Melbourne International Comedy Festival comedian Q&A: Tim Ellis, Astonishment!

Comedian and magician Tim Ellis says he has plenty of tricks up his sleeve to ensure a magical night of laughter and wonder.

Tim Ellis Melbourne Comedy Festival 2019.

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

After a lifetime of performing magic all over the world, I am thrilled to have created this show that includes my internationally award-winning pieces together with some brand new, state-of-the-art magic that will literally leave you speechless.

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There’s a lot of audience interaction and, unlike most magic shows, it’s sophisticated, elegant, hilarious, and there’s only one card trick ... but it’s sooooo good.

What have you been up to since last time you were here?

My last comedy festival show was an ultra close-up magic show performed for just 12 people gathered around a poker table.

Everybody was so close they could touch the performer (and frequently did!).

Since then I have been producing The Melbourne Magic Festival and creating my brand new secret venue The Laneway Theatre.

Who should see your show, and why?

This is a show that everyone can enjoy together.

Bring your date for something to talk about all night long.

Bring the family and share the astonishment across the generations.

Come on your own and have your mind truly blown.

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

Try something new.

Take a risk and see something you normally wouldn’t go out of your way to see.

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

Definitely keen to catch up with Lawrence Leung.

His show at last year’s Melbourne Magic Festival was astounding.

He is one of Melbourne’s future legends of comedy.

What do you love about Melbourne?

Melbourne has the most educated audiences in the country when it comes to comedy.

If a show is unprepared or a performer is not up to scratch, world spreads quickly.

But if a show breaks the mould and defies their expectations they will not only embrace it but they will celebrate it.

Who or what is your comedic inspiration, and why?

Magically, two magicians you probably haven’t heard of — Jeff Hobson and David Williamson.

Brilliantly funny but they both perform the most mind bending magic at the same time — it really catches you off guard ... but in a very, very good way.

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

Even before the show starts the magic begins when you book your ticket and the location of The Laneway Theatre is revealed to you.

The theatre is actually inside the home/lair of a real magician and you pass through a coffin to get inside.

The atrium is filled with memorabilia including an escape trunk that was once on the bottom of the Yarra River, and The Merlin Room features an infinity tunnel and more magic and puzzles than you can wave a wand at.

The theatre itself has, arguably, the most comfortable seats of the entire festival and each of the 32 seats is tiered to give a perfect view of the show.

TIM ELLIS, ASTONISHMENT!, MARCH 28-APRIL 18, THE LANEWAY THEATRE, BENT ST. BOOK TICKETS