How to see four Melbourne International Comedy Festival shows in one night
You’ve got one night to catch as many comedy festival shows as you can - here’s how to make the most of your time so you can pack in as many laughs as possible.
Comedy Festival
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Melbourne has four seasons in one day. Sure. Everyone knows that.
Melbourne has another awesome foursome up its sleeve, something unique you can do for a month starting late March going until mid April — “four shows in one night”.
Y’see, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival starts its hostile takeover bid of the city and surrounding areas – and if you’re smart you can be a LOLs aficionado by the time the last laugh dies out.
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It’s absolutely possible to knock off four gigs in a night and stockpile a bunch of great lines, sizzling anecdotes and comeback zingers to see you through winter.
SHOW 1
Start at Trades Hall, 54 Victoria St in Carlton, for a 6pm show that’s getting best newcomer buzz (follow the breadcrumbs @JoeyLightbulb on Twitter).
SHOW 2
Hot-foot it down to The Greek Centre (168 Lonsdale St) for a 7pm, 7.15pm or 7.30pm set by a more established talent.
Acts at The Greek Centre this year include Des Bishop, Jamili Maddix, Chris Parker, Cameron James, Corey White, Tom Allen and Demi Lardner.
BREAK FOR DINNER
Pause for a proper meal at Cookie (252 Swanston St), Cabinet Bar (11 Rainbow Alley) or some dumplings in Chinatown.
SHOW 3
Then go for a rock’n’roll comedy experience at Max Watt’s, 125 Swanston St, at 9.45pm.
Here you’ll find the likes of Dave Thornton, Chris Redd, Michelle Wolf, Sam Jay and Tom Ballard.
SHOW 4
Stick around at Max Watt’s for The Festival Club starting at 11pm, where you get to see big-name comedians get up and do short, sharp routines.
This is where legends are made.
Last year Helen Bidou (Anne Edmon ds’ horny alter ego) stole the show in Lip Sync Battle doing The Phantom of the Opera.
Stars such as Tom Gleeson, Judith Lucy, Stephen K Amos, Wil Anderson, Urzila Carlson and buzz international acts jump up in front of a raucous, sozzled crowd and try to win them over.
You can feel a crackle of electricity in the air.
Anything can happen on the stage and often does.
I watched Hughesy heckle a few latecomers last year including a very tall chap: “What happened to you? Get stuck under the Montague St Bridge?”
If you’re from interstate and don’t get the joke, don’t worry, you will once you’re here and nestled into our comedy bosom.
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Another night UK comic Lee Mack (from ABC’s Would I Lie To You?) was setting up a bit (that’s what they say in “the industry”) and asking the crowd: “Before I did this can you guess what I did for a living?”
After a minute of shouted answers such as gynecologist, Bunnings Warehouse worker and accountant, someone blurted: “Comedian!”
The crowd roared with laughter.
Mack looked crestfallen. He walked to the back of the stage and slowly took off his jumper, back to the crowd, while they continued to chuckle.
Then he turned around revealing his T-shirt: “There’s always one dickhead that says comedian.”
The roars came twice as loud.
Kitty Flanagan is a smiling assassin and I saw her smash it (another “industry” phrase, you’re welcome) at a sold out Athenaeum Theatre gig in 2016.
She wanted everyone to know what people should do in traffic: “If you’re first in line at the lights, I don’t want you on your phone, you have one job and one job only, champ – watching that red light and accelerating as soon as it goes green.”
MIKEY’S TOP TIPS
My best tip? Getting tickets for the Opening Night Comedy Allstars Supershow at The Palais on March 27 (or watching it on telly later).
Watch 25 established, burgeoning and big name overseas comics do sink or swim three-minute spots to 2000 revellers.
You can circle or cross each act and plan your comedy festival accordingly.
Remember: Laugh early, laugh often, nobody can hear smiles.
I’ll see you out among it for the four-show challenge.
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