Melbourne International Comedy Festival comedian Q&A: John Green, Great Expatations

Get your passports ready as comedian John Green and his mate Rakhesh take you on a journey with their funny expat tales.

John Green, Great Expatations, Melbourned Comedy Festival 2019.

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

Free-flowing comedy with a British twist.

We can guarantee an abundance of jokes, and invite audiences to cut loose as they listen to our wacky tales.

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Tell us about you?

I am British by birth and Rakhesh is a naturalised Brit, and we both live in Melbourne now. We moved here (separately) in 2017.

I had originally started doing comedy in Melbourne before leaving to return to the UK in 2015, but now live here permanently.

Rakhesh started performing as frontman for a musical comedy duo at University in the UK, before switching to straight stand-up in 2016.

We both talk about our lives and mostly experiences in various travel destinations, which has lent itself to the title of our show.

Who should see your show, and why?

Anybody interested in hearing from a Yorkshireman and a Sri Lankan.

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

Don’t just go for names you recognise.

Compilation shows (more than one act) or concept shows are also usually a good choice if you’re struggling to make a decision.

If you have the time, check out the names on the line-up ahead of time and see if they have anything up on YouTube before taking the plunge.

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

I’m planning on going to see Best of British again.

The line-up was amazing last year and is bound to be great again this year.

Can’t go wrong with Comedy Store-standard acts from London.

I’m also excited about Sarah Keyworth, Fin Taylor, and Maria Bamford.

Of the locally based acts, I’m planning on going to see Dave Thornton and Ivan Aristeguieta.

What do you love about Melbourne?

We both love the buzz around the city during the festival, and the opportunity to perform to so many people who might also be making the journey in from regional towns.

The people are mostly welcoming and the gelato is incredible.

Who or what is your comedic inspiration, and why?

We are both big fans of Bill Burr, especially the style of delivery he showcased in his black-and-white special.

We also love The Office.

Rakhesh is also a huge fan of the main guys from the American version of Whose Line is it Anyway?, as well as Flight.

Anything else you want us to know about you or your show?

It is loosely themed around travelling but our sets will be interesting and hilarious. Nothing else comes to mind, really. Please come.

JOHN GREEN, GREAT EXPATATIONS, APRIL 8-21, TASMA TERRACE, 6 PARLIAMENT PLACE. BOOK TICKETS