Comedians’ top tips for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival
How do you find the best shows at the comedy festival? And can you arrive late to a show? We asked comedians to give us their top tips, hacks and pet hates.
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How do you find the best shows at the comedy festival? And can you arrive late to a show?
With more than 600 shows to choose from, narrowing down who to throw your hard-earned cash at can be a daunting task.
If our comedy festival Hit Lists and mountain of Q&As still haven’t pinpointed who you’re going to see, take it from the horses’ mouths and let the comedians impart their impartial best tips.
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We asked comedians to give us their top tips for getting the most out of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
TAKE A RISK ON WHAT YOU SEE
It’s all well and good to research ad nauseam all the names in your festival guide, but why not jump in headfirst on the unknowns and save the hassle?
Daniel Gorski finds you may be pleasantly surprised by what you enjoy. “There are so many young comedians who are writing and performing and have something to say,” he said.
Chris Dewberry recommends going to the blackboard outside Melbourne Town Hall where you’ll find a list of the acts.
“Look for the names you don’t recognise and see them,” he said. “They’ve made it into festival-managed venues because they’re good up-and-comers, not because they can sell tickets on popularity.”
Taking a flyer could prove a masterstroke, Perri Cassie said. “There are some comedians in Melbourne who are world-class quality that play to six people in a bar during the week, maybe you’ll be lucky and stumble upon them.”
And the best part of taking a punt, according to Amy Hetherington, is if it’s a great show you win, if not “you have something to talk about for ages”.
Which leads us to one of the most common pieces of advice from comedians …
DON’T JUST GO FOR THE BIG NAMES
Sophie Joske’s rule of thumb every year is to see one show by someone you’ve never heard of.
As Tara Rankine admits, the big names are often great — “they became famous for a reason, but some of the greatest shows I have ever seen and the discovery of favourite comedians and performers has come from taking a chance on a show I knew nothing about or a recommendation from someone else”.
This doesn’t mean ruling out seeing your favourite TV or radio-star comedians altogether. “If you’re seeing a comic you’re aware of, stick around afterwards to see a show you might not know,” Patrick Collins said.
“Some of the best shows in the festival are at the smaller venues, fuelled only by a craving for laughter and unsullied by the pleasures of fame and wealth.”
Fresh from filming the acclaimed 2019 Netflix special, Gentleman Elf, Canadian-American DeAnne Smith is a big advocate of trying to see something new.
“Of course, go to the acts you know you’ll love, but take a chance on someone you’ve never heard of,” she said. “You’ll either make a discovery or make a memory.”
For Emily Weir, it’s the chance to support a local up-and-comer before they hit the big time.
“People like us cost less and you can get to say ‘I saw them years ago’ when we’re big and famous,” she said. “Which we very well could be.”
GO FOR MULTI-ACT SHOWS IF YOU’RE REALLY STUCK
If the thought of making a decision on one comedian makes you break into a heavy sweat, this could be the way to go.
“Compilation shows — ie. more than one act — or concept shows are usually a good choice if you’re struggling to make a decision,” John Green said.
BEST SHOWS FEATURING MULTIPLE COMEDIANS
If you want to catch the who’s who of comedy letting loose on stage and on the dancefloor, Max Watt’s Festival Club is a good place to start.
“Visit the Festival Club as much as possible to see a variety of local performers do 10-minute sets,” Eden Porter said.
READ REVIEWS AND RESEARCH NAMES
Hitting YouTube and social media will give you a sure-fire taste of what to expect.
Maybe you’re after a show that’s heavier on political activism or maybe absurdist humour is more your thing.
Maybe you have to take your parents so you don’t want crass language.
Not a fan of traditional stand-up? Cabaret or musical comedy might be more your style.
Alex de la Rambeljesuggests mixing it up.
“Each show acts as a palate-cleanser for the others, and you won’t end up feeling bloated from too much of a good thing,” de la Rambelje said.
“Make sure you try YouTubing the comic before you attend,” Joe White added. “This is a great way to see some of the product before you attend and also helps you decide if the act is potentially your cup of tea.
“Also, read reviews about the shows you want to see prior to attending as that also helps with preparation and expectation.”
READ ALL OUR COMEDY FESTIVAL REVIEWS
WHAT TO SEE IF YOU DON’T LIKE STAND-UP COMEDY
MAKE A NIGHT OF IT
It’s not all about the comedy — so tuck into dinner and/or drinks before or after your show.
Kelly Fastuca, whose weekly Comedy Festival podcast is filmed live with Brett Blake at the civilised time of 5pm, suggests making friends at the show.
“Go for dinner and drinks after and still be home in time for 60 Minutes,” she said.
“Don’t drive around looking for a park, book one in advance and go to The Waiters Restaurant for the best Italian food in Melbourne, like my mum makes it.”
Mel Buttle gives the nod to grabbing a drink around the corner at Embla — “it’s my favourite bar in Melbourne” — while Nikki Osborne reiterates the need for pre-booked parking if choosing to drive.
“And for women, never walk home alone,” she said.
PLAN IT OUT
This may require strategic venue hopping so be sure to check your Google Maps for walking/tram times.
“Wear flat shoes so you can run to the next show,” Bev Killick said. “Go and see an upcoming act and support the new comedians.”
Darcy Fleming agreed. “See a few shows in one night with at least one being someone you don’t know,” she said.
One way of avoiding the stress of venue hopping and the very real threat of being roasted for sneaking into a show late is to stick to one of the festival hubs.
“Try to see two shows in one night, especially if you’re at Trades Hall or the Melbourne Town Hall,” Sophie Smyth & Ryan Smedley said.
“One can be that show you’re desperate to see, the other can be a fresh-faced newcomer you take a risk on.
“It’s a great way to find new undiscovered talent in the tonnes of shows at the festival.”
REMEMBER COMEDY SHOW ETIQUETTE
There are three golden rules that will keep you in good stead no matter what the show:
1. Don’t talk during the show — unless you’re trading bants with the comedian,
2. It’s only an hour so don’t get up for a pee — “comfort is key”, Aliya Kanani says — or a drink mid-show, and
3. Don’t use your bloody mobile phone.
It alls boils down to respect, in Jacqueline Mifsud’s experience.
“Don’t eat during a show, do not leave to go to the bar to get another drink during a show (real thing that happened to me), don’t roll a joint during a show (yep, that also happened),” she said.
“Don’t speak during the show — it’s not about you, we haven’t worked hard to painfully craft our show and timing for you to interject because you think you’ve got a baffling, elated self of importance.”
Jeff Green also emphasised the need for punctuality to avoid the dreaded public roasting.
“Get there early,” he said. “No one wants to have the comedian’s wit turned on them as they crouch on their way to their seat.”
Luke Heggie summed it better than most, keeping it to one simple rule: “Don’t be a lowbreed.”
LAUGH OUT LOUD
Of all the comedians’ tips, this rang out loudest and clearest.
“Some people cover their mouth and laugh into their hands, or stifle their giggles: No,” Nikki Britton said.
“The more you laugh out loud, the better the show and the more you’ll enjoy it.”
As Pax Asadi sees it, nobody has a good time when you’re selfish with your laughter.
“The more you give it up the more the comedian feels the energy and the more they put into their performance,” he said.
Tom Skelton said “I can’t see you silently chuckling”, while Jack Gramenz backed him up.
“You can’t hear smiles so for the love of God, please laugh if you think something is funny.”
Geraldine Hickey encouraged all audience members to be active listeners.
“We can see your faces so be conscious of your resting bitch face,” she said.
Or if you’re incapable of wiping that RBF off your dial, Tash York has a suggestion.
“Don’t use your TV face to watch the show,” she said. “If you have a resting bitch face sit at the back, or wear a balaclava — at least I can banter with you about the balaclava then.”
Felicity Ward urged everyone to leave their pre-conceived attitudes at the door.
“Go with a spirit of actively and enthusiastically being ready to laugh,” she said. “Don’t go to be ‘impressed’.”
For the kilted Scotsman Craig Hill it is crucial the audience sits in the front to be a part of the show. “Leave all your stress behind and laugh your a--- off,” he said. “That’s why we do it.”
Adelaide’s Amos Gill has been making waves in the US in recent times and had a subtle dig in store for Melbourne crowds.
“It’s not a rally or a TED talk,” he said. “Have a good time. I know you’re all very cool and ironic, but let loose.”
HELP A COMEDIAN OUT
Award-winning comic Marcus Ryan points out that beyond making people laugh and hoping to make it big, comedians still have to make ends meet.
“If you know the performer, don’t contact them asking for details or free tickets,” he said. “They probably spent $5000 on putting the show on.”
Cindy Salmon encouraged people to back their instincts and pre-book tickets to a show they think they’ll enjoy — “and tell people about shows if you liked them”.
This extended to the socials, according to Jacqueline Mifsud.
“Tweet and post about the show everywhere using the comedian’s social media tags,” she said. “It really helps.”
Better yet, Steve Marr suggested avoiding the hand-outs altogether.
“If you got free tickets, think twice before coming,” he said. “It’s not that the show won’t be good, it’s that you won’t be invested.
“A show always involves the audience meeting the performer halfway.”
GO IN WITH AN OPEN MIND
Tom Gibson finds it crucial that everyone leaves any pretentiousness at the door.
It was all about going into every show with an open mind, Blake Freeman added.
“It might not be your thing but it’s always nice to support someone following their dreams,” Freeman said.
Douglas Lim said this was especially key given the diversity of comedy genres and performer backgrounds.
“The comedy shows are so varied — from straight stand-up to improvisation, sketch comedy, physical comedy, experimental installations,” he said.
“And the cultural representation from so many different comedians should contribute to a refreshing night out.”
Carl Donnelly recommended you at least kick back and try to enjoy the show.
“Every comedian you see has the best intentions and wants to give you the best show they can,” he said.
“So even if you don’t enjoy it, it’s nothing personal.”
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