QUICK, GO SEE THESE FESTIVAL SHOWS!

I barely have time to introduce this – the Melbourne International Comedy Festival ends on Sunday night and you’ve gotta get out there! It’s a council by-law that you aren’t allowed to laugh at any other time during the year! I don’t make the rules!

(Technically no-one makes this specific rule either, comedy happens in Melbourne all year round and I’m perpetuating the terrible misconception that the Festival is the only time to see it. This was just a hastily conceived goof to ease you into this list. Sorry. Ready? Set? LIST.)

Ben Russell and Maggie Looke – Fylleangst

This is a silly, fucked thing of beauty. It will leave you thinking, “that was very funny”. And if that’s not what you want, get out of this list now. QUICK! SEE IT!

At Campari House, 9:45pm Friday-Sunday
TICKETS: https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2019/shows/fylleangst

Andy Matthews and Alasdair Tremblay-Birchall – Magma

These guys! They’re too good! Going to this show will make you feel embarrassed that you are never going to amount to anything… maybe that’s just me actually and that’s definitely a bad sell – this show is a hilarious masterpiece. QUICK! SEE THE SHOW!

At Tasma Terrace, 9:15pm Friday-Sunday
TICKETS: https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2019/shows/magma

Demi Lardner – Ditch Witch 800

Demi is the ogre king of comedy and we are all her measly subjects. Go to this and bow down by extending your jaw to the ground and making laughs come out, you cretin. I loved this, sorry about this copy, Demi.

Demi is also doing a show with Tom Walker called We Mustn’t which will no doubt be just as phenomenal. QUICK! SEE ALL OF THIS!

At Greek Centre – Parthenon, 9:45pm Friday-Saturday and 8:45pm on Sunday
TICKETS: https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2019/shows/demi-lardner

Martin Dunlop – Small Tales of Little Mercy

Martin is a very funny dark pit of despair and his writing is always wickedly witty. Plus, it’s a very holy weekend and this show will essentially take you to comedy church – take a photo, pretend to your mum that you’re still a good Catholic for some reason. QUICK! SEE THE SHOW!

At The Butterfly Club, 7pm Friday-Sunday
TICKETS: https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2019/shows/small-tales-of-little-mercy

Peter Jones – They Call Me Peter Jones. Good Morning, How Are You? I’m Peter Jones.

Pete Jones always has the goods and those goods are good jokes. He is not only consistent each year with putting on a great show but that show will have you laughing consistently. He’s a sure thing and a wonderful man. He also got some Hot and Spicy KFC the other day and that’s not even on the menu at the moment, so he’s obviously some sort of all-powerful god we should fear. QUICK! SEE THE SHOW!

At The Greek Centre – Zeus, 6pm Friday-Saturday and 5pm on Sunday
TICKETS: https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2019/shows/peter-jones-they-call-me-peter-jones-good-morning-how-are-you-i-m-peter-jones

Double Denim – A Very Fancy Dinner Party

Michelle Brasier and Laura Frew craft perfect comedy shows every year and this one is no different… well, except for the addition of more crustaceans than ever before which obviously makes it way better. Crabs improve everything. Plus they’re putting on an extra show because they keep selling out – if you’re not a boomer, QUICK! SEE THE SHOW!

EXTRA SHOW! Melbourne Town Hall – Powder Room on Friday at 11:15pm
At The Victoria Hotel, 8:30pm Friday-Saturday and 7:30pm on Sunday SOLD OUT!
TICKETS: https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2019/shows/a-very-fancy-dinner-party

Matt Stewart – Bone Dry

Matt Stewart: at this point he’s more beard than man, but thankfully he seems to store a lot of jokes in that beard. Are those jokes also covered in the remnants of food he has eaten that has dropped in his beard? There’s only one way to find out – QUICK! SEE THE SHOW!

At the Chinese Museum – Laundry Room, 7pm Friday-Saturday and 6pm on Sunday
TICKETS: https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2019/shows/bone-dry

Jess Perkins, Dave Warneke and Matt Stewart – Do Go On: Live

Matt Stewart: here he is again. But this time he’s joined by Jess and Dave to record their fact-based podcast live. You’ll not just laugh but you’ll also learn a little something… that Jess is an angel. Everyone learns this, so be prepared. QUICK! SEE THE SHOW!

At the European Bier Cafe, 3pm on Saturday
TICKETS: https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2019/shows/do-go-on

Sonia Di Iorio – Glory Box

Sonia is just so bloody wonderful and funny. This show is about family, traditions and making you laugh – the perfect combo. QUICK! SEE THE SHOW!

At the Cooper Inn, 8:40pm Friday-Sunday
TICKETS: https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2019/shows/glory-box

Chimp Cop – The Very Best of Chimp Cop (All New Material)

Adam, Rosie, Tim and Ben are very good at writing sketches, so it makes sense that they’ve put on a show filled with them. This year’s show doesn’t have a narrative, so you don’t even need to binge the previous Chimp Cop live shows to follow along, which is a good thing because that’s not how live shows work. It’s a funny show – QUICK! SEE THE SHOW!

At Trades Hall, 7:30pm Friday-Saturday and 6:30pm on Sunday
TICKETS: https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2019/shows/the-very-best-of-chimp-cop-all-new-material

Rhys Nicholson – Nice People Nice Things Nice Situations

Rhys is just too good at comedy, piling jokes on top of jokes making the shows like a rich, hilarious pudding. Last time I saw him, I almost had an asthma attack from laughing all the air out of my lungs. Pair this show with a nice martini and a Ventolin inhaler – QUICK! SEE THE SHOW!

EXTRA SHOW! Melbourne Town Hall at 11pm on Friday
At the Victoria Hotel, 8:15pm Friday-Saturday and 7:15pm on Sunday
TICKETS: https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2019/shows/rhys-nicholson-nice-people-nice-things-nice-situations

Circus Oz – NEON

Gamey Game panelist and cabaret legend Geraldine Quinn is in this show and there’s no doubt in my mind that she will blow yours. This looks like a technicolour treat with people flipping about and singing, so you can’t really go wrong – QUICK! SEE THE SHOW!

At the Melba Spiegeltent, 10pm Friday and Saturday
TICKETS: https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2019/shows/neon

So that’s all the recommendations we have for our Gamey Game friends but outside of that, Alex Ward, Josh Earl, Lawrence Leung, Geraldine Hickey, Luka Muller, Clara Cupcakes, Danielle Walker, Dave Thornton and Jude Perl are all phenomenal as well. There’s so many good shows at the year’s Festival so make the most of these last three days! Just go to BOB Bar, they have a coffee-based drink that will help you run about the place.