Where to see Melbourne comedy festival in suburbs and regional Victoria
You don’t have to hit the CBD to catch Melbourne comedy festival shows. If you can’t make it to the city, here’s how to get your fill of laughs in the suburbs and regional Victoria.
Comedy Festival
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Can’t make it into the city during the Melbourne International Comedy Festival but don’t want to miss out on all the laughs?
There’s no need to let FOMO take hold — there are ways to get your fill of comedy further afield in Melbourne or regional Victoria.
For those wanting a taste of the comedy during the festival, a swag of Melbourne venues outside the inner CBD are still playing host.
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SHOWS OUTSIDE THE CBD
If making your way into Melbourne’s CBD isn’t your idea of fun, then a swag of venues skirting the city centre are bringing the laughs — from Fitzroy to Collingwood, Prahran and Footscray.
JOE WHITE — CARLTON NORTH
Ethiopian-born Perth comic, Joe White, threw in his job as a banker to dive headfirst into paying the bills via jokes. And after a string of awards and playing sold-out shows in Melbourne, Perth, Montreal and Toronto, White’s well and truly finding his groove performing at Carlton’s Afro Hub.
Joe White, Ethiopian & Still Not Hungry, Fridays and Saturdays until April 20, Afro Hub, 727 Nicholson St, Carlton North.
DR. PAM RANA — COLLINGWOOD
A RAW Comedy National Finalist a decade ago, Dr. Pam Rana has deduced all the world’s environmental crises are the direct result of one factor — Kim Kardashian’s existence.
It’s an uncomfortable reality that the chief catalyst for hurricanes is reality TV stars and this is one doctor with big plans to cure the planet of them.
Dr. Pam Rana, Kim Kardashian Breaks the Environment, Wednesdays and Thursdays until April 18, Bar SK, Collingwood.
ASHWIN SEGKAR — FOOTSCRAY
Set in the haunting ambience of an old church, what better place to step past the lazy cliches of the differences between East and West in Ashwin Segkar’s Bloodbooks.
Segkar grew up between India, Malaysia, England, NZ and Australia and his sharp and unpredictable show takes a hilarious look at cultures and religions.
Ashwin Segkar, Bloodbooks, until April 14, Bluestone Church Arts Space.
CHICK FLICK — YARRAVILLE, THORNBURY, BENTLEIGH EAST
Jo Stanley and Talei Wolfgramm miss a red-eye flight to a friend’s funeral and are stuck sharing a hotel room for the night instead. They drink, laugh and binge-watch plenty of chick flicks, making for a messy, secret-revealing night — just as their friend would have wanted.
Chick Flick, April 13, 14 and 19, Yarraville Club; Caravan Club, Bentleigh East; Thornbury Theatre.
COMEDY FESTIVAL SHOWCASE — CHADSTONE
Dave Callan hosts a diverse line-up of comic from around the country as the Comedy Festival heads to Australia’s largest shopping destination, Chadstone, for the first time.
The Festival Showcase celebrates Chadstone’s April Entertainment Series, Festival de Luxe.
Comedy Festival Showcase, Saturdays and Sundays until April 21, Chadstone — The Parlour.
CRAIG HILL — PRAHRAN
Jockstrap yourself in for a riotous no-holds-barred ride of hilarity with the kilted Scot, Craig Hill.
The camp stand-up is a regular at home — at Edinburgh Fringe — and at Melbourne Comedy Festival and brings his new show for a limited five-show run.
Craig Hill, C’mon The Lads!, until April 14, Chapel Off Chapel — The Loft, Prahran.
DAVE O’NEILL — FAIRFIELD
One of the nation’s most recognised stand-up comics, this will be Dave O’Neil’s 17th Melbourne comedy festival.
With “former bass guitarist” on his CV, it’s little wonder he notched more than 50 appearances on ABC TV’s hugely popular Spicks & Specks.
Dave O’Neil’s Fairfield Funhouse, until April 21, Grandview Hotel, Fairfield.
EMMA MALIK — FITZROY
The UK’s Emma Malik has been training animals as a job for more than a decade — until a drunken dare saw her delve into stand-up comedy.
Malik returns to Melbourne with her multi-legged companions — none were harmed in the making of the show — to deliver explain things in a far dirtier way than David Attenborough could ever consider.
Emma Malik, Sticking With It, until April 12, Radio Bar, Fitzroy.
LAWRENCE LEUNG — COLLINGWOOD
Melbourne’s multi award-winning comedian, actor and screenwriter brings the laugh to the big top with his tall tales, big concerns and dubious solutions.
Leung is best known for his AFI-nominated Lawrence Leung’s Choose Your Own Adventure and Lawrence Leung’s Unbelievable, both for ABC TV.
Lawrence Leung, Growing Concerns, until April 21, The Melba Spiegeltent, Collingwood.
And after the festival, a selection of the best comics will stock up on servo snacks and join in roadtrip singalongs to bring the Comedy Festival Roadshow to regional Australia.
COMEDY FESTIVAL ROADSHOW
The Comedy Festival is leaving no state or territory off the map, with the 2019 roadshow to tour the country from April 26 to July 6. It will also hit Asia at a date to be announced.
In Victoria alone, there will be shows in 26 towns and regional centres, from Ballarat to Geelong, Mildura, Traralgon and Warrnambol.
COMEDY FESTIVAL ROADSHOW 19 LOCATIONS AND DATES
April 26: Upwey - Burrinja Theatre
April 27: Wodonga - The Dube Wodonga
April 30: Werribee - Wyndham Cultural Centre
May 1: Narre Warren - Bunjil Place
May 2: Bayswater - Knox Community Arts Centre
May 3: Kyneton - Kyneton Town Hall
May 4: Ringwood - Karralyka Centre
May 5: Frankston - Frankston Arts Centre
May 22 and 25: Colac: Colac Otway Performing Arts & Cultural Centre
May 23: Warrnambool: Lighthouse Theatre
May 24: Hamilton - Hamilton Performing Arts Centre
May 26: Heywood - Heywood Community Hall
May 29: Horsham - Horsham Town Hall
May 30: Ballarat - Ballaarat Mechanics Institute
May 31: Swan Hill - Swan Hill Town Hall
June 1: Bendigo - The Capital Theatre
June 2: Warburton - Burrinja Cultural Centre
June 4: Pakenham - Cardinia Cultural Centre
June 6: Mildura - Mildura Arts Centre
June 7: Cohuna - Cohuna Memorial Hall
June 12: Wangaratta - Wangaratta Performing Arts & Convention Centre
June 28: Geelong - Geelong Performing Arts Centre
July 3: Wonthaggi - Wonthaggi Union Community Arts Centre
July 4: Traralgon - Latrobe Performing Arts Centre
July 5: Sale - The Wedge
July 6: Bairnsdale - Forge Theatre and Arts Hub
See the full schedule and who’s performing at each show.
ROADSHOW COMICS
Here’s a taste of the comics going on tour for the 2019 Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshows:
AARON CHEN
He nailed it in the Opening Night Comedy All Stars Show and now the Taiwan-born Sydneysider will bring his unpredictability to regional venues, with a softness sugar-coating his twisted side.
OUR Q&A AND REVIEW OF AARON CHEN ★★★½
DOUBLE DENIM
Best mates Michelle Brasier and Laura Frew bring a wild sense of fun and chaos to the stage as Double Denim with last year’s Director’s Choice Award winners having had one of the only shows this year without a dull spot, according to Herald Sun reviewer Mikey Cahill.
OUR Q&A AND REVIEW OF DOUBLE DENIM ★★★★½
NIKKI BRITTON
After a start in television acting, this will be Nikki Britton’s sixth straight Comedy Festival Roadshow.
She will be racking up those miles again, bringing her sharp-paced wit and storytelling prowess.
DAVE CALLAN
The Irish-born Melbourne-based comic could well be the hairiest man in comedy and has been a regular on Rove, Triple J and the stand-up circuit, renowned for his deep droll and dry quips.
BEN KNIGHT
Big Red grew up in country Queensland but lives in Melbourne so has a natural affinity for XXXX Bitter and soy lattes.
He has also juggled acting with teaching so 24 Victorian Roadshow stops will be a breeze for this man.
CAL WILSON
Crafty Kiwi, Cal Wilson, is at the helm with a string of Roadshow MC duties.
Relive her uncomfortable interactions with fans being a self-confessed small-time celebrity on the streets.
BOB FRANKLIN
London-born and Welsh raised comedy veteran, Bob Franklin has called these shores home for 30 years.
For TV viewers, his recent credits include a recurring role in Josh Thomas’s second and third series of Please Like Me.
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