Comedy festival hits the spot

This year the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, which opens on Wednesday, March 25, marks its 40th anniversary with its biggest-ever event, taking in more than 800 shows.

As usual, there are a lot of different kinds of events going on at this year’s comedy festival, its director, Susan Provan AO, says.

A series of galas, set to be broadcast on the ABC, include Comedy Allstars, Asian Allstars, Upfront female and non-binary comics, and The Big Four Oh celebration are happening.

The grand finals of the high school Class Clowns; First Nations Deadly Funny and emerging comic Raw Comedy events – which are “about discovering the most fabulous artists of the next 40 years” – are taking place.

Meanwhile, The Great Debate, at the Melbourne Town Hall, will examine the claim “That it was better in the olden days” while a documentary about the 50-year career of Rod Quantock, Comedy Warrior, is set to premiere at ACMI.

Over the school holidays Fed Square and the City Square will host the (Very) Big Laugh Out, with free all-ages programming, packed with “world-class street performers and the best stand-up, physical and musical comedy in da biz” kicking off from Good Friday.

These are among nearly 50 kids shows on the program, with events held also at Melbourne Museum, ACMI and Melbourne Town Hall.

Then there is just a huge program of artists from all over Australia and all over the world coming in with their best new shows, Provan says.

Given the sheer volume of performers, it can be hard to poke a stick at them.

One place to start might be festival club Max Watt’s on Swanston St, where 21 events with different themes and “massive line-ups” promise to offer “the most ridiculous and remarkable stand-up, variety, storytelling, clowning, character and musical performers from across the festival”.

In addition, the club is a place to “let loose on the dance floor” later on.

International highlight acts Provan points out include Malaysian “weirdo” Phil Wang, New York “toxic optimist” Zainab Johnson, English animal lover Josie Long and “delusional queer icon” Sam Nicoresti.

As for locals, there is a long list of well knowns and up-and-comers, including Denise Scott, Geraldine Hickey, Lizzy Hoo, Celia Pacquola, Lano & Woodley, Bron Lewis, Melanie Bracewell, Nazim Hussein, Ray O’Leory, Tom Cashman, Reuben Kaye and Chris Ryan.

And there are so many more. For instance …

ABC presenter Sammy J, whose autobiographical show focused on his lifelong obsession with superhero The Phantom has earned excellent reviews.

Greek-Australian actor and trained clown Casey Filips, known for his “lovable buffoonery” performs a “shapeshifting” new character comedy show.

Debutante First Nations comic Tarsh Jago, “inspired by a tweet that read, ‘You don’t look Aboriginal, you look like the cherub from the Pears soap’, performs a solo show which promises to blend “razor-sharp comedy with heartfelt storytelling about race, queerness and identity”.

“We always urge people to go and see some acts they haven’t heard of,” Provan says.

“Just take a punt. The tickets are not that expensive compared to big music concerts or big theatre shows - our average ticket price is somewhere around $35.

“You just never know what you’re going to see – comedy is constantly surprising, which is great, and we need it at the moment!”

The Melbourne International Comedy Festival runs from March 25 to April 19. •

Caption: Melanie Bracewell at Comedy Gala. Photo: Ian Laidlaw.