NewsBite

Melbourne International Comedy Festival

Advertisement
Craig Tiley and Mecca founder Jo Horgan at the announcement last week of Mecca’s partnership with the Australian Open.

The shake-up coming to Melbourne’s major events calendar in 2026

Some of the country’s most beloved events are facing change next year.

  • Cara Waters

Latest

Is this the world’s most infuriating comedian? He certainly hopes so

Luke McQueen lies, pours soup on his head and uses AI to take down his enemies. No wonder his audiences sometimes walk out.

  • Richard Jinman
Susan Provan, director of the Melbourne Intrnational Comedy Festival.

‘I can’t do this forever’: Comedy festival boss to hand over baton

After 30 years in the top job, Susan Provan is thinking it might be time for someone else to take the wheel. Maybe.

  • Karl Quinn
Garry Starr (Damien Warren-Smith) has won the Most Outstanding Show award.

I predicted the winner of MICF’s Most Outstanding Show eight months ago

This show was named best in the festival – and (probably) not just for the full-frontal nudity.

  • Tyson Wray

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

After a month packed with shows, our reviewers have come together to pick out the best (and most memorable) moments from this year’s comedy festival.

  • Donna Demaio, Guy Webster, Hannah Francis, Lefa Singleton Norton, Mikey Cahill, Sonia Nair, Tyson Wray and Vyshnavee Wijekumar
Color Theories is on at Max Watt’s until April 20.

The good, the weird and the unmissable from this festival’s final week

From absurdist scribbling in a notebook to a show that digs into the dark recesses of the internet, and ChatGPT acting as matchmaker, here are our latest reviews.

  • Cher Tan, Donna Demaio, Hannah Francis, John Bailey, Lefa Singleton Norton, Sonia Nair, Tyson Wray, Vyshnavee Wijekumar and Nell Geraets
Advertisement
Torres in a scene from Fantasmas.

The letter Q is lonely and purple is sassy: What can we learn from fonts and colours?

Former Saturday Night Live writer and cult comedy favourite Julio Torres has brought his newest experimental work to Australia.

  • Will Cox
The Booth Variety Spectacular & Formal Apology Hour! is on at Arts Centre Melbourne until April 20.

Ghosts, lies, and conspiracy theories: This festival has it all

From a show where musicals meet PowerPoint, to a trip back in time, here are our latest reviews.

  • Cher Tan, Donna Demaio, Elizabeth Flux, Guy Webster, Hannah Francis, John Bailey, Lefa Singleton Norton, Nell Geraets, Sonia Nair, Tyson Wray and Vyshnavee Wijekumar
Roo do you think you are? Comedian Steph Broadbridge strikes a pose.

It’s the comedy show Raygun didn’t want you to see. But is it any good?

Stephanie Broadbridge’s Breaking: The Musical had to overcome some legal challenges to make it to the Comedy Festival, where it’s just started its run. This is what the crowd can expect.

  • Karl Quinn

You don’t want to think of your doctor as human: Adam Kay

The former doctor turned author (turned humorist) says he “probably” has PTSD after the traumatic event at work that caused him to change professions.

  • John Bailey

Original URL: https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/topic/melbourne-international-comedy-festival-5zg