Adam Rozenbachs – Breaking Booze
Destined to be playing in some of the Festival’s biggest and most prestigious rooms in the coming years, Adam Rozenbachs’ new show is not to be missed. The premise – an hour’s worth of deliberations on the year Rozenbachs spent living without booze, and all the nasty side effects that had – is relatable given we’re weeks out of FebFast, and will be delivered with a comic timing and probing nature that is rarely matched. On open mic nights leading into the Festival, Rozenbachs’ snippets from this new show were consistently well received by audiences big and small.
Melb Town Hall [Monday] The Cube, ACMI [Tuesday-Sunday]
March 27 – April 20
6.15pm [Sunday] 7pm [Monday] 7.15pm [Tuesday-Saturday]
$22-$25
Anne Edmonds – It’s Eddo!
As a comedian, you often need to embrace the embarrassing. Self-deprecation will be found at many shows throughout the Festival, but few comedians can weave deeply embarrassing personal anecdotes into hilarious stand-up material as well as Anne Edmonds. Nominated for Best Emerging Talent at the Adelaide Fringe, and seen on ABC’s Wednesday Night Fever and It’s a Date, Edmonds is not afraid to have a crack at herself, as several brilliant open mic spots before the Festival can attest.
Melb Town Hall – Portico Room
March 27 – April 20
6.15pm [Sunday] 7.15pm [Tuesday-Saturday]
$20-$26.50
Asher Treleaven – Smaller Poorer Weaker Cheaper
“He’s so creepy…” whispered a friend of mine upon seeing Asher Treleaven perform for the first time at The Shelf last year. “Yes, I am creepy,” Treleaven shot back, without a second’s hesitation. Treleaven’s comedy is a brilliant mix of political observations, lanky physical comedy and traditional stand-up. His mannerisms alone are enough to have the whole room laughing, and his new show, borne out of a tumultuous political landscape, aims to show that being an asshole is bad and being good is, well, good. It promises to amaze.
Gin Palace
March 27 – April 20
8.30pm [Sunday] 9.30pm [Tuesday-Saturday]
$25-$28
Celia Pacquola – Let Me Know How It All Works Out
One of Australia’s best and brightest talents, Celia Pacquola is back at the Festival with a new show after a year abroad. Pacquola has been everywhere in recent years, from starring in Laid on the ABC to selling out solo shows at the world-renowned Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Her stand-up is as engrossing and personable as ever. She has been blowing away audiences at open mic nights leading into the festival. Do not miss this superstar because, as Pacquola says, she might get hit by a bus tomorrow.
Swiss Club
March 27 – April 20
7.15pm [Sunday] 8.15pm [Tuesday-Saturday]
$25-$30
Girls Uninterrupted – FML
Masters of disguise and purveyors of modern culture, Girls Uninterrupted are Nicolette Minster and Louise Joy McCrae, back with their third Festival show. I first saw them at The Shelf last year, once as beauty pageant participants and another as bona-fide bogans. Fresh from appearing in several shorts for the ABC in the past year, FML, directed by Tripod’s Steven Gates, will provide some of the best sketch comedy this year’s festival has to offer.
ACMI – Games Room
March 27 – April 20
6pm [Sunday] 7pm [Tuesday-Saturday]
$18-$22
Greg Fleet – The Games Master
Every comedian’s favourite comedian, Greg Fleet has been wowing Festival audiences with his brutal honesty and masterful stand-up for many years. While last year’s show dealt with his ongoing battle with heroin addiction, this year’s show – again in the unique surrounds of the City of Melbourne’s council chambers – will focus on Fleety’s obsession with the Olympics and all things sport and games. Do not miss this chance to see a comedy genius at work.
Melb Town Hall – Council Chambers [Sunday, Tuesday-Saturday], Powder Room [Monday]
March 27 – April 20
7.15pm [Monday] 8.45pm [Sunday] 9.45pm [Tuesday-Saturday]
$20-$29
Justin Hamilton – Johnny Loves Mary Forever 1994
Very few comedians the world over have such masterful control of the art of stand-up comedy as Justin Hamilton. Weaving outstanding social commentary with hilarity, intelligence, quick wit and a sense of emotional resonance, Hamilton is an absolute privilege to watch. His new stand-up show, which consistently sold out and received rave reviews at the Adelaide Fringe, will dazzle audiences, as will The Shelf, which is curated by Hamilton and Adam Richard and features a rotating cast of star local and international comedians. If you see one smaller show this year, make it this one.
Victoria Hotel – Acacia Room
March 27 – April 19
8.45pm [Sunday] 9.45pm [Tuesday-Saturday]
$22-$28
Lessons with Luis – By Myself
Since winning the 2012 Raw Comedy title, Luis from Lessons with Luis has helped his dad Len secure a new kidney, fought continuously with his mute brother Luelin and worshipped more cats than Tutankhamun. His father Len is sitting out this time around, but Luis and Luelin are your go-to men for some of the Festival’s oddest laughs. Anti-comedy – “so bad it’s good” – done to absolute perfection.
Tuxedo Cat
April 10 – April 21
6.15pm [Sunday] 7.15pm [Monday-Saturday]
$20
Luke McGregor – I Worry That I Worry Too Much
Never has awkward been so funny. Luke McGregor – who won Best Newcomer at the Festival last year for his critically acclaimed show My Soulmate is Out of My League – is back to delight audiences with his geeky charm and exceedingly awkward personality. Last year was a big one for him, performing at Montreal’s Just for Laughs as well as starring in several ABC comedies. With testimonials from the likes of Wil Anderson, Sam Simmons and Peter Helliar, be sure to see McGregor expound on all his social anxieties before his career truly takes off.
Melb Town Hall – Portico Room
March 27 – April 20
7.30pm [Sunday]
$20-$25
Paul Foot – Words
At one point during Paul Foot’s 2013 Festival show Kenny Larch is Dead, he literally jumbled up words in a nonsensical order and read them aloud. It was a brave gambit, and in the hands of a lesser comedian it likely would have failed miserably. But Foot is king of the surreal, and had the audience in stitches. He’s quickly gained a cult following for his neurotic mannerisms, iconic silver suit and mullet and forceful crowd interactions, and his latest show got rave reviews at the Edinburgh Fringe.
The Hi-Fi
March 27 – April 20
7.15pm [Sunday] 8.15pm [Tuesday-Saturday]
$26.50-$35.50
Rose Callaghan – Rose Callaghan & Mates
Rose Callaghan is one of the rising stars of the Melbourne comedy scene, and over two weeks at the Festival will host nightly 50-minute shows featuring some of the best up-and-coming comedians this town has to offer. Callaghan herself is fearless and confident, and not afraid to test the boundaries of a room. Cheap and with a 6pm start, Rose Callaghan & Mates will be the perfect way to kick off any night of comedy.
Duke of Wellington
March 27 – April 7
6pm
$10-$15
Sam Simmons – Death of a Sails-Man
Sam Simmons has been pushing the boundaries of what a Comedy Festival show can be for years. Last year’s hilarious show featured an anthropomorphic meat tray, and this year’s show – where “a man fights a photocopier live on stage for an entire hour whilst having an existential midlife crisis on a sailing boat” – promises to bring more of Simmons’ unbridled and unapologetic absurd brilliance to audiences. Simmons’ comedy has proved so popular of late he was invited to perform on Conan and then invited back.
Famous Spiegeltent
March 27 – April 20
7.30pm [Sunday] 8.30pm [Sunday]
$24-$32
Set List
An absolute highlight every time it is in town, Set List sees a revolving door of established and new comedians tackle improve in front of an audience. Each comedian is thrown on stage with a microphone, then asked to turn around, view a word or phrase on the screen and do a bit on the spot. Do not miss the opportunity to see some of the Festival’s brightest talents do stand-up without a net.
Victoria Hotel – Vic’s Bar
Melb Town Hall – Lower Town Hall (April 7, 14)
April 4 – 19
8.45pm [Sunday] 8.15pm [Monday] 9.45pm [Tuesday, Thursday-Saturday]
$20-$22
Tegan Higginbotham – Game Changer
One of Melbourne’s most exciting younger talents, Tegan Higginbotham thrilled audiences in 2013 with her show Touched By Fev (and yes, Fev saw the show and loved it). It was not only a hilarious narrative, but also surprisingly moving, and her new show Game Changer will explore further Higginbotham’s obsession with all things sport. See her now.
Portland Hotel – Gold Room
March 27 – April 20
6.15pm [Sunday] 7.15pm [Tuesday-Saturday]
$20-$24
Wil Anderson – Wiluminati
This year marks the eighth consecutive year this writer has seen Wil Anderson’s MICF show. He is Australia’s biggest talent, and last year sold out the Princess Theatre night after night. His stand-up – invariably undertaken in a black shirt, black pants and black thongs with a couple of beers – is simply astounding, combining sharp social and political observations, revealing personal stories, and always containing a great deal of emotion at its core. Quite simply the best there is.
Comedy Theatre
March 25 – April 20
6pm [Sunday] 9pm [Tuesday-Friday] 9.45pm [Saturday]
$30-$49.90
