the hell has just happened.

“I think that’s been the guiding intention: how do we shake people up and make them feel like they’ve experienced something insane? It’s also important to give people something to think about.”

Not only is Brookes eager to perform at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, he is keen to experience Australia for the first time. Looking towards the festival, his goal is simple: make people laugh, because that’s his passion. Having earnt the title of funnyman, Brookes offers some inspiration for people who are aspiring to be comedians.

“Just identify early on what it is [you] want to say and what it is [you] find funny,” he says. “Never stop pursuing to make yourself laugh, because I think that’s the only thing that will allow you to continue doing it.”

“Also, never think that you’ve found it, because you haven’t. You find new things, you learn new things, and therefore it’s important to find what would make you funny onstage. I think the most that any of us could hope for is to enjoy what we’re doing and be happy.”

Venue: Melbourne Town Hall – Cloak Room Dates: Thursday March 28 – Sunday April 21 (bar Mondays) Tickets: $26 – $33

BY CHRISTINE TSIMBIS

Josh Szeps #youtoo

Josh Szeps wants to let you in on a secret, social media is ruining everything and Big Tech is manipulating your mind.

Fresh off the back of delivering not one, but two Netflix specials, it’d be safe to say Scottish comedy whiz Daniel Sloss is at the top of his game. With quick-wit, a penchant for storytelling and timing more precise than an Apple product, Sloss has truly earnt his title as a comedy titan. He’ll be bringing his show X to The Forum, Downstairs from Thursday March 28 until Sunday April 21, bar Mondays, Tickets are $27 ± $37.

After working in New York at the coalface of the world’s biggest online media companies, Szeps is returning to Melbourne with his standup show, #youtoo.

“It’s funny, my show was built back-to-front,” Szeps explains. “In most festival shows, the comic shoehorns a bunch of random jokes into a larger theme and hopes it amounts to something. I’ve done the opposite, starting with a big provocative theory ± that social media is ruining everything ± and exploring all the insane, juicy, comedic nooks it contains.

“So this show actually wasn’t assembled bit by bit, by evolution, at all. It was summoned into being. I guess what I’m saying is, I’m not Charles Darwin. I’m God.” Szeps wants to remove us from our smart phones for an hour and expose the tricks Silicon Valley ‘whiz kids’ are using to keep us tethered to them like gambling addicts. The political comedian’s show aims to be unpredictable; attacking social media, political correctness gone mad, and even the audience themselves, at times, by touching on big issues.

“Most political comedians are smug, virtuesignalling conformists peddling politically-correct positions that their audiences already agree with,” Szeps said. “It’s hard joking about politics ± especially red-hot issues like immigration and #metoo ± in a way that successfully pisses off everybody.”

The broadcast journo and comedian is best known for HuffPost Live and his podcast

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Daniel Sloss X

“No matter how different or unique it might be, I think people will get on board because they can sense authenticity.”

#WeThePeople, but takes the filter off when performing stand-up. “A live comedy show is a ‘relief ’ in the same way jumping out of a plane without a parachute is a relief; because you’re not constrained by your seatbelt any more,” he says. “In that sense, both my careers, comedy and broadcasting, are the same thing. I’ve only ever had success by being me.”

Szeps has worked with a range of characters over his years doing broadcast and through HuffPost Live. “I interviewed everyone from Roseanne to Susan Sarandon to Jerry Springer, but the funniest guests were the ones I least expected,” Szeps recalls. “I popped into the green room to give Sir Ian McKellan my pre-show spiel, telling him ‘relax, we’re informal here’. He looked at my clothes, at my feet, at my face, stroked his Gandalf beard, winked, and said ‘I can tell that, boy, from your shitty shoes’.”

How does Szeps manage to joke about such controversial topics without reducing his audience to deep existential stares? He doesn’t. “If you don’t walk out of #youtoo having had at least four deep existential stares,then I haven’t done my job.”

Szeps said.

“This show actually wasn’t assembled bit by bit, by evolution, at all. It was summoned into being. I guess what I’m saying is, I’m not Charles Darwin.

I’m God.” Venue: The Victoria Hotel – Acacia Room Dates: Thursday March 28 – Sunday April 21 (bar Mondays) Tickets: $20 – $29.90

BY D’ARCY MCGREGOR

BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL

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31

Josh Glanc Glance You For Having Me

Josh Glanc is no stranger to the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, first taking to its stages back in 2015.

Dave Lawson Dave’s Shed Show Live Dave Lawson is hosting the comedy talk show of your dreams, straight from the shed. With the help of Jet’s Mark Wilson, Stephen Curry and Ryan Shelton, Dave’s Shed Show Live will see a rotating program of guests including Nazeem Hussain, Ronny Chieng, Tim Minchin, Urliza Carlson and Hamish Blake. Pwoah. It’s happening at Melbourne Town Hall on Fridays and Saturdays April 5,6, 12 and 13.

Tickets are $30.

Fin Taylor When Harassy Met Sally Following a knockout debut in 2018, Fin Taylor has tackled race and politics with unwavering honesty and now he is going in hard on the battle of the sexes.

Leave your ego at home or prepare to be offended when Taylor talks gender politics with When Harassy Met Sally. He’ll be at The Westin from Thursday March 28 until Sunday April 21, bar Mondays. Tickets are $27.50 ± $34.50.

Since then he’s been honing his comedic style, cultivating a loyal following from audiences who connect with his antics of surreal tomfoolery.

For this year’s show however, Glanc is trying something new. He’s doing away with the sketches and has written a much more personal show that explores his relationship with this Jewish mother.

“It’s different. It’s not stand-up, it’s not sketch ± it’s me on stage doing stuff that all has a bit of a point,” explains Glanc.

As a kid, Josh faked appendicitis and had his appendix removed. He pretended he couldn’t see in an eye exam so he could get glasses, and more recently, he convinced his mum that he was dating someone her age just so he could get an explosive reaction. It’s the strong reactions he craves, both on and off stage, but the urge to routinely lie also stems for a deep desire to be stopped.

“I like personal comedy, I like comedy where we get something from the person. This show is without a doubt the most personal show that I’ve done.”

“It’s quite different from [what] I normally do, and with that has comes a lot of challenges,” says Glanc of the shift to a more introspective show.

Coming from a more personal place has forced him to adapt the show in a manner he’s not all that accustomed to. “I’m in a different world than I normally operate and I’m trying to see how that is.”

“When you do a sketch show, although you can try and have some sort of thread, there’s

a freedom to drop sketches that end up not working. With this new show, although it’s very absurd, it’s essentially about something ± so you’ve got to kind of nail it.”

The move from his one-man sketch shows into a more personal vein of comedy is a purely artistic one. “I don’t want to keep churning out the same stuff,” Glanc explains. “I wanted to artistically push myself. I’m talking about things that I’ve wanted to talk about on stage for a long time.”

“It’s such a long journey to find your craft and to find your voice. I think every show I create gets better, so hopefully this one won’t let people down,” he laughs.

The shift in style also helps keep his audiences on their toes. “I don’t want people to rock up to my show and think they know what they’re going to get,” he says. “At the same time, I still think I deliver something that’s very much me. There’s definitely elements on me revelling in absurdity on stage and kind of defying the audience to get on board and make sense of it.”

Venue: Melbourne Town Hall – Backstage Room Dates: Thursday March 28 – Sunday April 21 (bar Mondays) Tickets: $21 - $29

BY CHRIS SWAN

Kings of Comedy

Live and Uncensored Pink flags on Swanston Street?

A buzz of theatre and joy in the air? It must be Melbourne International Comedy Festival, the most wonderful time of the year.

Ron Funches’ CV runs like every comedian’s bucket list. He’s a regular on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and The Conan O’Brien Show, the likes of Dwayne Johnson and Busy Phillips have sung his praises and he worked as a writer on The Eric Andre Show. Simply put, the man is bloody funny.

He’ll be at Comic’s Lounge from Tuesday April 16 until Saturday April 20. Tickets are $36 ± $ 49.90.

But with the endless list of dazzling shows on offer, how can one possibly decide where to begin?

Enter Kings of Comedy ± a showcase of MICF stand-up talent.

“It’s a great mix of up-and-coming and superstar comedians,” says organiser and comedian Simon Hughes, fresh off the Adelaide Fringe bandwagon.

2019 will be Kings of Comedy’s fourth year at MICF ± like a fresh bottle of sparkling water, this one should be more invigorating than ever.

“A few years ago there were hardly any standup opportunities for up-and-coming comedians, especially on weekends,” Hughes says. “So I put this showcase together and within the first few shows we had a hundred people in the audience, it took off really quickly.”

Kings of Comedy has previously featured comedians testing out a range of styles, including musical comedy and ventriloquism. So, can audiences expect a night involving Chucky nailing a musical number?

“For the most part you’ll see stand-up, but you never know,” says Hughes.

Conveniently located in the CBD, Kings of Comedy is an ideal gig for comedy fans who want to discover new talent but aren’t looking to commit to anything serious yet. Like comedy Tinder.

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Ron Funches Live

“I don’t want people to rock up to my show and think they know what they’re going to get.”

“Audiences don’t usually want to commit to a full hour with a comedian they don’t know. This showcase is like a range of tasty appetisers for stand-up shows at MICF. The comedians will be bringing their absolute best for this night. If you’re into their set, you can check out their full show after,” says Hughes.

Combined with up-and-coming talent, Kings of Comedy has previously featured comedy bigwigs including Hughsie, Denise Scott and Fiona O’Loughlin. According to Hughes, the energy in previous King of Comedy showcases has been “electric”.

“I remember one night, a writer for Dave Chappelle was performing, and it was unbelievable. This comedian had the audience crying in laughter, the air was electric. I’ll never forget it.”

So what advice does Hughes have for comedy audiences at this year’s MICF? To go on a journey into the unknown (but tell your mum or someone, obviously).

“I’d say head to comedy gigs with an open mind. Go on a journey with the comedian. We’re there to entertain you and make you laugh. It’s the greatest joy for us and we want you to share that same experience,” advises Hughes.

“This showcase is like a range of tasty appetisers for stand-up shows at MICF.” Venue: Colonial Hotel Dates: Thursday 28th March – Saturday 20th April (bar Sunday – Wednesday and Friday April 19) Tickets: $25 – $57

BY MERRYN MCDONNELL

A play by multi-award winning playwright Neil Cole

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Lawrence Money

Loose Change

Cameron James Strawberry Blonde You’ve seen Cameron James on the TV with his ABC special Comedy Next Gen and he’s been known to flaunt his snarky satire on SBS centrepiece, The Feed. Now, see him flex his wit on the stage. Be warned, mean jokes and mockery are James’ bread and butter and no one is safe. Catch Strawberry Blonde at Greek Centre ± Aphrodite from Tuesday April 9 until Sunday April 21, bar Monday. Tickets are $23 ± $27.

Kanan Gill Teetar YouTube and stand-up sensation Kanan Gill is bringing his solo show, Teetar, to MICF all the way from India. If you’re wondering what teetar means, you can expect an explanation from Gill along with a healthy dose of his sometimes ridiculous observational humour. Ranging from musings on Julius Caesar to personal experiences, you can expect to hear it all when Gill hits Arts Centre Pavilion from Friday April 19 until Sunday April 21.

Tickets are $25 ± $5 9.

Lawrence Money, a veteran of the Australian media with over 50 years experience, is now turning his attention to comedy and will make his debut at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

He describes his show, Loose Change, as a smorgasbord of observations, with material plucked from columns he used to write, music and anecdotes. What Money finds extremely interesting is the evolution of the show and how it’s changed since day one.

“It was going to be called Him vs Her, the evolution of this show was fascinating,” he says. “I’ve had about four or five different starts to it, each one I’ve taken into the Speakeasy and done an Open Mic night to see how they go. The one I’ve got now, I think is the best. The relationships stuff ’s at the end and that’s about men and women and how they relate and genders generally.”

Money turned to comedy after his lengthy career in media came to an end. He’s always been high energy and loved to write humour columns, though he was prompted to take the leap after giving a speech for his friend’s birthday, when a man approached him astounded that he didn’t use any notes to deliver it.

“This became my hobby. The more I do it, the more I get into it and the more I practice, I experiment here at home, take it into the Speakeasy and just do an Open Mic night,” he says.

Money understands the current struggle of breaking into the media industry and how tough it can be, however he still encourages young people to

get into media, saying he found it to be the best job ever. Every day was different, he never knew where he was going to go or who he was going to meet, which he found exciting. Money also emphasises the importance of punctuality, organisation and networking.

“Networking is the thing you want to work on, to get to know as many people as possible, keep in touch with them and the more people you know, the better journalist you are. That’s basically how it works,” he says. “If you want something to do which is fascinating and challenging, you can’t really do much better than media.”

This is only the beginning of Money’s comedy career. Following his festival run, and two shows in country Victoria, Money has a five-year plan. Every year for the next half-decade, he will create a new show and perform it at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. In fact, he has already started planning his next one.

“I’ve already got a great list of possible titles and there’s heaps of stuff from my 37 years of column writing. It’s just about mannerisms of Australians.

It’s not just anecdotes. I’ve got funny stuff from the newspaper world. I’m mixing it up, so it’s not just me standing there, so we’ll see how it goes.”

Venue: The Vault Theatre – Speakeasy HQ Dates: Thursday March 28 – Saturday April 20 (bar Sunday – Wednesday) Tickets: $20 – $25

BY ELLEN ROSIE

Lazy Susan

Forgive Me, Mother!

After meeting and becoming writing partners six years ago, comedic duo Lazy Susan find themselves coming to Australia for the second time to take part in the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

After working as a nanny for a young girl in Nottingham, Sarah Keyworth had some pretty profound realisations and decided that processing them live in front of a room full of strangers was the best strategy.

Giving her take on gender, identity and growing up, Keyworth’s Dark Horse is sure to have you nodding emphatically and laughing compulsively. Catch her at the Cloak Room, Melbourne Town Hall from Thursday March 28 until Sunday April 21, bar Mondays. Tickets are $26 ± $33.

Lazy Susan, comprised of Freya Parker and Celeste Dring, are like two peas in a pod and will bring their sell-out show Forgive Me, Mother!, which Celeste describes as just a fun sketch show, to Melbourne this April.

“I guess it presents itself as sort of an old school variety show. There’s sketches in it, but there’s a lot of us just speaking to the audience and basically just saying we’re going to have a great time tonight,” says Parker. “Then the show gets derailed by our fears and anxieties and egos. So we’re trying to say, this is just a show, don’t worry about it.”

The last time the pair came to Australia they were taking part in a revue show and did a 20-minute set, which they say was a great learning experience, but they’re looking forward to doing what they do best.

“I don’t love gigging but I love doing the whole hour, where you can really take the audience on a journey and you can set the tone and you can do what you do, well,” says Dring.

Although the pair aim to create a universal and robust show that’s easy to take on the road, sometimes they have to alter the show to make it relevant to their current audience. A joke that makes sense in the UK won’t necessarily translate to Australian audiences, so they have to review the show and make sure everything fits.

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Sarah Keyworth Dark Horse

“The evolution of this show was fascinating.

I’ve had about four or five different starts to it.”

“I think we just do what’s necessary ± whatever works, whatever will allow the show to succeed. We don’t change stuff for the sake of it, but I think if stuff ’s not working, then we’ll definitely change it,” Dring explains.

When they aren’t performing in the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, the duo are looking forward to exploring the city. Parker says that they loved Melbourne last time and are excited about watching other comedy acts and just hanging out.

“And meeting some nice Aussie boys,” Dring chimes in, laughing.

After a good start to the year, performing in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in January before getting some warmer weather in February, Lazy Susan are keeping themselves busy by writing a radio show, a TV pilot and a short film.

The radio show, The East Coast Listening Post, is featuring on BBC Radio 4 and is described as a playful spoof of This American Life, radio shows and very earnest journalists.

“We’re basically leaving live for a little bit, just to concentrate on TV things, but I think we’ll be back making another show,” Dring states.

“I don’t love gigging but I love doing the whole hour, where you can really take the audience on a journey.”

Venue: ACMI – Cube Dates: Thursday March 28 – Sunday April 21 (bar Mondays) Tickets: $27 – $34

BY ELLEN ROSIE

MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL PROUDLY PRESENTS

David O’Doherty U L T R A S O U N D

‘Live comedy doesn’t get much better’

HHHH THE AGE

THE FORUM 28 MAR – 21 APR

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Luke Heggie HAVE THAT

After nearly quitting the profession, comedy favourite Luke Heggie is back with a brand-new show, HAVE THAT.

Douglas Lim This Is Awkward Last time we saw Douglas Lim, he told us his concerns about the Malaysian government is show This Is Nice. Returning home after the 2018 Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Malaysia had an election and the government underwent some massive changes. He’ll be taking a comedic approach to unpacking just what that means for his homeland with This Is Awkward. Catch him at Chinese Museum’s Silk Room from Thursday March 28 until Sunday April 7, bar Monday. Tickets are $25 ± $33.50.

Felicity Ward Busting a Nut Nominee for Best Comedy Show at the 2018 Edinburgh Comedy Awards, Felicity Ward has been on fire over the last 12 months. To Melbourne she comes with her show Busting a Nut and can’t her fans bloody wait as Ward brings everything to the stage ± you truly never know what you’re going to get. Once handpicked to support Amy Schumer, Ward comes to the Melbourne Town Hall ± Powder Room from Thursday March 28 to Sunday April 21 (bar Mondays). Tickets are $25 ± $38.

He’s already been making waves in Brisbane and Adelaide with the show, now it’s Melbourne’s turn to experience the bone-dry wit of the multi award-winning comic.

When reading the description of Heggie’s HAVE THAT, one word that really stands out is “dickhead”. There are several things that constitute being a dickhead in Heggie’s world, and he’s decided to shine a light on certain irritations.

“The net’s pretty wide,” he chuckles. “It’s basically aimed at anyone who’s not exactly like me.

“There are so many dickheads ± I’m back working, they’re all there. I’m walking around all day, they’re all there. I’m out on the roads, there they are. You can’t get away from them, they’re everywhere.”

To some, it might sound more intolerant than a showcase of worldly observations. “You say intolerance, I say I’m in my right mind and everyone else isn’t,” Heggie says stoically. He doesn’t discriminate in this show, in his material nor in who the laughter is meant for. “I’ve tried to get around to absolutely everyone,” he says. “At some stage they might be sitting there thinking, ‘Oh shit, this is me’.

“If you’re ripping into absolutely everyone then eventually you get there.”

Awards are up the wazoo for his performances, including winning RAW Comedy in 2010, but Heggie doesn’t reckon it’s been much of a springboard for what he’s doing now in terms of popularity. “I just signed up and did it,” he says of

RAW. “Like anyone, you start with five minutes and see how you go from there.”

So what it is about Heggie that people find so endearing that they feel they’ve got to give him a sign of recognition? “I wouldn’t say ‘endearing’,” he giggles, “It doesn’t really translate to the public, they don’t give a shit about awards. It’s sort of [the] respect of other comedians, which I do have, which is nice. They’re all losers themselves and they quite like a fellow loser, I suppose.

“In the scheme of things, it’s a bit ridiculous, isn’t it? Awards. It’s like being at school and encouraged, student of the week kind of thing.”

Not the sort to cultivate peer recognition, Heggie definitely prefers paying customers turning up to his shows. So far, no poor responses to HAVE THAT. “It’ll come,” he says. “If you got rid of audiences, comedy would be superb. If only.

“But no, the response has been pretty good so far, touch wood. We’ll see what’ll happen when I roll into Melbourne and the bloggers come.”

Venue: European Bier Cafe Dates: Thursday March 28 – Sunday April 21 Tickets: $23 – $30

BY ANNA ROSE

Luke Morris Love, Sweat and Science

After a lifetime of writing jokes, emerging comedian Luke Morris reveals what finally motivated him to do stand-up.

After making her debut in Melbourne last year, Fern Brady is coming back for more ± this time, bringing her latest show Power and Chaos. Equally cutting and charming and touching on everything from Brexit to feminism, Brady isn’t holding back and she’s definitely not apologising. Catch her at ACMI Cube from Thursday March 28 until Sunday April 21, bar Mondays.

Tickets are $27.50 ± $34.50.

“The show is funny and fun, with a few facts,” that’s Morris describing Love, Sweat and Science, his second foray at a headline comedy festival after last year’s raved about performance, The Wine Science Show.

While the title of this year’s show is abstract compared to last year’s show in terms of what the subject matter covers, Morris reveals that an explanatory subtitle has been removed.

“Love, Sweat and Science: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Hate Bowerbirds is the full title but the festival seems to be going with the shorter version,” says Morris in a matter-of-fact tone.

“I talk about bowerbirds because there is a part in the show where I compare people: Tom Cruise and Kanye West and I was comparing them to something that seems nice but when you think about it there is a lot not to like about them,” Morris joyfully contends.

Returning to the first part of the shows heading, particularly perspiration, Morris asks the question ‘Can you stop sweating?’

“I have a disorder called ‘hyperhidrosis’ which translates to that I sweat excessively. It wasn’t part of last year’s show, but during each performance I would end up talking about it because there was sweat dribbling off my fingers on stage.

“Every so often after I explained this condition someone in the audience would nod knowingly.

From this I realised it was quite common and we all

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BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL

Fern Brady Power and Chaos

“There are so many dickheads ...

You can’t get away from them, they’re everywhere.”

just live with it. So for this show I thought I would talk about the various ways I minimise sweat in my life,” he laughs.

The Wine Science Show was touted by some reviewers as a surprise hit of last year’s festival.

Funnily enough, the positive reception especially surprised Morris, for he never really saw himself as the guy delivering the jokes, more as the one writing them. Morris reveals that he was bullied a lot at school and writing comedy was a way of dealing with the teasing, but it wasn’t until three years ago that he got on stage to do stand-up and share the jokes he had been writing.

“I was pretty lonely and unemployed and remote, I guess I was more fed up than anything.

I got on stage because, what else could go wrong?

Thankfully it went very well.”

Morris now reveals that the comedy community in his hometown of Bendigo played a big part in him getting on stage. “As I said, I was writing a lot that I would send to newspapers and stuff with them occasionally getting published. I contacted some comedians to do writing for and they responded with ‘we don’t really need you to write for us, but you can get on stage if you want?’ So then I started turning up to open mic nights where I live in Bendigo and people started to laugh.”

“I guess I was more fed up than anything.

I got on stage because, what else could go wrong?

Thankfully it went very well.”

Venue: The Croft Institute, 21 Croft Alley, Melbourne Dates: Wednesday 27 March to Saturday 6 April (no show Sunday) Tickets: $15 – $20

BY DAN WATT

BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL

BEAT.COM.AU

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Marcus the Motivator

Millennial Motivational Master

Paul Foot Image Conscious Have you ever pondered the plight of the soft-shelled crab? What about the logistics of organising a suburban orgy? If your answer is no, that may change after seeing Paul Foot mull over the wacky and mildly disturbing topics that occupy his mind in intricate detail. He’s bringing his latest show Image Conscious to The Famous Spiegeltent at Arts Centre Melbourne from Thursday March 27 until Sunday April 21, bar Mondays. Tickets are $31-$38.50.

Jimeoin Result!

British comedy great, Jimeoin, is back with his classic style of stand-up in tow.

If you know Jimeoin, you’ll know not to expect any profound, thought-provoking content here, but there will be silliness, gibberish and a whole lot of laughs. He brings Result! to Athenaeum Theatre from Tuesday April 9 until Sunday April 21, bar Monday. Catch him while you can, tickets are $44.90 ± $49.90.

Daniel Kitson Keep.

From postcards and empty pens to unread books and bobby pins, Daniel Kitson has held onto a lot of stuff. We’re all guilty of a little sentimental hoarding or stashing some potentially useful stuff for a later date. Drawing on the clutter in his house and his head, Kitson’s Keep. may even prompt your own purge. He’ll be at The Coopers Malthouse, Merlyn Theatre from Thursday March 28 until Sunday April 21, bar Mondays. Tickets are $25.

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What Marcus the Motivator is laying down in his new show, Millennial Motivational Master, is a satirical seminar of humorous disbelief.

“The way this started, we thought we were going down the satirical comedy path,” explains Marcus.

“That worked well for us.

“We were getting a lot of people interested in not just the comedy element of what we were doing but they were taking some of the material quite seriously ± that’s how we have a couple of elements to this show.

“This comedy festival, the show is taking a look at what motivational speaking is like, how it’s done, and taking the mickey out of what I do a little bit and what other motivational speakers do.”

Seems like Marcus might have a few gripes with things like Instagram models and other things that early to mid twenty-somethings are doing on social media. “A lot of people just see the glamourous side of social media as how things are done. They only see the show that gets put on. I think people nowadays don’t understand the reality of how things are done ± in reality it’s not glamorous,” he says.

“This is more showing the reality of how things are out there in this day and age.”

How Marcus presents himself in his show is likely to be a mock-up of the kinds of people and subjects he’s addressing. “All this online phenomena stuff, just to show the reality of it,” he says. “There’ll

be some behind the scenes stuff for what we’ve produced so people get a taste of the reality of what’s happening.

As an early thirty-something, Marcus is drawing on all his worldly observations to fuel the fire of this new show. “I’m drawing on not just my experiences but the experiences I see others have,” he says. “I’m lucky I have family and friends that are a bit younger so I look at how they react to certain things, so you draw off that as well.

“I think there’s a difference between people my age and people six to eight years younger ± even though the age gap’s not that big, the way the world changed with technology and the ability for people to communicate and to do things that do now, I don’t think that’s anywhere near as prevalent as when I was growing up.”

For those marginally younger than Marcus, it looks like Millennial Motivational Master could almost be an education, an insight, into how silly they look.

“I will more than happily put myself up to ridicule and comments of people giving me crap saying I look ridiculous ± if that educates someone a bit younger so they end up realising what’s going, yeah, that’s fantastic.

“I’m drawing on not just my experiences but the experiences I see others have.”

Venue: Horse Bazaar Date: Monday April 8 – Saturday April 20 (bar Friday and Sunday) Tickets: $20 – $25

BY ANNA ROSE

Melanie Bracewell Melodrama

Melanie Bracewell is bringing her breakout comedy hour, Melodrama, across the Tasman for a full season at Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

Melodrama picked up the Billy T Award at last year’s New Zealand International Comedy Festival.

It’s a prestigious accolade for a young comedian.

Previous winners include international stars Cal Wilson, Jemaine Clement and Rose Matafeo.

“That’s quite a big deal in New Zealand,” says Bracewell. “That was the first thing I heard about with New Zealand comedy when I was wee lass.

So it was cool to have something that I’d heard of before I’d even started comedy. I’m on the Wikipedia page, which is very cool. I’m glad to bring a show to Melbourne that I know is at least good and something that I’m sure about.”

23-year-old Bracewell keeps very busy outside of stand-up comedy. The Auckland comedian currently works as a full-time comedy writer for The Project (NZ), regularly appears on the panel show 7 Days, contributes to the mockumentary comedy series Wellington Paranormal and tweets prodigiously.

“I work well under pressure,” she says. “If I took a year off I probably wouldn’t do anything, so I might as well do as much as I can and get it done. I just work well under pressure.

“Last year I tried to work as a producer for a morning radio show and then also have a full time job and then also do comedy and I think that was probably a bit too much. I think I learned my

limit. I was like, ‘oh right, it’s not normal to cry every Thursday’. So I know my breaking point now, which is good.”

For lots of performing artists, their self-worth hinges on the strength of their creative output.

Bracewell can’t help but feel under review given the intimate nature of her stand-up material.

“A lot of my stand-up is just true stories about my life,” she says. “So in that way it’s very hard to disconnect yourself from it. I am pretty connected to my work in that way. If there’s a failure it does feel personal. You can’t hide behind anyone else because you’re literally writing and performing and creating all of it.

“I’m pretty proud of what I do, as wanky as that sounds. I enjoy what I do and I’m proud of it.

If things go wrong I’m not too upset about that sort of stuff. I’m actually quite a chill gal,” she laughs.

Bracewell’s willingness to share details of her personal life extends to her social media accounts.

But while she’s generally uninhibited, there are occasional regrets.

“I tweet way too much about life and I always forget that my dad follows me,” she says. “It’s often really inappropriate and he’ll just bring it up randomly in conversation.”

BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL

“If there’s a failure it does feel personal.

You can’t hide behind anyone else because you’re literally writing and performing and creating all of it.”

Venue: Mantra on Russell – Mantra Three Dates: Thursday March 28 – Sunday April 21 (bar Mondays) Tickets: $18 – $25

BY AUGUSTUS WELBY

Nazeem Hussain Basic Idiot

Nazeem Hussain’s 2019 Melbourne International Comedy Festival show is entitled Basic Idiot. Talking with the twice-nominated Helpmann comedian, it’s clear from the jump that the title does not befit the man.

Having completed a successful run at Adelaide Fringe and Brisbane Powerhouse, one of Melbourne’s favourites returns home with a show that explores fatherhood, general adulting and navigating the world in a very Nazeem Hussain way.

“Melbourne has always been the big festival to bring your show to,” he says. “In a way, as much as comedians don’t say it when they’re performing everywhere else in the lead up, all the other shows are there to help get your show match-fit for Melbourne.”

Consistent advances with his comedy and the stages he’s performing on have been great markers of Hussain’s career over the last handful of years.

Recently, his half-hour Netflix special put him on a global radar alongside the likes of Joel Creasey and Urzila Carlson. Has his creative process changed any?

“I’d make sure it was material that wasn’t broadcast anywhere else, same as all the other streaming services,” he says of his Netflix spot.

“When you’re asked to perform here, there and everywhere on broadcast platforms locally in Australia, you’ve got to think about whether it is the best way to burn your material. Maybe I’ll

just save it for a special that can be recorded and played everywhere.”

Recalling touring with UK great Rob Brydon, Hussain took relief in watching a huge name at work. “Backstage afterwards, I was talking to him and it was so nice to see someone like him just reflect on his gig like any other comedian.

He was talking about material and references, he was tweaking it. It’s the same struggle that all comedians go through. It’s not ever really an option to just dump it, because the bits work as soon as they get the idea.”

Before Basic Idiot makes its debut at Melbourne Town Hall this month, Hussain talks mixing things up and what it takes to keep a comedian on their toes. Despite international success and the adoration of Australians, nerves and anticipation aren’t a thing of the past.

“As hectic as it is in terms of the travel and the schedule generally, once you start, it’s such a relief,” he laughs. “You’ve had all these jokes swirling around in your head that you think are funny and a show that you think might work, but you never know until you do it.”

“The first run in Adelaide, I remember coming offstage,” he says. “It was like I’d just sat an exam and I’d passed. It was a huge relief. You just start to have fun after that, every other night. I definitely think the better I get as a comedian, the longer I’ve been doing it, the more I’m able to mix it up.

“You’ve had all these jokes swirling around in your head that you think are funny and a show that you think might work, but you never know until you do it.”

Making their Australian debut, Irish trio Foil, Arms & Hog are bringing their sketch show Craic-Ling to MICF. From teaching you the correct way to hold a baby ± definitely don’t follow that advice ± to a step-by-step guide on how to kill an actor, the YouTube famous comedy threesome will have you snort-laughing when they hit Athenaeum Theatre Two. Catch them from Tuesday April 9 until Sunday April 21, bar Monday. Tickets are $44.90 ± $49.90.

Venue: Melbourne Town Hall – Lower Town Hall Dates: Thursday March 28 – Sunday April 21 (bar Mondays) Tickets: $30 – $40

BY SOSE FUAMOLI

Joel Creasey Drink. Slay. Repeat

Nick Cody

Yes, THAT Joel Creasey. Host, actor, comic, devil incarnate ± it seems like he has it all together all the time. But the eccentric ‘Acid Tongue Prince’ wants you to understand that drinking and slaying go hand in hand with major mishaps and screw-ups beyond comprehension. He’ll take you through the nitty gritty of showbiz in a night of drama you can’t miss. He’s on at The Forum from Thursday March 28 to Sunday April 21, bar Mondays. Tickets are $26.41 ± $40.69.

Old Mate

For those considering getting along to Nick Cody’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival show, Old Mate, you should know he’s a achieved a lot in his time as a professional funny man.

However, Cody wants you to know that, first and foremost, his comedy is driven by a love of beer and an aversion to tackling big issues.

“I have friends like Daniel Sloss and Hannah Gadsby who do shows that tackle these huge topics like the ‘me too’ movement and Daniel did a show about his sister passing away. And good on them as they do it so well,” Cody says.

“My topics centre around things like if you take your shoes off on a plane, I want to kill you with a brick.”

He understands his reaction to in-flight shoeremoval may seem excessive so he puts his hypersensitivity when cruising at 10,600 metres into context.

“Because I fly close to 100 times a year, there is a lot of bad stuff I have witnessed over the past few years. That’s the reason I’m pitching that people should require a license to be a passenger on a commercial flight,” he says.

“If not a license, pass a very simple series of questions at the gate that will limit the amount of fuckheads that make it onto that aircraft.”

However, when asked for a specific recollection, Cody has multiple.

“A week ago I had a bloke on a flight from Melbourne to Sydney who was sitting in the middle seat beginning to read a broadsheet newspaper; therefore I was reading a broadsheet newspaper.

Foil, Arms & Hog Craic-Ling

“On another flight there was a man in his early 50s watching a movie on an iPad with no headphones in. I don’t know what movie it was because, before it could register, I had told him to turn it off and fucking grow-up.”

Thankfully Cody has a haven in which he can process and compartmentalise the trauma of air travel and that place is the pub.

The press photograph for Old Mate shows Cody, suitably, sitting at the bar of a pub with a beer in hand and at the base of the beer is about $8 in change. Those who have frequented the kind of pub that Cody loves will realise that this leaving out your change is what you do at the pub.

“I used to work at a pub called The Prince Albert in Williamstown and that was a proper pub, the sort of place where a regular could just put their glass down and I would know to refill it and take from the pile of change next to it. They could drink all day and we would not say a word to each other about beer and I would know to stop serving when they had left the glass down on its side,” retells Cody, conjuring all he warmth and nostalgia you’d expect from an old mate.

“I’m pitching that people should require a license to be passenger on a commercial flight.”

Venue: ACMI – Beyond Dates: Thursday March 28 – Sunday April 21 (bar Mondays) Tickets: $24 – $34

BY DAN WATT

BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL

Michael Shafar 50/50 Not many things are off limits when it comes to comedy, but most would agree that cancer doesn’t quite make for a humorous topic. After being diagnosed with cancer in 2017, comedian Michael Shafar managed to see the lighter side of things ± including his brush with mortality. A show with an edge, 50/50 will have you in stitches.

Catch Shafar at The Victoria Hotel from Thursday March 28 until Sunday April 21, bar Mondays. Tickets are $20 ± $27, $2 from each sale will be donated to Cabrini Hospital, Malvern.

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Nina Oyama

Needs a Lift Bathurst is located on the Central Tablelands of New South Wales, with a population of about 35,000.

Cal Wilson Gifted Underachiever Many of us feel like kids wearing our parents’ clothes as we stumble blindly through adulthood, but Cal Wilson is convinced that she truly is doing life wrong.

A self-confessed gifted underachiever, Wilson ponders her choices in a way that’s bound to make you feel a little better about your own life. Catch Cal Wilson in The Banquet Room at The Victoria Hotel from Thursday March 28 until Sunday March 21, bar Mondays. Tickets are $25 ± $36.

Aliya Kanani Where You From, From?

Aliya Kanani is from Canada. No, but where is she really from? Well, 30 countries to be exact. Kanani uses humour to prompt audiences to question their idea of culture while taking them on a journey through her outlandish life as a flight attendant and professional nomad. Kanani will be at Coopers Inn from Wednesday April 10 to Sunday April 21, bar Tuesday April 16.

Tickets are $15 ± $20.

Peter Helliar Big Boy Pants For one night only, The Project’s Peter Helliar will bring his acclaimed stand-up show Big Boy Pants to the stage and you do not want to miss it. It seems Hellier has reached a point in his life that’s forced him to realise it’s time to be a big boy ± but that doesn’t mean you can’t get some laughs out of his new-found maturity. Hellier will be at the Comedy Theatre on Saturday April 13, tickets are $49.90 and bound to sell out.

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It’s best known for its love of motorsport ± it hosts huge races every year ± as well as its extensive collection of churches and museums.

It’s also where former Tonightly correspondent and stand-up comedian Nina Oyama found herself after a self-described “tree-change” from Sydney at the ripe old age of 20 a few years back.

It’s not lost on her that the place most famous for its annual congregation of rev-heads is the same place where she lost her driving license a grand total of four times.

“Maybe I was sneakily influenced by the vibe there,” she says with a laugh. “I remember when I first got my license out there, all the locals were telling me it was time-honoured tradition to go and do ‘doughies on the mount’. You drive up to the top of the mountain [Mount Panorama], you go to this gravelly area and you do donuts in your car. It’s like a rite of passage. It’s way cooler than what I did the first time I drove ± I went through the McDonald’s drive-thru and I hit the curb.”

Oyama’s experiences out in the wild, wild west have been collected into her first-ever solo standup hour, Nina Oyama Needs a Lift. In the show, she explores the specifics surrounding her move, her run-ins with the law and all the literal twists and turns that came with life in Bathurst. “They say the definition of madness is doing the same thing again and again and expecting different

results,” says Oyama. “That’s also the definition of my show.”

“It’s actually disappointing what a bad driver I am,” she continues, with a laugh. “I’m half-Asian, and I’m also a woman, so I feel like I’m reinforcing two very dated stereotypes by how bad I am at driving. My dad is a taxi driver, too ± he drives really well, every single day. I did take a leaf out of his book when I was in Bathurst, though ± by which I mean I became a black-market taxi driver, because they don’t have Uber out there and there’s about four cabbies in total.” There’s plenty more to that story, but we’ll save it for the show.

Originally from Sydney, Oyama is now based in Melbourne as she turns her focus to both the upcoming comedy festival circuit and a return to ABC’s workplace sitcom Utopia for its fourth season. “We start shooting real soon, so it’s very exciting to be back,” she says of the show, in which she plays office manager Courtney. “It’s always good to be busy. It keeps me off the streets ± and, more importantly, off the roads.”

“They say the definition of madness is doing the same thing again and again and expecting different results.

That’s also the definition of my show.”

Venue: The Forum – Ladies’ Lounge Dates: Thursday March 28 – Sunday April 21 (bar Mondays) Tickets: $18 – $25

BY DAVID JAMES YOUNG

Pamela’s Palace UK cast, Donna Gray, Katie Grace Cooper and Ayesha Tansey are bringing their highenergy musical comedy show, Pamela’s Palace, to the streets of Melbourne this Melbourne Iinternational Comedy Festival.

“Pamela’s Palace is a comedy set in a hairdressing salon, and we’re singing, dancing hairdressers”, says Tansey. “It’s an interactive show, we play with the audience quite a bit, and we do a live haircut on stage, which is a lot of fun.”

If that last bit made you nervous about being in audience attendance, don’t worry, as she quickly adds, “obviously with the audience’s consent”.

Through highly developed characters ± lovesick Tiffany, who’s concerned about her body clock; Bronwyn, who’s self-conscious and finding her place; and head honcho Pamela, who’s attention hungry and runs the joint through its glitz and glamour ± the trio play off what the female experience means in the modern age.

As Tansey explains, “my character Bronwyn especially calls out what being female is, how we define ourselves as female, or not, and I think there’s a lot of grey in that, and a lot of scope for comedy in that because there is no one definition of what being female is.”

“I think the three of us like to call ourselves, in this show anyway, bad feminists. It’s like each of the characters is trying to be a really good female feminist, you know, and we just fail at it, which is what the clown does,” Tansey muses. “I think that’s really nice because I think a lot of women feel like

they’re failing, even though they’re absolutely not.

Terrible feminists are something that we’ve been speaking about recently, and we really like the idea of that.”

In saying that, there are no dark turns or serious notes to watch out for, as Tansey makes it clear the show is nothing but good fun. “We’re not super serious, we’re not trying to be like ‘this show is about blah blah’. We genuinely want you to have a brilliant time, so we will do everything we can, so you come, and you go, going ‘yeah, that was fucking sick’”.

There’s no doubt that while at the salon, you’re in safe hands. Having been in the works for four years, the show coming to grace the stage of The 86 on Smith Street this festival is the fifth version of it’s kind. The characters that exist within the salon have been crafted with the help of Aitor Basauri, who worked with Cirque du Soleil and has the acclaimed company, Spymonkey. Then Stephen Harper, Told

By An Idiot, came into picture to even further spruce up the choreography as the trio buzz about hair curlers, hot irons and blow dryers.

As Tansey notes, “it’s evolved and it’s taking off and we’re touring it around the world at the moment, which is really exciting”.

BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL

“We’re not super serious, we’re not trying to be like ‘this show is about blah blah’. We genuinely want you to have a brilliant time.”

Venue: The 86 Dates: Wednesday March 27 – Saturday April 6 (bar Sunday) Tickets: $25.50 – $31.50

BY MARNIE VINALL

Pax Assadi

Raised By Refugees The title of Pax Assadi’s upcoming show at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival is apt, that’s for sure.

It’s frank and informative, much like the New Zealand born comedian’s punch lines. Your first mistake, however, would be assuming Assadi’s debut MICF gig is predictable. After all, he’s one of the brightest talents to emerge from across the ditch in recent memory.

Assadi has appeared on a plethora of local television shows, securing critical acclaim along the way, and he is ecstatic to finally make a splash on Australian shores with his upcoming visit.

Raised By Refugees, poised to be an introspective journey for the young star, is the latest offering from an impressive catalogue of exciting up-and-comers on display this year. With that said, Assadi has been doing this comedy thing since 2012 ± so you could say he knows what he’s doing.

In fact, he scored Gag of the Year at the 2016 NZ Comedy Guild Awards and from there his career has only continued to skyrocket. Three years later, Assadi finds himself ready to get a little more idiosyncratic for an entirely new audience; people he’s never met.

Whilst the subject matter of Raised By Refugees may seem a little heavy upon first glance, Assadi ensures it’s hilarity everyone can appreciate.

“What I’m talking about is specific to my life, but I think it’s stuff everyone has been through in some shape or form,” he says. “It’s a really reflective show that explores everything I’ve been going through since becoming a new dad. It explores everything

Annie & Bianka We Want To Be Better: Live Podcast

from being raised by brown refugees to learning how to raise two white babies.”

The reality is, Pax’s routines are more like open conversations, ready for you laughs wherever the audiences see fit. However, if you do happen to “have a laugh [that] coincidentally sounds like the sentence ‘man, that wasn’t funny’,” you definitely shouldn’t turn up, warns Assadi.

“Everyone else should.”

It’s with that candour Assadi sees himself as someone able to transform a unique story of his upbringing into a digestible comedy routine ready to resonate with a larger audience than ever before. For that reason, MICF seems more like a homecoming than a debut.

“I couldn’t be more excited,” says Assadi, who’s primed for Australians to learn just “how talented” he is. Well to be honest mate, we can’t wait.

“What I’m talking about is specific to my life, but I think it’s stuff everyone has been through in some shape or form.”

Venue: Chinese Museum – Laundry Room Dates: Thursday March 28 – Sunday April 21 (bar Mondays) Tickets: $18 – $25

BY DANIEL BORGHESI

Neel Kolhatkar Live

Richard Stubbs

Being that he won MICF’s Class Clowns competition before finishing puberty, one could say Neel Kolhatkar was born for the comic life. Embarking on his sixth solo show after completing his third standup special, strap in for a night of scarily accurate impressions, over the top accents and, most importantly, skits that will have you ‘neeling’ on the ground, begging for more. He’ll be at Athenaeum Theatre on Friday April 12 and Saturday April 13.

Tickets are $25.90 ± $34.90.

Cachinnation To say that Aussie media kingpin Richard Stubbs knows entertainment is an understatement, having worked in both comedy and radio since the ‘80s.

Stubbs started off his career as an anecdote-savvy comedian in Melbourne’s local scene back in 1983, and he sort of fell into the industry through trial and error.

“I figured out that comedy was what I wanted to do by trying out many other things that I didn’t want to do. I went to uni, I left uni, I worked in an office, and just never really felt like I was in my tribe.”

Stubbs finally located his unlikely tribe while working as a bartender for one of the city’s premier theatre restaurants, The Last Laugh, after having drunkenly requested a job.

His future boss had told him to come back and ask while sober; Stubbs did in fact do this and nabbed the role within a week. Not only was this hugely popular venue a fertile ground for Stubbs to mine for performance techniques and inspiration, but it would also become home to his first gig.

“I got to be a waiter and a barman at The Last Laugh, and that was sort of like going to school, in a way; there were international acts coming through, there was live comedy, cabaret, so many different things that I slowly and subtly picked up on and integrated into how I processed and organised my own comedy.

You can’t make the iTunes Top 10 podcast list without knowing how to entertain and in this live session, dynamic duo Annie & Bianka will deliver their comedic commentary and cut-throat honesty as they discuss wanting to be better human beings.

With a dash of pop culture, vulgar laughs, and eccentric conversation, you’ll leave this show not just chuckling at life’s little battles but also loving yourself more. It’s happening for one day only on Saturday April 30 at Comic’s Lounge. Tickets are $29.90.

“One day, it was a sold-out night at Le Joke, and there were no acts. So Henry Mars ± the MC ± said, ‘someone get the loud-mouth barman up’, so I got up on stage and mucked around. I was mainly doing it for my waiter friends, but the people who were there loved it. Something clicked for me as well, because I loved it too.”

From there, Stubbs used his own life as a means of creating self-deprecatory material that proved his stand-up routines hugely successful. Stubbs, while having toured his material internationally, knows that his content always shines best when performed to a hometown crowd; “I taught my kids how to swim in the Harold Holt Memorial Pool. The guy fucking drowned.”

Stubbs’ newest show, Cacchination, will be taking over The Westin for the 2019 Melbourne International Comedy Festival. The title of the show embodies Stubbs’ performance style to a tee; meaning to laugh loudly or immoderately. Aside from his own loud and immoderate ± yet highly toned and strictly workshopped ± delivery of each observation, what’s in store for this year’s festival?

“I’m going to do what I usually do but try to do it better than I’ve ever done it before. It sounds glib, but that’s what I always expect of myself. In terms of bringing new stuff to the stage, it’ll be solely in the jokes. There’ll be no juggling and no slight of hand, unfortunately. Maybe next time.”

“I figured out that comedy was what I wanted to do by trying out many other things that I didn’t want to do.”

Venue: The Westin Dates: Thursday March 28 – Sunday April 7 (bar Monday) Tickets: $25 – $30

BY LEXI HERBERT

BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL

Bev Killick Crummy Mummy Bev Kilick isn’t a regular mum, she’s a cool mum ± but also a crummy mum. She’s ending mum shaming and providing a reality check to all those mums out there struggling to have a life after creating life.

Catch her at Melbourne Town Hall on Mondays March 1, April 8 and April 15.

Tickets are $29.

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41

Rory Lowe

Hitch Hiker’s Guide to Australia Comedian Rory Lowe has lots to say about his life, like being picked up by two meth heads while stranded in the middle of the desert.

Craig Hill C’mon The Lads!

If you had to pick between watching a soccer match (or football, as the Scottish would say) or watching Craig Hill, the decision would be simple. The kilt-wearing European firecracker will have you in hysterics with his unadulterated, balls out style of comedy in his latest set, C’mon The Lads!. Join him at Chapel Off Chapel, The Loft from Wednesday April 10 until Sunday April 14. Tickets are $29 ± $35.

Rose Callaghan 12 Rules For Life Have you ever hated something so obsessively you dedicated an hour-long comedy show to it? Rose Callaghan has, and that ‘something’ comes in the form of controversial internet psychologists. Do men need masculinity coaching? Where do we draw the line with free speech? Callaghan will answer these age-old questions and more with 12 Rules For Life. She’ll be at Mantra on Russell, Mantra Two from Thursday March 28 until Sunday April 21, bar Mondays. Tickets are $20 ± $27.

He’s been nominated for best comedy in 2017 and has been praised by big names such as Bert Kreischer and Tame Impala for his show Hitch Hiker’s Guide to Australia.

Hitch Hiker’s Guide to Australia is a thrilling tale of being stranded 200 kilometres away from civilization with no one in sight. All hope was gone before he found himself getting picked up by two meth heads and fearing for his life.

“I was on my way to a show, hitchhiking in the desert with no one in sight until a car pulled up. It was obviously stolen since a window was smashed and there was two people in the front,” Lowe recalls. They both were evidently high on meth with empty alcohol containers in the car.

With no other choice, Lowe gets in the car and instantly realizes his mistake.

“I saw the driver pull out a beer and drink it and I sort of looked at him and realized this was a pretty bad idea. He offered me one and I took it, at least then I’d be less scared of dying,” says Lowe.

What surprised him most about these two strangers was how kind they were, whenever they passed someone in need, they happily helped them. He got to the pub he was performing at an hour late only to be denied entry for his thongs, and the driver graciously gave him his work boots, “I literally stepped into a meth heads shoes.”

“The underlying message is not to judge a book by its cover, really. I was scared shitless and thought I wasn’t going to make it alive, but they turned out to be pretty alright.”

The crazy situations Lowe finds himself often leave him looking for more, “we always like getting up to mischief… and the world needs more mischief.” Unexpected journeys while hitchhiking isn’t where the mischief stops, “I was in an airport in Pakistan I had these guys come up to me with AK-47s and a picture of me, I was scared until I get into this limousine that came to pick me up and I went straight through customs to my show.”

Deciding if something is worthy to feature in his shows, he relies on his friend’s reaction to the story. After his encounter with the two unexpectedly friendly meth heads, he shared it with them and he instantly knew. “I told them to sit down and none of them could believe it,” says Lowe. “If they crack up, I know it’s good material.

I went out of that experience not knowing what the fuck happened and the only thing I could do was tell my friends.”

Venue: Khokolat Bar Dates: Wednesday March 27 – Thursday April 4 (bar Wednesday April 3) Tickets: $10 – $20

BY MITCHELL ZAMMIT

Snort

With Friends New Zealand’s comedy scene is on fire, receiving international acclaim and taking Hollywood by storm.

If the name of Joe Lycett’s show doesn’t have you eager to see him in person, there’s no convincing you. As seen on QI, 8 out of 10 Cats Does Countdown and Live at the Apollo, Lycett is coming Down Under to share his jokes, paintings and tales of internet trolling. He’ll be at Hamer Hall and Melbourne Town Hall from Friday April 19 until Sunday April 21. Tickets are $49 and selling fast.

Snort have been building their cult following for years, selling out every Friday night at their regular home in Auckland’s Basement Theatre and amassing a growing fan base with each appearance in Melbourne. Eli Matthewson from Snort says the success is amazing but they’re not letting it get to their head. “New Zealanders are a lot more nervous and shy. I think the way Australia looks at America, we look at Australia… We’re like “wow, they’re so confident.”

In its fifth year now at Melbourne International Comedy Festival, the supergroup has been a platform to launch Kiwi comedians into stardom, including most notably Rose Matafeo who recently took out the top comedy award at Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and is now collaborating with Taika Watiti for his latest film, Baby, Done.

“It’s crazy, whenever New Zealanders achieve anything, I feel like the whole country is like, ‘we did that together’. Because our population is so small compared to other places, to achieve something on that level is very exciting,” says Matthewson.

Snort With Friends is an hour jam-packed with high-energy, fast-paced scenes as the Snort cast take one word from the audience and build up an intricate hour of far-fetched, high-stakes comedy, entirely made up on the spot. Snort invite their “Friends” from around the festival to join them in the silliness onstage, past surprise guests have been Becky Lucas, Rhys Nicholson and Tom Ballard.

Snort thrive on the unexpected and will take any opportunity to take a small joke and stretch it

42 BEAT.COM.AU

BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL

Joe Lycett I’m About To Lose Control and I Think Joe Lycett

“The underlying message is not to judge a book by its cover, really. I was scared shitless and thought I wasn’t going to make it alive, but they turned out to be pretty alright.”

into comedy absurdity. The scenes often “shoot off into a tangent which is completely unrelated to the chosen word”, and this is where the group shines.

“There was this one guy who came every week for a solid year and a half, and every week suggested ‘chode’, he was so passionate. So we did do a chode monologue once,” says Matthewson.

The real delight takes place in seeing the authentic fun the group are having onstage. “It’s fun chaos, and you get swept up in it”. There’s no questioning the chemistry of the eight-piece group, whose membership has largely stayed the same since 2013. After spending eight years together Matthewson says nothing is off limits and there are “no barriers” between the cast which we see “funnelled into what is hopefully a very funny hour of improvised comedy”.

Snort are cheeky, topical and love a pop culture reference. “All of us are obsessed with one of a girl from an Auckland all-girls high school re-enacting Frozen… so what I’m saying is our comedy hero is that 17 year old girl from Vine.”

“Whenever New Zealanders achieve anything, I feel like the whole country is like, ‘we did that together’.”

Venues: Melbourne Town Hall – Cloak Room, Regent Room & Lunch Room Dates: Thursday March 28 – Sunday April 21 (bar Tuesdays and Wednesdays) Tickets: $18 – $22

BY NICOLAS ZOUMBOULIS

Steph Tisdell The Pyramid

So many exciting things have happened for comedian Steph Tisdell in the last few years – “I know right? What the hell? I don’t really understand it, but fair enough,” she says in disbelief.

Tisdell’s accolade of appearances have seen her win over audiences at home and overseas. She’s on the up and up, and what it is about her brand of comedy that seems to resonate with people is quite simple.

“It might be because I have no idea how to not be personal and vulnerable,” she says. “If you buy into it, you’re kind of like me, I guess. If I’m nervous, I can’t stop talking, so I guess that makes for a good show.”

She’s an open book with no qualms in sharing.

“Do you know what I did the other day? I don’t know why I did this ± I coloured in the bottom of my foot with a permanent marker ± I don’t know why I did. I don’t know why I say the other day, this was like two weeks ago.

“I can’t get rid of it. I get randomly selfconscious about it in the middle of a bit and I’m like, ‘by the way, the bottom of my foot is black from a marker’. I can’t help but do that.

“I have so many weird things that I do ± I’ll nervously tell you all these weird things when I’m on stage. Then you either hate me or you find my weirdness endearing.”

Little tip ± if you’re ever in a position like Tisdell where you’ve branded yourself for whatever reason, try nail polish remover, a tactic Tisdell, through giggles, says she’s willing to try.

Dave Thornton Lean Into It

You’ll hear more about Tisdell’s random antics in her new show The Pyramid. Making its debut at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Tisdell says it’s a culmination of her way of never making things easy for herself. “I’m a dickhead,” she says. “If I set myself a challenge, later on I wonder why I didn’t make things easier [for myself ].

“The Pyramid is based on the idea of the fallacy of success. Hierarchies and success ladders and the idea you have to be at the top of that pyramid, even though it doesn’t make any success.

The whole show is about dismantling the concept of the hierarchy.”

Tisdell is of the belief that you can’t measure your own success by that of others. “And it kind of evolves from that,” she says. “I’ll talk about the theory of these pyramids then I’ll turn things totally upside down.

“This is a really research-heavy show. I think to create you have to absorb a lot. I researched a huge amount of topics and I found it really hard to articulate what I wanted to say with just research.

The only way I could get it was when I made it a bit more personal.”

“I’ll nervously tell you all these weird things when I’m on stage. Then you either hate me or you find my weirdness endearing.”

Venue: The Victoria Hotel – Vic’s Bar Dates: Thursday March 28 – Sunday April 21 (bar Mondays April 1 & 8) Tickets: $20 – $25

BY ANNA ROSE

Jeff Green Letters Home 30 years in the industry, internationally sold out shows, and a unique monologue format ± need we say more? Based on his memories of exchanging letters through a BBC radio program and life as a proud Pommie expat, this comedic legend infuses his ludicrous comedy with a unique lived experience that will shatter what you thought you knew about stand-up. He’s on at the Swiss Club from Thursday March 28 until Sunday April 21 (bar Mondays), and Melbourne Town Hall every Monday between April 1 and April 15. Tickets are $22 ± $34.90.

Stephen K Amos

The Story So Far… There’s an awful rumour circulating that this year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival will be Stephen K Amos’ swansong.

“That’s a good rumour,” Amos laughs. “I can neither deny nor confirm.”

Amos, of course, is no stranger to MICF, having already performed here some ten times before. Audiences are well-accustomed to the British comic’s witty and somewhat cynical style of comedy. While there will be plenty of brandnew material to enjoy in Amos’ latest show, The Story So Far… certainly has an air of finality about it. This unique show is in many ways akin to a retiring rock star’s greatest hits tour, with Amos reflecting back on the past ten years.

“I’m going to hopefully bring back some classic old bangers from when I first ever came to Australia, and see if they still resonate with younger and older generations. That’s my goal.”

In typical Amos fashion, the show will also include a few musings about the current state of the world, with a few subtle social comments thrown in for good measure.

“When you think about it, it’s the one job in the world where you have literally freedom of speech. Any comic can go on and say whatever they like, and obviously the audience have the freedom of reaction. They can respond any way they see fit, so I take that responsibility very, very seriously.”

That being said, Amos’ show is free from agenda.

“I’m not about to preach, I’m not about to convert people into my way of thinking. If anything,

It isn’t easy coming to terms with the fact that you’re now thirty and your life revolves around kids and work, fuelled by a steady stream of black coffee and maybe a glass of red wine or two. David Thornton is discovering that time has left him far less physically fit than he thinks he is and a little out of touch when it comes to popculture references. Lean Into It ± ‘it’ being the inevitability of aging ± with Thornton at Max Watt’s or Melbourne Town Hall from Thursday March 28 until Sunday April 21, bar Mondays. Tickets are $25 ± $36.

I want a diverse group of people in that room, from all backgrounds, from all spectrums of the political scene and I want us all to be laughing together, and not forget ever that there is more that binds and connects us all than we believe divides us.”

So, back to that rumour.

“Australia has been very, very good to me over the years and I’m very grateful for their support,” Amos says. “And if this is a swansong” ± the ‘if ’ is heavily emphasized ± “I want to leave on a high. I don’t want people to get sick of me.”

Reflecting on what has been a wild ride over the past ten years, Amos sounds at peace with where his career has taken him.

“The touring does take its toll on family life, but you know what, if someone had told me when I started doing stand up comedy that I would be going around the world doing jokes, and doing a job that I absolutely love, I would have said ‘don’t be ridiculous’. And that’s the key for all of us, I think. As long as you find something that you enjoy and that fulfils you, whatever that job may be, great.”

So, what then should we expect from the next ten years of Amos’ career?

“Maybe I’ll be a Hollywood movie star, doing a remake of the Fresh Prince of Bel Air,” Amos muses, before hastily adding, “playing the Will Smith role, of course.”

“When you think about it, it’s the one job in the world where you have literally freedom of speech. Any comic can go on and say whatever they like.”

Venue: Athenaeum Theatre Dates: Thursday March 28 – Sunday April 7 (bar Monday) Tickets: $37 – $54.90

BY MADDISON CAPUANO

BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL

Nikki Osborne Bad Barbie Nikki Osborne is just a Barbie girl living in a PC world. Tired of keyboard warriors, internet trolls and over-sensitive people, Osborne is breaking out of her box and proving she’s tougher than plastic. On the back of her controversial show On The Spectrum, Osborne is back to ruffling feathers with Bad Barbie. Catch her at European Bier Café from Tuesday April 16 ± Sunday April 21. Tickets are $20 ± $29.

BEAT.COM.AU 43

Stuart Daulman Masterclass

For Stuart Daulman, “master” is a frequently used word in his vocabulary.

Joel Kim Booster Appearing in ‘Headliners’ A man of many talents, writer and comedian Joel Kim Booster has his own Comedy Central special, he made Forbes’ ‘30 Under 30’ list and he released a stand-up album, Model Minority, hitting home with jokes tackling racism in the gay community.

Priding himself on breaking all the ‘Asian stereotypes’, his bold, boundary pushing topics give Kim Booster a refreshing edge.

He’ll perform as part of Headliners at Max Watt’s from Thursday April 28 to Sunday 7 April, bar Monday. Tickets are $28 ± $37.

Rahul Subramania Is This Even Comedy?

Whether he’s poking fun at the world around him or chewing on some personal anecdotes, absurdity is the main theme of Rahul Subramania’s comedy. One of India’s most renowned comedians and one half of award-winning online sketch duo, Random Chikibum, Subramania is a force to be reckoned with. He’ll be at Chinese Museum in the Silk Room from Tuesday April 9 until Sunday April 21, bar Monday.

Tickets are $22 ± $3 3.50.

Rhys Nicholson Nice People Nice Things Nice Situations If you thought that nothing could surpass Rhys Nicholson marrying fellow LGBTIQ+ comedian Zoë Coombs Marr at MICF 2016 to highlight marriage equality, you clearly don’t know Nicholson.

Funnier by the minute, the beloved red headed comedian’s wit never wanes and is set to exceed your very high standards in Nice People Nice Things Nice Situations.

He’ll be at The Victoria Hotel in The Banquet Room from Thursday March 28 until Sunday April 21, bar Mondays and Saturday April 13. Tickets are $25 ± $33.

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He’s just decided to begin a master’s degree right as he kicks off his new show, Masterclass, at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

Daulman is a master of his craft and, indeed, a master in more ways than one.

Daulman’s show is satirical stand-up in the extreme. “It’s kind of a piss-take,” he explains.

“Everyone has a masterclass these days so I’m kind of like, ‘maybe I should do my own little cheeky masterclass’.”

In his exclusive seminars, Daulman is presenting how he imagines his masterclasses would go, if he were ever asked to conduct them.

“I’ve been doing comedy for a bit of time now and I’ve seen some things that are kind of funny and some things comedians these days almost have to do,” he says.

“Why not just make fun of myself and what I’ve had to do over the last five or so years and have a go at myself during the show?”

The irony for Daulman is that he would never claim to be a master of comedy, saying he’s almost borrowed a formula and put his own flavour on it.

“It’s also quite a personal show as well,” he says.

“Certain relationships you build in comedy, hassling people to get gigs, all those little things you have to deal with being a comedian,” he says.

“It’s also a step-by-step guide [on] how to do it.”

Asking if Daulman has ever attended a comic masterclass himself, he firmly replies, “No. Never.

I’ve done it the hard way. School of hard knocks”.

Ultimately, Masterclass will be the dos and don’ts according to Stu. The show has its premiere at MICF, something Daulman says he’s feeling great about.

“I did the same thing last year with Death Of A Daulman, where I performed my own funeral.

That went really well so I’ve taken a similar format and run with that,” he says.

“Doing comedy festivals, so many weird people come to the show ± [last year] my psychologist came and I had two ex-girlfriends come to the show … so many weird things happen during the comedy festival but I’m not really surprised anymore!”

And talking of weird things happening, there’s no accounting for the kind of audience Daulman will get of an evening, particularly given how personable masterclasses are in general. “It’s not really a stand-up show,” says Daulman, “It’s more like a theatre show.

“I suspect it’ll be similar to last year ± if you have a format or you’re presenting something that someone has to be on board with literally as soon as you walk through the doors, that allows the audience to be settled in that format.

“You can’t really heckle a show like this and if you do, that’s so strange.”

“Certain relationships you build in comedy, hassling people to get gigs, all those little things you have to deal with being a comedian.”

Venue: Regent Room, Melbourne Town Hall Dates: Thursday March 28 – Sunday April 21 (bar Monday) Tickets: $22 – $28.50

BY ANNA ROSE

The Birdmann and Egg A Late Night Birdhouse

If you’re looking for the most bizarre show this Melbourne International Comedy Festival, The Birdmann and Egg’s A Late Night Birdhouse might just be what you’re after.

“The Birdmann and Egg is a very absurd late night cabaret, and sort of the perfect late night cabaret as it’s very out there,” The Birdmann explains.

If you’re wondering what constitutes absurdity in this whacky world we live in, The Birdmann paints a picture by outlining some of their acts.

“There’s an interpretive dance on five inch silver sequin stilettos; there’s climbing inside a giant inflatable six foot balloon; there’s also a massive interactive origami extravaganza and of course, there’s a multi-instrumental Egg from Japan.”

The Birdmann and Egg met in a car park in Winnipeg, Canada, five years ago and the two have been performing together ever since. In their upcoming show, you can expect a variety of The Birdmann’s classic acts as well as newer material from the duo’s collaboration. The Birdmann describes the show as “sort of a collection of the best of routines that I’ve done over many years of my life”.

Of course, now Egg’s being added to that too.

“Egg’s in the show this time, so she’s come all the way from Japan to add her own sense of unique wonder.”

What you can expect in the one hour show is act after act of curious takes on the world we live in. “Like a lot of variety shows, you’ll be seeing a lot of classic acts and routines encapsulated in a

way that expresses them in the current times we live in,” The Birdmann remarks. Their response to it all: “have a good time”.

All of these circus-like acts, which embrace the ridiculous rather than shy away from it, combine together under the theme that enjoyment and fun will save us from all the bad of the world. “I sort of feel like there’s a lot of pressure in the world today and we get a lot of negative news, so the essential message of this show is that fun can save the world,” The Birdmann notes. “We’re trying to acknowledge some of the more difficult issues in the world, and at the same time, want to feel a sense of wonder.”

Off the back of travelling around the world and giving alternative comedy lovers their medicine, the two are confident their show will stand up against the score of talent in this year’s festival. “It’s a huge festival but our show’s really, really unique.”

Performing for four nights only, the pair are flying in and out to give Melbourne its taste of their unconventional comedy. “I think people really want something that’s a little bit avantgarde and if they like comedy like that, it’ll be the show for them.”

BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL

“The Birdmann and Egg is a very absurd late night cabaret, and sort of the perfect late night cabaret as it’s very out there.”

Venue: The Melba Spiegeltent Dates: Thursday April 4 – Sunday April 7 Tickets: $20 – $35

BY MARNIE VINALL

The Stevenson Experience Takes One To Know One

Identical twin brothers, James and Benjamin Stevenson, or better known by their stage names, Beej and Jimmy, are returning once again for this year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

Accompanied as always by their guitar and keyboard, their fresh new show, Takes One To Know One, is musical comedy sprinkled with rapping, stand up and most importantly, non-stop bickering and banter. The show is based on sibling rivalry and favouritism, after all.

“We’re perfect for anyone who loves musical comedy: Tim Minchin, Flight of the Conchords, Bo Burnham, smash that together in your heads and that’s what we do,” says James.

After growing up side by side and then performing together for over twelve years, the pair know a thing or two about blood-related banter. They harness every drop of sibling teasing and mockery, and dish it up for the audience to enjoy.

“Anyone with a sibling or people who understand the bickering and the close relationships of siblings, are going to get a lot out of our show ± t hey’ll relate to it heaps.”

After living together for the last nine years, the pair are moving out of their shared home and parting ways when it comes to sharing the breakfast table and remote. They’re splitting up

their stuff and, as you can imagine, creating jokes at the other’s expense while they do it.

“The true irony is that even if one of us says something on stage that sounds mean, no one really knows who wrote it. Half the time we’re writing incredibly mean jokes about ourselves and giving them to our brother to say to our faces,” laughs James.

“It’s all about that family favouritism, sibling rivalry, that kind of stuff. Brothers, sisters, they’ll love it.”

It’s all light-hearted family goodness, as James muses, “It’s a fun-spirited thing. We just make people laugh; there’s no deeper meaning here.”

As all of us that are blessed with siblings will understand all too well, what no one else is allowed to say out loud, we can hurl across the dinner table with no remorse. This is precisely what you can expect with these two. The only difference is, Jimmy and Beej are letting each other insult one another for our entertainment.

Coming straight from Adelaide Fringe, the duo are keen to bring this energy performance to the crowds of Melbourne.

“We’ve been doing [Melbourne International Comedy Festival] for about twelve years now, so it’s always got a special place for us, and it’s just a beautiful city and a beautiful festival ± love the audience, lovely people, it’s great.

“Anyone with a sibling or people who understand the bickering and the close relationships of siblings, are going to get a lot out of our show.”

If you’re umming and ahhing about who to see at this year’s MICF, why not take some of the festival’s rising stars for a test drive?

Hosted by Lawrence Mooney, A-List Comedy Sampler brings the who’s who of comedy to the stage so you can taste test each act before committing. Perfect for people with short attention spans, these bite-sized sets bring the laughs at a cracking pace. It’s happening at Athenaeum Theatre on Mondays April 1 and 8. Tickets are $34 ± $39.

Venue: The Westin Dates: Thursday March 28 – Sunday April 21 (bar Mondays) Tickets: $22 – $29

BY MARNIE VINALL

Sam Campbell & Paul Williams Australian vs New Zealand Magic Competition

Tim Vine

Comedy? Check. Magic? Check. Smoke Machine? Check. Need we go on? Funny men Sam Campbell and Paul Williams are bringing competitive magic to the stage in a performance that is equally daring and ridiculous. Strap yourself in, it’s going to be a mystifying, hysterical ride. Catch Sam Campbell and Paul Williams at Exford Hotel from Thursday March 28 until Sunday April 21, bar Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Tickets are $15 ± $25.

Sunset Milk Idiot “I’m not an edgy comic,” says Tim Vine regarding his attitude towards serious topics. “I’m a long way from the edge, I’m near the centre of the table.”

Crude humour and political satire are not to be found here, Vine thrives on the kind of gags that can make an audience wobble with a collective groan of amusement.

Famous for his starring roles in British hit comedies Not Going Out and The Sketch Show, Vine has made a name for himself as a regular highlight of festivals in Europe and Australia. He has graced the Melbourne International Comedy Festival’s stage numerous times in the past years with shows filled with light-hearted puns and inoffensive wit.

“I have such a childish act, it’s very silly ± lots of wordplay and nonsense,” says Vine. “Some comics are complaining, saying they can’t say as much as they used to, but that’s never really affected me because my act has always been inconsequential.

I’ve never said anything serious. I’ve never wanted to touch on anything serious, really.”

Why does Vine keep coming back for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival? Mainly because he loves our city.

“For Brits, Melbourne is almost a home away from home because, culturally, Aussies and Brits are very close. We share the same sense of humour, same television programs. There’s a very similar vibe between us.’

When asked what his best pun about Australia is, Vine fires off with, “I went out for a drink with a kangaroo, he didn’t buy a single drink all night. Talk about short arms and long pockets.”

Lawrence Mooney A-List Comedy Sampler

It was quick-fire gags such as these that won Vine the Guinness World Record for most puns in an hour in 2004, capping at 499 puns. His grand title was surpassed ten years later, and it seems Vine has no intentions on reclaiming the record.

“I’m a great believer in relaxing, and that represents hard work,” he says.

Vine doesn’t feel hard done by however “because the subsequent winners were Indian and Australian, so [he] is still Europe’s fastest.”

Vine will return to Melbourne with a fresh arsenal of puns in his new show, entitled Sunset Milk Idiot. The inception of such a bizarre title came to him in the most childish way possible.

“I made this prop out of milk cartons and I thought to myself that looks like a hat. This is the sort of normal life I lead, I make things and stick them on my head.”

With his new paraphernalia and an orange background to encompass his promotional photos, Vine had to come up with a show title.

“I thought, just say what you see, and I saw a sunset, milk and an idiot.

“When we were children, we used to make a lot of things out of sellotape and cardboard, and somewhere along the line we’re encouraged to stop. But as a comedian I have been able to keep that creative side going. That’s the great thing about being a comedian, it suspends childhood.”

“That’s the great thing about being a comedian, it suspends childhood.”

Venue: ACMI – Below Dates: Thursday March 28 – Sunday April 21 (bar Mondays) Tickets: $31 – $38.50

BY JAMES ROBERTSON

BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL

Chris Franklin Brewed Laughter Not your average stand-up gig, Chris Franklin combines the best parts of interactive comedy and beer in a show that’ll definitely leave you grinning.

Merging a craft beer tasting, a standup gig and a gameshow, with a touch of trivia thrown in for good measure, Brewed Laughter is an experience like no other.

Check it out from Wednesday March 27 until Sunday April 7 (bar Wednesday 3) at Kicks. Tickets are $15.30 ± $25.30.

BEAT.COM.AU 45

Tom Allen Absolutely

Chic, classy, cheeky, and chatty – just three words you could use to describe British comic Tom Allen. There are of course many, many more, but it’s best to let camp wit and acerbic storytelling say the rest.

Lano & Woodley FLY Strap yourselves in and prepare for takeoff because comedy virtuosos Lano & Woodley are bringing their lauded show FLY to Melbourne. Telling the tale of the pioneers of flight, The Wright Brothers, Lano & Woodley will have you sky high with this hysterical journey. Catch them at Arts Centre Melbourne’s Playhouse from Tuesday April 16 until Sunday April 21.

Tickets are $49.90 ± $59.90.

Judith Lucy Judith Lucy VS Men Single and 50 ± these are two words that can be used to describe Judith Lucy. They are also the reasons why she’s considering giving up men once and for all. The comedy stalwart will lay out her dating history, warts and all, and explore the stereotypes around being a middle-aged, single woman ± leaving you to decide whether she should throw in the towel for good. She’ll be at The Playhouse at Arts Centre Melbourne from Thursday March 28 until Sunday April 14, bar Mondays. Tickets are $44.90 ± $52.9 0.

As a member of the LGBTIQ+ community, Allen has watched our socio-political debates with great interest. For Allen to return to Australia for Melbourne International Comedy Festival and immerse himself not only in this changed climate but to shed a comedic light on the state of things, will be a delightful challenge for him. “I’ve always had such love and respect from so many brilliant Australians,” he says. “I use the word queer for all people, but I think it’s exciting times in Australia, that you’re moving forward in a good direction.

“I hope I can be another queer voice, another comic, who takes the platform to talk about their experience of the world.

“In comedy, I think it allows people to come together, to have the experience of laughing together about life. The fact we’re all able to laugh at the things in common, I hope generally across the board can do good.”

Allen is confident in his own art, even by his own admission a lot of the time he’s getting up on stage and making jokes about his own mother.

“You can never represent everybody as a single person,” he reasons. “All comedy is, is showing the world how you see it from your shoes. I think people are able to turn to each and be kinder and accepting and able to celebrate one another.”

It’s a lovely sentiment, and one many people hold dear. That perspective and that wish for society is reflected in Allen’s critically acclaimed show, Absolutely. “I’ve always described myself as witty, large and gay ± but in truth, I have no right to be. I’m a working class boy.

“I talk about living at home with my mum in suburbia while trying to be a fabulous 35-yearold, and [a] gay man ± sometimes it’s difficult when your dad was born during the blitz and you’re trying to introduce things like brunch.

“I have no right to be a snob but I think we all are a bit! We’re all silently judgy! That’s keeping the world turning I think. The bigger the difference, the more there is to celebrate when people come together.”

Allen also talks about learning to drive, being invited to a hens party, and a misadventure on a water slide ± all in all he hopes there’s something for everyone in the show. “I was supposed to do about 30 dates at the end of 2017 in the UK, and it wound up being 185 in all!

“It was the first time I’d ever done a tour of my own show ± I didn’t know who would come, thought it might be like five gays and their mum ± but there were groups of lads, couples, families, all the people! It was really, really nice!”

Venue: Greek Theatre – Mykonos Dates: Thursday March 28 – Sunday April 21 (bar Mondays) Tickets: $33.90 – $38.90

BY ANNA ROSE

Urzila Carlson Loser

Urzila Carlson is back with a brand-new show, and this time she’s taking losers to task. But what makes someone a loser?

You’ve probably seen Phil Wang tell some jokes before, whether it was on his Netflix special or on 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown ± if you haven’t, you’ve been sleeping at the wheel. Nothing is out of bounds for Wang, who will have you guiltily laughing as he pokes fun at his British-Malaysian heritage and his sex life. Find him at ACMI, Below or in The Victoria Hotel’s Banquet Room from Thursday March 28 until Sunday April 21, bar Mondays. Tickets are $27.50 ± $34.5 0.

“‘Loser’ is always negative, right? I was watching that show The Biggest Loser and I thought ‘the only time that word is ever positive is when you’re losing weight’. I just think there are bigger losers than fat people, like people who don’t say ‘thank you’ in traffic.

“But we’re all losers at some point, we all do something stupid and then think, ‘oh god why did I do that?’. I guess you could say it’s like the other negative words we’re taking back ± like ‘queer’ ± so I was thinking, we should take ‘loser’ back and put it where it belongs, i.e. away from fat people. Not to mention, if you like someone a lot, don’t you want there to be more of them?”

In preparation to take Melbourne Town Hall’s Main Hall for a full run (just lowkey, she’s first female comic to do so), Carlson has been running her material by her local pub patrons to get it up to scratch.

“When I’ve got new material, I do unbilled gigs in little pubs around Auckland where people won’t know me, or won’t know that I’m going to be there, and I just take down what gets a reaction.

If one of my skits doesn’t work, I go home and work on it and then try it a little different the next night. It’s a great process because they haven’t organised to see me, they don’t know what I’m about, and so it’s really invaluable feedback.

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BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL

Phil Wang Philly Philly Wang Wang

“I hope I can be another queer voice, another comic, who takes the platform to talk about their experience of the world.”

“Having grown up poor back in South Africa, I know that coming to see me might be the only time some of my audience go out that month, like a date night or with their entertainment money.

So I can’t risk having a bad show ± there’s too much at stake.”

Armed with her quick-fire wit and relentless self-deprecation, Carlson has only one aim for Loser.

“I just want to make people laugh. If you want to take home a powerful message, my show’s not it; mine’s just for forgetting about your day or week, and maybe having a drink with your friends.

“I won’t pick on the audience either, that’s not my style. My mum had comedy ruined for her when she was picked on at a show in her 20s, and I don’t want that. I want people to see the show, not be the show. I’ll just be shitting on those losers that don’t say ‘thank you’ in traffic.”

“I just think there are bigger losers than fat people, like people who don’t say ‘thank you’ in traffic.”

Venue: Melbourne Town Hall – Main Hall Dates: Thursday March 28 – Saturday April 20 (bar Mondays, Wednesday 17 and Sundays 14 & 21) Tickets: $32 – $50

BY LEXI HERBERT

You Am I

The Majesty of Tap The members of You Am I hold such mutual affection for 1984’s This Is Spinal Tap that the film’s become like a shared language among them.

A mockumentary centred on the flagging British heavy metal band Spinal Tap, the film was directed

by Rob Reiner and written by its stars, Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer.

Comedy songs aren’t often meddled with outside of their original context, but You Am I sought to dignify Spinal Tap’s back catalogue with the live performance spectacle, The Majesty of Tap. “For anybody who’s a musician, it’s just such a pivotal piece of filmmaking because it really does capture a lot of stuff that becomes very familiar if you do any amount of touring,” says drummer Rusty Hopkinson. “Interwoven amongst that are all these really great songs that show that all those guys were students of what they were doing. It’s very deep and there’s a lot to it, and the songs are great fun to play.”

The Majesty of Tap is presented as a tribute show to Spinal Tap, rather than a piece of theatre, in which the band members take on the roles of Nigel Tufnel (Guest), David St. Hubbins (McKean), Derek Smalls (Shearer) and drummer Mick Shrimpton (Ric Parnell).

“Not playing it for laughs is the way we do it, because in some ways that’s even funnier,” Hopkinson says. “It’s more just playing up the music aspect of it and that we’re like this tribute band that thinks that Spinal Tap are this great unjustly ignored band.”

A bit of extra production goes into The Majesty of Tap compared to a regular You Am I

Muriel’s Wedding The Musical show, allowing the band members to indulge in ways they otherwise wouldn’t.

“I get to un-ironically say, ‘I want two China cymbals, a gong, a ten-piece drum-kit, eight crash cymbals’. It’s fun to do that and set it up and muck around with it,” says Hopkinson.

“There’s a lot more fog and pyro related stuff.

We actually had a giant inflatable devil head made for the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, but in true Spinal Tap fashion we can’t actually fit it in any venues apart from the one that we built it for. Our friend Matt from Even made us a Stonehenge that’s really beautiful and fits comfortably in a suitcase.”

The film’s main characters, Nigel, David and Derek, are imbecilic, deluded, politically incorrect and not especially self-aware. Hopkinson says he’s encountered plenty of similar characters on tour over the years.

“You do get people who think they’re kind of deep and then you speak to them for a little while and realise they’re not deep at all. When you do go on tour, you become this giant mollycoddled baby. You’ve got people doing stuff for you, which is really great.

“We’ve definitely toured with people who’ve probably fit the bill and they can be some of the best people you meet.”

“I get to unironically say, ‘I want two China cymbals, a gong, a tenpiece drum-kit, eight crash cymbals’.”

Venue: Corner Hotel Date: Thursday April 11 Tickets: $49.39

BY AUGUSTUS WELBY

Tom Ballard Enough

Feasts and Funnies 1

2

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Muriel’s Wedding is undoubtedly an Australian classic, and while nothing will ever beat Toni Collette’s rendition of the socially awkward heroine from Porpoise Spit, Muriel’s Wedding The Musical offers pretty good competition. With lyrics and music written by Eurovision representative Kate Miller-Heidke and her partner in music and life, Keir Nuttal, this show is set to be a knock out through and through.

Catch it at Her Majesty’s Theatre from Wednesday March 27 until Sunday April 21, bar Mondays. Tickets are $70 ± $165.

6

1. Gazi

2. Hotel Esplanade

3. Fatto Bar & Cantina

Gazi offers an exciting array of modern Greek food that will tantalise your tastebuds. It’s Greek food with a Melbourne twist. Inspired by the street art-filled district of Gazi in Athens, Gazi feels like a celebration every night.

During the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Gazi is offering a selection of bites and a delicious cocktail for $30 per person. Find Gazi at 2 Exhibition Street, CBD.

The reimagined Hotel Esplanade now includes a fifth level that was previously closed to the public. The Espy is a great place to grab a bite to eat or a cheeky drink before your Melbourne International Comedy Festival show, or after the show. Even better if you show your ticket in The Espy Kitchen or Mya Tiger Restaurant, you receive 20% off your bill. Find them at 11 The Esplanade, St Kilda.

Open seven days a week til late, Fatto Bar & Cantina is your one stop shop for late night Italian food. If you show them your ticket you’ll receive complimentary house marinated Mount Zero olives with your first drink purchase. Plus, $12 Italian club sandwiches, available every day 4-11pm at the bar. Find them at The River Terrace at Hamer Hall.

4. Meatmaiden

5. Polēpolē Bar + Kitchen

6. The Crafty Squire

Attention meat lovers! Meatmaiden is an underground smokehouse and steakhouse, specialising in premium cuts of the country’s best meat producers. You can also get a taste of their special Comedy Fest Cocktail as well as a free canape to bite on if you present your ticket (valid only on the date of the ticket that is held). Find them at The Basement, 195 Little Collins Street, CBD.

Polēpolē means taking it easy and enjoying the moment in Tanzanian.

You’ll certainly enjoy every moment while eating the delicious African fusion food and drinks Polēpolē offers.

If you’re interested in trying African beer for the first time you can combine that with some berbere spiced fries for the special Melbourne International Comedy Festival price of $12. Find them at Level 1, 267 Little Collins Street, CBD.

If you fancy yourself as a bit of a craft beer snob, then you have to visit The Crafty Squire (the home of James Squire Brewhouse). Detect the fruity nose and hints of passionfruit in an Australian Pale Ale or enjoy a delicious pub meal and bev in their restaurant for your pre and post comedy festival needs. Show them your ticket and receive 20% off your bill. Find them at 127 Russell Street, CBD.

BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL

If you don’t know Tom Ballard from his ABC2 show Tonightly with Tom Ballard, you probably remember him as Alex Dyson’s original partner in comedy on triple j’s morning show. While Ballard may not have a traditional job at the moment, per se, he has made a living through making similarly frustrated Australians laugh with his satirical political commentary. Catch him at Max Watt’s and Melbourne Town Hall’s Supper Room from Thursday March 28 until Sunday April 21, bar Mondays.

Tickets are $25 ± $34.

Aaron Chen piss off (just kidding) The unpredictably hilarious Aaron Chen foots the bill for the final blurb of Beat’s 2019 Melbourne International Comedy Festival liftout. It’s certainly a case of last, but not least here as walking into an Aaron Chen show is like walking into a random house party where you know no one. His shows are random but hysterically so and you’ll love it. Check Chen out at the Melbourne Town Hall ± Backstage Room from Thursday March 28 until Friday April 21 (bar Mondays). Tickets are $22 ± $28.

BEAT.COM.AU

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Abandoman Pirate Radio

Alex Ward No Flirting

If you had to pitch your brand of comedy to a stranger, what would you say?

It’s a combination of hip hop and stand-up comedy, where every song is fully improvised based on suggestions from the crowd.

Tell us about your show.

The show is called Pirate Radio and it’s meant to reflect the many things we hear on the radio ± from slow jam R&B, to big club songs, to the evening news. Audience members are asked to the share small details from their lives. The songs are then created from these suggestions.

Who are you looking forward to seeing at this year’s festival?

Eleanor Tiernan and Ed Night are both amazing ± two great acts with shows that have been hugely acclaimed in the recent Edinburgh Fringe.

What’s the worst thing that’s happened to you on stage?

At MICF in 2017, I was getting really into the show. On the final beat of the final song, I jumped up in the air, landed, and immediately realised I’d broken my knee. As I hit the ground, I made the decision to just roll under the back-of-stage curtain and lie there for about ten minutes. From what I heard, to the crowd, it just seemed like an unusual way to leave a stage ± rolling away, rather than the traditional, ‘thank you and goodnight’.

What’s the strangest thing that’s happened to you on stage?

Once a lady stood up and yelled “WOOOO” and then went “SHHHH”. So, she wooed and then shhhed herself. I don’t know if she had a split personality, maybe? If she did, I’m glad both her personalities liked my comedy, they were just different about it. One wanted to get involved and one wanted to listen.

What would it say on your gravestone when you die?

She asked to be cremated, clearly, she was not well respected.

The idea for the show was born when…

I saw this as an opportunity to show as many people as possible the weird messages a stranger online was sending me. The messages weren’t meant for me, they were meant for my partner. There’s screenshots but most of the show is funny stand-up about young-ish people, weirdos ± online and offline ± and my dog.

Does your show have any audience participation?

No. This is the first year I’ll even be facing the audience. Last year I faced the back curtain and whispered a monologue without a single pause.

Who absolutely should not come to your show?

Anyone who read the above answer and thought, “really? Is she joking? That doesn’t sound like a good show”. It was a joke and if you didn’t get it then please don’t come.

Venue: The Famous Spiegeltent at Arts Centre Melbourne Dates: Thursday March 28 – Sunday April 21 (bar Mondays) Tickets: $28 – $36

Venue: Trades Hall – Archive Room Dates: Thursday March 28 – Sunday April 21 (bar Wednesdays) Tickets: $22 – $25

Amos Gill Almost Famos

Ben Preston Coherently Incoherent: One Man’s Voyage into Confusion

What would it say on your gravestone when you die?

I won’t have a gravestone. None of us will. We’re all going out in a nuclear mishap.

Who absolutely should not come to your show?

People seeking a lesson.

What about MICF inspires you?

Nothing. Mandela inspires me. The International Anti-Poaching Foundation inspires me. MICF entertains me. Artists are so self important.

What’s the funniest thing you’ve seen in the crowd?

There was a gig at the Marion Hotel in Adelaide, one of the regulars was a disabled bloke who came every week. He couldn’t communicate with words but would come over and give you the thumbs up if you did a good set. Thing is, he would sporadically make a groaning noise. All the regulars loved him and we knew to ignore the groans.

One week, an out of town comedian was hosting and hadn’t been told about this. He hears the groans and thinks he’s being heckled and starts yelling at the voice “are there animals mating back there,” etc. Everyone is at maximum cringe. The lights come up at the break and the comedian sees who he was attacking and he puts his hands on his head and yells “oh, shit.” The disabled bloke and his carer come over and he gives a giant thumbs up. I was dead.

Tasma Terrace will be awash with the wit of Ben Preston when the burgeoning comic takes over the venue across 14 dates in the latter half of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

An intellect at large, being an engineer, Preston believes in a brighter future but does so amongst a haze of vague, inescapable confusion. For Preston, curiosity often gets the better of him and he often finds himself down more than one rabbit hole of discovery.

In Coherently Incoherent: One Man’s Voyage into Confusion, join the nosy comedian as he shares things he’s learned from himself and humanity, and tread the avenues that lured answers but delivered not one.

Preston wants you to walk away from his show with more than a minor ache in your side and a smile on your face but also a renewed sense of togetherness as everyone tackles this crazy thing called life, together.

If life is all too weird for you at the moment, take a night out with Ben Preston who will be able to set all the oddities straight. It will be well worth your time.

Venues: Swiss Club & Melbourne Town Hall – Cloak Room Dates: Thursday March 28 – Sunday April 21 (bar Monday April 8) Tickets: $20 – $29.90

Venue: Tasma Terrace 2 Dates: Monday April 8 – Sunday April 21 Tickets: $20 – $25

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BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL

Brett Blake Bogan Genius

Chris Parker Camp Binch

Tell us about your show.

This show is about my time at school. I was a bit of a dropkick/no hoper who spent most of his time at school throwing stuff into the ceiling fan. They thought I was stupid until they tested my IQ. Turns out I’m close to being considered a genius.

What’s the strangest thing that’s happened to you on stage?

Once, my dad heckled me through my whole set then my brother passed out and fell off his chair. To be honest, it was a tamer night than I expected.

What does your show teach the audience?

How to love again. Nah, just not to write people off as stupid because they have dyslexia and struggle to read. Reading sucks any way, if the book was good it would be a movie.

Tell us two truths and one lie.

I was bitten by a shark, I peed next to Elon Musk, I’m the coolest person you know.

Does your show have any audience participation?

A little bit. As my show is about school I like to find out who the worst student was in the room. In one show a guy got expelled for lighting the school oval on fire by accident. Its legends like these that I want to find.

If you had to pitch your brand of comedy to a stranger, what would you say?

It’s personal, it’s camp, it’s energetic and it’s all hands.

Tell us about your show.

Camp Binch delves deep into embarrassing and very failed attempts to try and fit in with the ‘boys’ over my life. It won the best show of the New Zealand International Comedy Festival and I literally will never stop mentioning that to convince people to come see it.

What would it say on your gravestone when you die?

“Chris Parker ± h e never finished an article he endeavoured to read”.

What does your show teach the audience?

The show sets out to empower people to go out and make a small amount of change.

I think we hear a lot about how awful the world is in comedy, and while I’ve been known to bitch about the world behind its back, I am also hopeful it can change.

Who absolutely should not come to your show?

I will not be welcoming birds into my space. I’m terrified of them, I hate their sharp beaks and I don’t like the idea of feathers. So, birds will be turned away at the door.

Don’t @ me.

Venues: Coopers Inn – The 50 Dates: Wednesday March 27 – Sunday April 21 (bar Tuesdays) Tickets: $15 – $20

Venue: Green Centre – Aphrodite Dates: Thursday March 28 – Sunday April 21 (bar Mondays) Tickets: $18 – $25

Dan Dennis & friends Now We’re Cooking!

Dan Rath Bubble Bath

If you had to pitch your brand of comedy to a stranger, what would you say?

Someone who saw my show in Adelaide described it as, “75% of everything you said was very funny” ± s o it’s ¾ funny, and ¼ undefined.

Tell us about your show.

It’s a show featuring three up-and-coming comedians you’ve never heard of. Sam [Bowden] has supported numerous international acts on their Australian tours, Grace [ Jarvis] is an award-winning writer and Dan [Dennis] is really a newbie who hasn’t achieved much but is hoping you’ll find him funny.

Who absolutely should not come to your show?

People under the age of 15, Bitcoin investors, religious evangelists and probably our bosses.

If your comedy show was a flavour, what would it be and why?

Neapolitan ± together they’re all pretty good and enjoyable but there will probably be one flavour you enjoy the most.

Tell us two truths and one lie.

Grace Jarvis is very funny. Sam Bowden is very funny. Dan Dennis is very funny. You decide which one is the lie.

When was the moment you realised you could be a comedian?

When I got fired from a series of unskilled jobs. I thought ‘you could be a comedian to compensate for all the disrespect you get for being an incompetent employee’.

What’s the strangest thing that’s happened to you on stage?

A heckler with a Wolf of Wall Street aesthetic came up to me and tried to hug me during my set. I didn’t know whether to just stand there and take it or knock him out with the bottom of the mic stand. In the end, I passively accepted his grotesque gesture and I am still haunted by my cowardice.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

In a gulag for human beings who have been rendered irrelevant by the upcoming artificial intelligence revolution.

If you had to pitch your brand of comedy to a stranger, what would you say?

Mr. Bean on acid. If you like watching a stammering boob peddle conspiracy theories, this is the show for you.

Tell us about your show.

I will wear a Hawaiian shirt to give the impression I am relaxed. It will be about being disrespected everyday and how this leads to heightened cortisol production. It will also include my diverse set of interests including prime numbers and mango tango.

Venue: The Fireside @ Bar Ampere Dates: Sunday April 7 – Thursday April 18 (bar Fridays and Saturdays) Tickets: $10 – $15

Venue: Mantra on Russell – Mantra Three Dates: Thursday March 28 – Sunday April 1 (bar Mondays) Tickets: $18 – $25

BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL

BEAT.COM.AU 49

Fakkah Fuzz Comedy Zone Asia

Flo & Joan Alive On Stage

If you had to pitch your brand of comedy to a stranger, what would you say?

I talk about stuff from a Singaporean’s perspective, but from the ones who WORK for the crazy rich Asians.

If you could compare yourself to a TV or movie, what would it be and why?

I don’t know If I’d ever compare myself to a TV, it’s a pretty unrealistic bodybuilding goal. But if you’re going to ask me about a movie, I’d definitely pick 8 Mile ± B Rabbit.

What would it say on your gravestone when you die?

“Could be worse”.

Who absolutely should not come to your show?

I welcome everybody. Unless you know, you’re the kind that doesn’t enjoy comedy in which case I wish you a happy marriage.

What about MICF inspires you?

I get to meet comedians from many parts of the world and, especially, Australia. I feel like there’s a lot of inspiration that can be drawn from watching these performers.

Would you rather be able to read minds or fly? Explain.

I would rather fly so that I can travel without dealing with Singapore’s traffic jam. I don’t really want to know what people are thinking, I find that pretty unsettling.

Who would your co-host or sidekick be if you were to share the stage?

Statler and Waldorf from The Muppets. Double the tragedy, double the fun. And they’d make us look taller.

Would you rather be able to read minds or fly? Explain.

Fly. We’d like to just launch ourselves away from stuff in weird situations. Blast straight into the air. We’d for sure injure ourselves immediately and have our fly licenses revoked, but it would be fun that one time before we got stuck in a tree.

Tell us about your show.

It’s a chunky hour of musical comedy with a lot of wordplay, good music, some preschool percussion instruments, all performed by two British sisters. Lovely.

What would it say on your gravestone when you die?

“May they long be remembered for trying to rhyme Angela Merkel with Angular Turtle/A hot poterto/Anne of Green Gerbles.”

What’s the strangest thing that’s happened to you on stage?

We were getting to the only slightly poignant bit of the show and a woman screamed.

The type of scream when someone throws a spider at you. Then she disappeared.

Venue: Chinese Museum – Silk Room Dates: Thursday March 28 – Sunday April 21 (bar Mondays) Tickets: $22.50 – $35

Venue: Melbourne Town Hall – Powder Room Dates: Thursday March 28 – Sunday April 21 (bar Mondays) Tickets: $27 – $34

Gordon Southern A Man For Two Seasons

Jack Tucker Comedy Standup Hour

Tell us about your show.

This is an incredible true story about my adventures in the world of therapy that might just save your life, loosely draped around the fun fact that I have lived in a cycle of endless summers for the last decade and the ups and downs that come with it.

If your comedy show was a flavour, what would it be and why?

Maybe a Zooper Dooper or a Slush Puppy blue flavour. With Curaçao in it. And Blueberries. So, it tastes something between a Boost Juice and a cocktail. Can blue be a flavour?

If you had to pitch your brand of comedy to a stranger, what would you say?

When I was working on the TV show Q.I the producer explained to me that this show would be the future of education. This has inspired and informed every show I’ve written since and hatched the catchphrase “if you’re not laughing, you’re learning”.

What’s the funniest thing you’ve seen in the crowd?

One almost unplayable show in Manchester years ago contained two big groups: one party of drunken middle-aged men and one bucks party who had all dressed up as Smurfs. The middle-aged men were so drunk and obnoxious that the Smurf boys were forced to sit quietly, unable to get a word in.

Do you have a comedy pet peeve?

Nothing worse than showing up in your dressing room and remembering that your wife divorced you and your son thinks you’re a loser. That just ain’t fun.

Who would your co-host or sidekick be if you were to share the stage?

Impossible. Jackie is a solo act till he dies, which he can’t, so I’ll always fly solo. I need my space up there to do my thing you know? I’m like a free bird flying through the clouds and soaring through the fields, casting my shadow on all of the laughs below.

What about MICF inspires you?

The C is the most inspiring part of MICF. Not a big fan of M, I or F. Who are you looking forward to seeing at this year’s festival?

Oh boy, I can’t wait to see Tom Walker, Demi Lardner, Josh Glanc, Double Denim and Zach & Viggo ± t hese guys are all freakin’ hilarious.

If you had to pitch your brand of comedy to a stranger, what would you say?

Hello stranger, this show is freakin’ hilarious and you’d be a big stupid nerd for missing out on it. It’s full of laughs, gags, joshes, goofs, gaffs, and me: Jack Tucker.

Venue: Elephant and Wheelbarrow Melbourne Dates: Wednesday March 27 – Monday April 8 Tickets: $16 – $25

Venue: ACMI – Studio Dates: Fridays and Saturdays March 29 – April 20 Tickets: $22 – $25

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Jake Howie Let Them Eat Jake

Jolly Goodfellow aka Rumpel One Big Story

If you could compare yourself to a TV or movie, what would it be and why?

I married the Italian man of my dreams, grew up in Scientology and eat everything I can swallow, so my life is literally Eat Pray Love ± but with more eating, less praying and Scientology.

The idea for the show was born when…

I realised my biggest nightmare would be if one of my future, hypothetical kids became an Instagram influencer, so I decided to Queen-up and tell my version of the truth. If they don’t like it? Well, let them eat Jake.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Surrounded by dogs and incense, wearing an oversized kaftan and a big statement necklace as I pray to Gods that no one has heard of and say things like “I sensed that would happen” when the obvious occurs. Basically, I’ll be my mum.

Would you rather be able to read minds or fly? Explain.

I’d rather be able to fly. I’d probably have an aneurism if I heard what people think to themselves.

When was the moment you realised you could be a comedian?

I thought I could finally use my big mouth for good. I always got told off for it, and I still do, it’s just that now I get paid to do it.

If you had to pitch your brand of comedy to a stranger, what would you say?

Original Monty Python-esque humour, like a cross between Dr Seuss & Catweazle.

It’s highly visual and magical and helps bring a smile to the world.

Tell us about your show.

It’s been an extraordinary journey, all that has happened in my life ± having travelled to 74 countries, and performing in 50 ± so it’s about that and the cosmic universe we live in.

What does your show teach the audience?

To keep our minds wide open, laughter is the language of the soul and that love makes us happy.

What’s the strangest thing that’s happened to you on stage?

So many it’s difficult to say what was the strangest. I’ve done shows lasting 53 hours and have performed in 50 countries. Falling off the stage into the front row audience during a Beatles/Cirque du Soleil ‘Love’ show in Las Vegas felt a bit strange.

Describe the funniest laugh you’ve ever heard.

Probably by a sulphur-crested cockatoo? Also, a lady who saw my show at Edinburgh Fringe in 2017. She couldn’t stop laughing which made us all keep laughing.

Venue: Tasma Terrace 1 Dates: Tuesday March 26 – Sunday April 7 Tickets: $15 – $20

Venue: Storyville Melbourne Dates: Wednesday March 27 – Sunday April 21 (bar Friday March 29) Tickets: $15 – $20

Lizzy Hoo Hoo Am I? (What’s My Name?)

Monica Dullard Fancy That!

If you had to pitch your brand of comedy to a stranger, what would you say?

Oh, hello stranger, you look nice today. Why don’t you come to my stand-up comedy show? Yes, I’m very funny. I joke about my mixed-race heritage (Malaysian Chinese/ Aussie Irish), my dad Chan, shark attacks, KeepCups and dating white guys ± plus some other hot topics.

What does your show teach the audience?

There are underlying tones of diversity and inclusion, but what I really want is the audience to learn the Malaysian word for loose skin at the end of the penis ± kulup.

If you could compare yourself to a TV show or movie, what would it be and why?

I’m three parts Game of Thrones, two parts Monkey Magic. I have three mid-century English names at the front to hides the Asian names at the back.

If your comedy show was a flavour, what would it be and why?

“Austrasian” flavoured cup noodle ± I’m made from local and imported ingredients.

Everybody loves these noodles. There’s a little spice but not too much.

Tell us two truths and one lie.

My celebrity crush is Kevin McCloud (Grand Designs). As a child, I used to recite poetry… Competitively. I’ve been to the moon.

If you had to pitch your brand of comedy to a stranger, what would you say?

My comedy is all about the audience having a big fat laugh. My work involves physical comedy, characters, improv, audience interaction and the comedy experience is always ridiculous. I treat hecklers with kindness because everyone needs to belong. Must see.

Tell us about your show…

2019 is my 21st year as a stand-up comedian, so this is my 21st birthday bash at The Clyde Hotel. Buy a meal, drinks and see my hilarious show then head to Lygon St for an ice-cream. What could be better?

Who absolutely should not come to your show?

Politicians, they will spoil it for everyone.

What would it say on your gravestone when you die?

“I should have been cremated, it is so much cheaper. RIP.” When was the moment you realised you could be a comedian?

Year nine at a country school, at recess amongst the dust and flies, I told my teacher I wanted to be a comedian. He had never heard of such a thing. I realised then how important this work must be.

Venue: Mantra on Russell – Mantra Two Dates: Thursday March 28 – Sunday April 7 (bar Monday) Tickets: $15 – $22

Venue: The Clyde Hotel Dates: Thursday March 28 – Tuesday April 16 (bar Mondays & Wednesdays) Tickets: $22.30 – $27.30

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Old Treasury Building Behind the Lines: The Year’s Best Political Cartoons 2018

52

Simon Taylor Right Now

If you had to pitch your brand of comedy to a stranger, what would you say?

What is more heartbreaking or absurd than real life? Behind the Lines presents over 80 cartoons from 30 artists, each with a unique viewpoint. Cutting political satire at its best.

Tell us about your show.

You are invited down the rabbit hole to a topsy-turvy world where nothing is as it seems, and the Prime Minister changes as quickly as you can say “off with his head”.

What does your show teach the audience?

That although it may seem, some days, that our parliamentarians are a joke, we shouldn’t take our robust democracy for granted.

Tell us two truths and one lie.

I was once attacked by a goat, and the goat won. Past tenants have included the Lunacy Department, the Curator of the Estates of Deceased Persons, and the Enquiry into the Kelly Gang. During my construction, because Melbourne was so new and local building materials were untested, they considered building me out of chocolate Easter eggs.

If you were a Melbourne landmark, what would you be and why?

I am, The Old Treasury Building is one of Melbourne’s finest 19th century buildings. I was once the second most important political building in Melbourne. Now I’m a free museum.

If you had to pitch your brand of comedy to a stranger, what would you say?

The reviews I get always say it’s “intelligent comedy” and “clever and thought provoking”. Please come so I can prove to you how wrong they are.

What does your show teach the audience?

I actually teach the audience how to dance to RnB while looking ridiculous and how to cope with worrying about the future with magic tricks.

Who absolutely should not come to your show?

Anthony Di Mazzio who bullied me back in primary school. You’re not welcome.

Please don’t come. I’ll get nervous. Please.

When was the moment you realised you could be a comedian?

I’m nine years in and I’m still waiting on this. I think it’s called imposter syndrome.

When I see a comedian on TV I think ‘why didn’t I get that gig?’ but as soon as I’m on set about to film something for TV I think, ‘How the fuck did I get this gig?’

What’s the funniest thing you’ve seen in the crowd?

I was at a music festival and I did a joke about having babies. Some drunk guy in the crowd, drinking a can of Woodstock, yelled out at me “oi, don’t make fun of babies.”

When I stepped closer, I could see he was carrying a newborn in his other arm. What a great dad.

Venue: Old Treasury Building Dates: Tuesday March 26 – Thursday April 18 (bar Saturdays) Tickets: Free

Venue: Trades Hall – The Quilt Room & Music Room Dates: Thursday March 28 – Sunday April 21 (bar Wednesdays) Tickets: $22 – $29

Tahir You Had One Job!

The Kagools Cirque du Kagool

Tell us about your show.

You Had One Job! is about the stupidity of human beings and how we make mistakes at the simplest of tasks. It’s also about all the jobs I have ever had in my life. The show has been very well received and had some five-star reviews in the other cities.

Who are you looking forward to seeing at this year’s festival?

Someone you may not have heard but should see, Rose Callaghan; absolute gun, Kitty Flanagan; musical comedy/hilarious twins, The Stevenson Experience; from the bush, hilarious comedian Dane Simpson; incredible story and play, The Merger.

What motivated to you get involved with MICF in the first place?

I was part of the RAW Comedy finals and had a great experience. Just loved the atmosphere and the vibe of the city during the comedy festival and have tried to come back ever since.

Tell us two truths and one lie.

I love magic tricks, I cannot drive a manual car, I have a university degree.

What does your show teach the audience?

The stupidity of humans and our society. Audience members have also told me after the shows that they have a different perspective on life now ± maybe at my show you laugh, learn and then change your life.

Tell us about your show.

We’re The Kagools. A kagool is a British term for a lightweight rain jacket. Our brand-new show is set to be the greatest show on Earth by people wearing jackets.

Cirque du Kagool is physical comedy and pure joy, with an extra twist of showbiz magic and the odd circus-style mermaid.

What’s the strangest thing that’s happened to you on stage?

When someone in the audience started throwing jam at us. That was a good day.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Having created something that’s inclusive regardless of ability, age or nationality. We see a successful worldwide touring show continuing to spread joy through shared human experience. And we’d own a couple of new Kagools.

The idea for the show was born when…

When we went to see Cirque du Soleil and thought, ‘ah yeah, that looks easy. Let’s do one of them. How hard can trapeze be anyway?’

Tell us two truths and one lie.

We are real-life twins with identical birthmarks on our left buttocks, one of us was a security guard at Princess Diana’s funeral and one has a blue belt in Taekwondo.

Venue: Comic’s Lounge Dates: Tuesday April 2 – Sunday April 14 (bar Monday) Tickets: $30 – $39

Venue: The Coopers Malthouse – Beckett Theatre Dates: Thursday March 28 – Sunday April 7 (bar Monday) Tickets: $22 – $28

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BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL

To Be Continued…

Absolute Improv Comedy!

Tom Skelton Blind Man’s Bluff

Does your show have any audience participation?

Yes, but it’s all voluntary. If you have a fun answer to one of our questions in the show, just shout it and we’ll improvise a scene about it for you.

If your comedy show was a flavour, what would it be and why?

Snozzberry. Did you know that Roald Dahl coined this flavour in reference to a man’s privates? For reals.

If you were a Melbourne landmark, what would you be and why?

The Cheese Stick. We’re loud and cheesy on the outside, but warm and comforting on the inside.

Tell us two truths and one lie.

We have performed in 12 countries spanning 4 continents, we never make fun of audience members, but they always have fun, all of our current members are allergic to Lycra.

What does your show teach the audience?

Be kind, be supportive, but most importantly ± h ave a laugh.

I wasn’t always a blind performer. At university I performed with an improvised comedy troupe making up scenes, games, songs, raps and even Shakespeare plays on the spot, based on audience suggestions. After a few wonderful years touring Edinburgh Festival Fringe, USA and around Europe, I noticed during a performance I missed a visual cue from a cast member and consequently threw the scene into chaos.

My vision that day was a bit blurry and I ignored it. The cloudiness of my eyesight increased until I realised that I could be developing the genetic eye condition that affected my uncle and cousins. A cheery trip to the ophthalmologist confirmed the very same and I was diagnosed with Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy. You could say, I joined the Leber’s Party!

I thought I would never perform again. I lost a lot of independence and confidence and thought I would have to give up so much that I loved. However, I was encouraged to come back and try improv again and to my astonishment, I was still able to make people laugh.

Through writing my debut Melbourne International Comedy Festival show Blind Man’s Bluff, I found that telling my story through comedy showed me how confident, independent and accepting I finally felt living with visual impairment. I wanted to tell audiences that it was OK to laugh about my disability ± just with me rather than at me. By breaking down stereotypes and informing people about the strange, funny everyday of disability, I hope I’ve made people laugh and learn a bit too.

Venue: The Toff in Town Dates: Thursday April 4 – Sunday April 7 Tickets: $18 – $28

Venues: Imperial Hotel – Hooper Room Dates: Monday April 8 – Sunday April 21 Tickets: $20 – $29

Toxic Kiss Theatre Jouissance

Zach & Viggo Thunderflop

What would it say on your gravestone when you die?

Margot: Here lies the charming and profound saviour of Australian Theatre.

Benedict: This is a below-ground art installation piece.

What does your show teach the audience?

Margot: Only the secret to achieving artistic nirvana.

Benedict: Be sure to carry spare underwear with you when achieving artistic nirvana.

If your comedy show was a flavour, what would it be and why?

Margot: It would not have a flavour: it is Kunst (art). Don’t be such a philistine.

Benedict: Nougat.

The idea for the show was born when…

Margot: I awoke from a fitful slumber in which I was visited by the spirit of Jacques LeCant.

Benedict: Margot ate some cheese before bedtime one night and ended up dreaming the whole script. We left out the bit where she talked with a pony that had the head of her mother, but the rest is pretty verbatim.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Margot: Establishing the National Theatre of Mars.

Benedict: I’m an artist, so I’ll probably be reconsidering my life choices.

If you had to pitch your brand of comedy to a stranger, what would you say?

We’re not allowed to talk to strangers but it’s really funny and they’d probably like it.

What would it say on your gravestone when you die?

Zach: Help me out of here, I am not dead.

Viggo: Cucumbers consist of 85% water.

Who absolutely should not come to your show?

People who hate laughter, joy and Twins references.

What motivated you to get involved with MICF in the first place?

Targeted Facebook ad.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Zach: Governor of California.

Viggo: Star of an FX single-cam comedy show in its 13th season.

Does your show have any audience participation?

We don’t want to say yes because a bunch of people won’t come, but we swear it’s not the shitty kind. Nobody has to do anything they don’t want to do, and the joke is always on us. If you just trust us, you’ll be taken care of. Short answer - there is none.

Venue: Caz Reitops Dirty Secrets Dates: Wednesday April 17 & Thursday April 18 Tickets: $10 – $15

Venue: Greek Centre – Mykonos Dates: Thursday March 28 – Sunday April 21 (bar Mondays) Tickets: $20 – $28

BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL

BEAT.COM.AU 53

Comedy Compass As the 2019 Melbourne International Comedy Festival kicks into gear, the wonders of our fine city are decorated with the effervescence of unrestrained laughter and jollity. Across more venues that could be counted on five hands, punters and comedians will synergise to laugh, laugh and laugh some more. The likes of Trades Hall, Melbourne Town Hall and Max Watt’s are just some of the venues to be part of the action. Time to get the compass out, let’s party.

BY SASKIA MORRISON-THIAGU

Photo by Jim Lee

Photo by Jim Lee

Trades Hall

Melbourne Town Hall

Max Watt’s/The Festival Club

Trades Hall has become a staple venue of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, presenting the best in emerging and local comedy. Catch thrice as many shows with the Trades Hall Comedy Show Pass to see performances, including Ben Knight’s Big Red, the titular all-female show The Breast of The Fest, the dynamite compilation show The Comedy Zone, Emily Tresidder’s Just Doing It and Soothplayer’s Completely Improvised Potter and Completely Improvised Shakespeare.

The Melbourne Town Hall is a straight up icon and one of the most remarkable venues that the Melbourne International Comedy Festival has to offer. Playing host to more than 100 shows, the lineup includes Dave Hughes’ hair-larious standup show Hairy, Felicity Ward’s little bit naughty Busting a Nut, Jeff Green’s Letters Home, or if you like the idea of blind dating without the follow through, you’ll love Lights Out Laughs ± where you can listen to comedians in total darkness.

The live music venue, Max Watt’s, is also host to an eclectic group of comedians, including the rapper and comedian Chris Redd who will have you rolling on the floor with his impressions of the likes of Kanye West, Lil Wayne and Wesley Snipes. The self ± deprecating Dave Thornton’s Lean Into It, Joel Kim Booster who was recently named on Forbe’s 30 Under 30 list ± and the witty Tom Ballard, who says enough is enough in his show Enough.

Photo by Stano Murin

Rhys Nicholson

Sam Simmons

The Famous Spiegeltent

Vic Hotel

ACMI

The legendary Spiegeltent at the Arts Centre is well known for its incredible hand-hewn pavilions and intricate décor. It is home to some of the most ambitious and theatrical of acts, like Paul Foot’s Image Conscious and Head First Acrobats’ Arrr we there yet?!. Prepare to laugh a ‘little’ or a lot at the Comedy Club for Kids or watch some truly magical acts like Alex and Luke’s Make Your Parents Disappear: The Magic Extravaganza!

The Victoria Hotel will play host to an eclectic range of hilarious acts, including the riotous Facebook-famous Aaron Gocs with his show Divorced… with Children, the consummate performer Cal Wilson’s Gifted Underachiever, the Logie Award-winner Dilruk Jayasinha, who teaches us how we can achieve a ripper bod like him in Cheat Day(s). Rhys Nicholson shows us what good people look like in Nice People Nice Things Nice Situations and 5 Servings of Ham present a story about a new train coming to the town of Glen’s Ridge in their show Tangara Through My Heart.

True to its namesake, the Australian Centre for the Moving Image contains some of the most visually interesting, and adventurous hilarity this festival. Watch half the brains behind last year’s Adelaide Fringe Best Comedy winner, Barnie Duncan, Fern Brady’s Power and Chaos, Old Mate Nick Cody and the quirky but never boring 26 Things You’ve Been Doing Wrong with Sam Simmons.

Photo by Jim Lee

Cameron James

Photo by Jim Lee

Chinese Museum

Greek Centre

The Forum

Housing the important heritage and culture of Australia’s Chinese community, Melbourne’s Chinese Museum has also provided a showcase for many much-loved comedians to showcase their talents. Catch the incredibly vivacious Annie Louey’s Before I Forget, Pax Assadi’s Raised by Refugees, the best of Asia in Comedy Zone Asia and the bilingual comedy star Storm Xu’s Study in Australia, which he will be performing in both Mandarin and English.

The Greek Centre is a hub of Greek, Aussie and International talent and is increasingly jam-packed each year.

Talents include, Cameron James’ Strawberry Blonde, Pinder Prize-winner Demi Lardner’s Ditch Witch 800, the very first Greek-language stand-up Σταντ Απ Κόμεντι ιν Γκρίκ starring two of Greece’s best comedians Lambros Fisfis and Michalis Mathioudakis and the sharply dressed Tom Allen in Absolutely.

The Forum houses some of the festival’s most loved forgers of funny, including keyboard maestro David O’Doherty in Ultrasound and the eccentric Joel Creasey who will have you Drink. Slay. Repeat, just like the name suggests. There’s also The Project regular Peter Helliar in The Complete History of Better Books, and the not-so-little star comedian Tommy Little who is a Self-Diagnosed Genius.

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BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL

Special Events It’s that time of year again, when comedians and comedy lovers flock from all over to visit our great city and dose up on what is truly the best medicine. As always, the program is overwhelmingly impressive and offers enough entertainment to keep you amused until next year’s festival rolls around. Whether you’re having trouble deciding which gigs to head along to or you just want to see a whole bunch in the one place, here are some must-see special events to add to your list this Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

BY KATE STREADER

The Comedy Zone

Comedy Zone Asia

RAW Comedy Grand Final

Dive into The Comedy Zone with Bec Melrose, whose wit has seen her writing for ABC TV’s Tonightly with Tom Ballard; Ben Kochan, who you may recognise from Comedy Central’s Little Nippers; Charity Werk, a drag queen who is equal parts fabulous and funny; David Woodhead, writer and actor on the third season of ABC TV’s side-splitting Black Comedy; and 2018 RAW Comedy runner-up and deadpan delight, Emma Holland. It’s happening at Trades Hall in The Meeting Room from Thursday April 28 ± Sunday April 21, bar Wednesdays.

One of the best things about the Melbourne International Comedy Festival is the opportunity to see comedians from across the world. Comedy Zone Asia presents Mumbai-based stand-up comedian, Anirban Dasgupta, whose recent Amazon Prime video special Take It Easy garnered critical acclaim; Malaysian comedy queen and HBO’s Grisse regular, Joanne Kam as well as a bunch of other comedy personalities such as Fakkah Fuzz, Sonali Thakker and Zainal Bostaman. It’s happening at the Chinese Museum in the Silk Room from Thursday March 28 until Sunday April 21, bar Mondays.

Upfront

Deadly Funny

Moosehead Benefit

Whoever said women aren’t funny is not only a sexist moron, but they also clearly never met this lot of ladies. Hosted by Geraldine Quinn’s Spandex Ballet, Upfront is shining the spotlight on a slew of witty, whimsical women, featuring Fringe Wives Club, DeAnne Smith, Jude Perl, Becky Lucas, Steph Tisdell, Geraldine Hickey, Celeb Five, Felicity Ward, Mel Buttle, Nikki Britton, Cal Wilson, Anne Edmonds, Sam Jay and Alice Sneddon ± to name a few. Catch it at Melbourne Town Hall in the Main Hall on Wednesday April 17.

If you’re a fan of ABC2’s Black Comedy, or just enjoy laughing in general, be sure to catch Deadly Funny ± a competition unearthing the best up-and-coming Indigenous comedians.

Geared towards promoting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander talent from all over Australia, this showcase is 14-years strong and comes with a $2000 prize for the winner. Who will take out the title and have you belly laughing? There’s one good way to find out, head Downstairs at The Forum on Saturday April 6.

Offering some serious bang for your buck, Moosehead Benefit brings the hottest acts from the festival together for a one-nightonly laugh extravaganza to close out MICF. Last year, MC Tom Ballard welcomed the likes of Lano & Woodley, Wil Anderson, Celia Pacquola and David O’Doherty to the stage. This year, well, you’ll have to wait and see. It’s happening at Melbourne Town Hall’s Main Hall on Sunday April 21 and will definitely sell out.

Getting up in front of a sea of strangers geared with the task of making them laugh is high stakes as it is, but the annual RAW Comedy competition ramps the pressure up even higher.

For over two decades, RAW Comedy has helped emerging talent climb the ranks and introduced the masses to the likes of Hannah Gadsby, Ronny Chieng, Celia Pacquola, Anne Edmonds and Rhys Nicholson. Maybe you’ll witness the rise of Australia’s next comic star, or perhaps you’ll cringe through a flop ± either way, it’s going to be entertaining. It’s happening in the Melbourne Town Hall’s Main Hall on Sunday April 14.

The Great Debate A staple of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, The Great Debate is celebrating its 30th year with what promises to be a feisty back and forth of great comic proportions. While perhaps not entirely factual, the rebuttals sparked by The Great Debate’s tough topics are a testament to the quick wit and relentless arguing abilities of some of comedy’s best. Who will crack under the pressure? Who will convince you to join their side, no matter how ridiculous their persuasions? Catch The 30th Annual Great Debate at Melbourne Town Hall on Sunday April 7 to find out.

Indian All-Star Comedy Showcase Indian All-Star Comedy Showcase is bringing YouTubers, stand-up comics and improv extraordinaires to the Melbourne stage. Join Anuvab Pal, screenplay writer for the highest grossing English Indian film of all time, Loins of Punjab; one of India’s first female improv stars, Kaneez Surka as well as Better Life Foundation’s Naveen Richard and Almost There’s Sonali Thakker. It’s going down at Arts Centre Melbourne’s Pavilion and The Forum, Upstairs from Friday April 19 until Sunday April 21.

MUSIC + COMEDY? YES PLEASE!

FLO & JOAN ALIVE ON STAGE

ROB BRODERICK IS

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‘‘TRICKSY LYRICS, PINGING WITH SMART REFERENCES...

A MINCHIN-ESQUE TWIST’’

FEST

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CHORTLE

28 MAR– 21 APR

TUE-SAT 8.30PM, SUN 7.30PM

MELBOURNE TOWN HALL

28 MAR– 21 APR

TUE-SAT 8.15PM, SUN 7.15PM

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GLOBAL COMEDY GIANTS DESCEND ON MELBOURNE

JEFF GREEN

(UK)

LETTERS HOME

★★★★★ ‘SEE THE SHOW. YOU WON’T BET DISAPPOINTED. LETTERS HOME IS A GREA SHOW. A CRACKER OF A NIGHT’

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THU 28 MAR - SUN 21 APR TRADES HALL MON 8 APR MELBOURNE TOWN HALL

‘HYSTERICALLY FUNNY. THE CROWD LOVES IT.’ IN REVIEW

WED 27 MAR – SUN 21 APR

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‘MADE ME LAUGH, CRY AND LOOK AT MY OWN BELIEFS’

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THU 28 MAR - SUN 21 APR SWISS CLUB MON 1, 8 & 15 APR MELBOURNE TOWN HALL @jeffgreen007

25K+

DO W NL OA A M ON THDS !

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(FEB 2019) HI-FI WAY: THE POP CHRON ICLES

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FRONTIER COMEDY AND NOVA 96.9 PRESENT

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WHAT’S NEXT? ‘HIS STORIES WERE A HOOT!’ THE WEST AUSTRALIAN

THU 28 MAR - SUN 21 APR FAD GALLERY MON 1 & 15 APR MELBOURNE TOWN HALL

IMPERIAL HOTEL

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FIRST EVER AUSTRALIAN TOUR

WINNER

FRONTIER COMEDY & COMEDY CENTRAL PRESENT

NOVA’s ‘Podquest’

★★★★★ ’ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS PODCAST, HILARIOUS, RELATABLE AND WITTY!’

‘PURRS LIKE A KITTY CAT, STINGS LIKE A BEE’ NEW YORK TIMES (US)

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SHOW RE THE ERIC AND

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TUE 16 - SAT 20 APR AT THE COMIC’S LOUNGE RONFUNCHES

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‘HILARIOUS... A TOUR DE FORCE’

‘FALL-OUT-OF-YOURCHAIR FUNNY’ WHITE

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THE SPEAKEASY (NZ)

DEADLINE (US)

LIVE SAT 18 & SUN 19 MAY

TUE 26 – SAT 6 APR ATHENAEUM THEATRE FRONTIERCOMEDY.COM/ALEXWILLIAMSON

THE COMIC’S LOUNGE

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AMOS GILL

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★★★★★ ‘f*cking hilarious’

As seen on

Fri 7 Jun Arts Centre Melbourne

ALEXWILLIAMSON8 LOOSEAUSSIEBLOKE SHOOTERWILLIAMSON

WEEKEND N O TE S (F E B 2019)

★★★★

‘Consistently funny, immensely clever... an incredibly entertaining show’ The Guardian (UK)

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