Melbourne International Comedy Festival comedian Q&A: Dan Lees, The Establishment: Le Bureau De Strange

Dan Lees and Neil Frost promise to bowl you over with their stiff-upper-lip hilarity and bowler-hatted wit.

Dan Lees, The Establishment Le Bureau De Strange

What can people expect from your show at this year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival?

An anarchic comedy rollercoaster with two bowler-hatted British idiots at the helm.

A heady mix of slapstick, clowning and quick-fired wit.

If you’re new to MICF, tell us about you.

This will be our MICF debut, we met working at a car wash in Dagenham, in England.

We devised our first show simply using sponges and buckets, it went down a storm.

Soon after we were fired, but this gave us the impetus to go pro.

Since then we have performed all over the world and are delighted to be here in Australia to perform at the Malthouse.

What’s your No.1 tip for people coming to see a show at the comedy festival?

Gary Starr, because he’s the greatest actor who has ever lived and a complete bozo.

Which other comedians/shows are you keen to see at this year’s festival, and why?

Fringe Wives Club because they’re awesome.

What are you expecting Melbourne to be like?

We haven’t been here before, so we’re not sure what to expect, but we’ve heard great things. As Brits, our main reference point is Neighbours so we’re looking forward to visiting the Robinsons on Ramsey Street.

Who or what is your comedic inspiration, and why?

Our inspiration comes from all the great comedians that have proceeded us; Tommy Cooper, Rik Mayall, Pete and Dud, Monty Python, Harry Enfield … and not forgetting my best friend from school, Paul Cribbins.

DAN LEES, THE ESTABLISHMENT: LE BUREAU DE STRANGE, MARCH 27-APRIL 7, THE COOPERS MALTHOUSE SHELL ROOM. BOOK TICKETS