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Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2024
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Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2024

This year’s laugh-fest has kicked off, with more than 800 performers set to step up to the mic. Here, our writers take a closer look.

14 stories
MICF Composite

The best heckles, riskiest jokes and most tender moments from this year’s comedy festival

After a huge month packed with shows, our team of reviewers has come together to pick out the best (and strangest) moments from this year’s comedy festival.

  • by Guy Webster, Hannah Francis, John Bailey, Lefa Singleton Norton, Mikey Cahill, Sonia Nair, Tyson Wray and Vyshnavee Wijekumar
Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2024 composite

It’s the final weekend of the comedy festival: Here are the shows not to miss

From an existentially challenging joke about bin bags to the Norwegian clown who won Britain’s Got Talent, here are our latest reviews.

  • by Lefa Singleton Norton, John Bailey, Sonia Nair, Mikey Cahill, Hannah Francis, Tyson Wray, Cher Tan, Cameron Woodhead, Donna Demaio, Vyshnavee Wijekumar and Guy Webster
L-R: Jenny Tian, Reuben Kaye, Rhys Nicholson, Nazeem Hussain

Puppeteering and tiny tombstones? This festival has it all

From lurid family histories to Excel-lent stand-up, this year’s comedy festival is in full swing. Keep an eye on our ever-growing list of reviews here.

  • by Sonia Nair, Lefa Singleton Norton, Hannah Francis, Tyson Wray, Stephen A Russell, Cameron Woodhead, Vyshnavee Wijekumar, Donna Demaio and John Bailey
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Clockwise from top left: Zainab Johnson, Geraldine Quinn, Elf Lyons, Tom Gleeson, Joel Kim Booster

Surreal and lewd (and sometimes nude): This year’s comedy festival is off to a strong start

From Tim Tams to a screenplay written by an 11-year-old this year’s comedy festival is off to a roaring start. Keep an eye on our growing list of reviews here. 

  • by Stephen A Russell, Lefa Singleton Norton, Mikey Cahill, Tyson Wray, Sonia Nair, Hannah Francis, Vyshnavee Wijekumar, Guy Webster, Cher Tan, Cassidy Knowlton and Cameron Woodhead
Sarah Keyworth’s My Eyes Are Up Here was named Most Outstanding Show at the 2024 Melbourne International Comedy Festival awards.

Sarah Keyworth takes top gong at Melbourne comedy festival awards

English comedian Sarah Keyworth has reigned supreme at this year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival, winning the Most Outstanding Show award on Saturday.

  • by Tyson Wray

Comedians relive those awkward moments (spoiler alert: it’s painful)

Some of us are born bumbling – others have ineptitude thrust upon us.

Comedian Rose Matafeo

Starstruck made Rose Matafeo famous, then fans got strange

The Kiwi comedian heads to MICF this month with her first show since her breakthrough Horndog won the top prize at Edinburgh Fringe in 2018.

  • by Hannah Story
Comedian Geraldine Hickey.

‘It was scary’: Geraldine Hickey on losing Cal Wilson and the diagnosis that changed her life

After an emotionally tough year, award-winning stand-up comedian Geraldine Hickey is back on track (and running on it, too).

  • by Lenny Ann Low

Reuben Kaye: ‘Women have always been a safe place for me’

The comedian best known for his drag cabaret shows on the most important women in his life.

  • by Jane Rocca
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Comedian, clown or agony aunt, this rising Estonian star is in demand

Big-name comedians flocked to Julia Masli’s packed Edinburgh Festival shows, but even she doesn’t know what might happen in Melbourne next month.

  • by Richard Jinman
Zoe Coombs Marr has been combing through the minutia of her life for her new stand-up show.

Zoe Coombs Marr thought her life was boring. Until she remembered that smell

The comedian was feeling at “odds with her existence”, so she took a personal stocktake of her life. “It matters and it doesn’t matter at all.”

  • by Lenny Ann Low
Hannah Gadsby
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‘I don’t have impostor syndrome, I am an impostor’: Hannah Gadsby

The comedian is preparing for a new show, and is still stunned by how far their career has come since being catapulted to international fame with Nanette in 2018.

  • by Kerrie O'Brien
Tom Cashman, Nina Oyama, Danielle Walker.

Making some noise: the Australian comedians enjoying the Taskmaster effect

After proving themselves to TV’s Taskmaster, these comedians are touring with a newfound confidence and fan base.

  • by Hannah Story
“Hosting doesn’t mean you’re the biggest star,” says the deprecating Guy Montgomery. “I think it means you’re the most available star, which often means you’re a very small star.”

‘We sound ridiculous’: Guy Montgomery on the success of Kiwi comedy

The funny man has stolen many episodes of Have You Been Paying Attention? and now he’s MC of the Comedy Festival’s Allstars TV special.

  • by Ben Pobjie

Original URL: https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/culture/comedy/melbourne-international-comedy-festival-2024-20240327-p5ffog.html