Comedy Festival has finally arrived and while we love a good hour of stand-up, there's just something so special about a special event.
If you’re looking to kill a lot of birds with a small amount of stones, these are the Comedy Festival events for you, jamming a whole ton of comedians into one mega-show. The Allstar events are always a highlight of the program, serving up the cream of the crop of this year’s lineup in a hilarious variety hour.
Afterwards, head to Max Watt’s for Festival Club – always a bucket list item during comedy season – and check out a lip sync battle, a quiz show, a little clowning around, or just whatever happens to be on at the time.
Check out our gig guide, our arts guide, our festival guide, our live music venue guide and our nightclub guide. Follow us on Instagram here.
Asian Allstars Gala
- Melbourne Town Hall
- April 5
Returning for its second year, the Asian Allstars Gala is an unmissable night of stand-up comedy featuring top talent from across the globe. Hosted by Japan’s Takashi Wakasugi, this two-hour spectacular brings together some of the finest comedians from India, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and more. Urooj Ashfaq, Anirban Dasgupta, Fadzri Rashid and Jin Hao Li will be taking the stage to deliver pure comedy gold.
Conversations about Comedy: Cheat Codes
- ACMI
- April 5
Cheat Codes is what happens when gaming meets comedy. Comedian and gaming enthusiast Harry Jun will lead a deep dive into the evolution of humour in video games. Featuring the quick-witted Demi Lardner, Maddy Weeks and game developers Matthew Jackson (Toot Games) and Jo Jo Zhou (Massive Monster), this event will explore how interactive storytelling, glitches and in-game banter have shaped modern comedy.
Upfront
- Melbourne Town Hall
- April 8
Hosted by Becky Lucas, Upfront is a flagship event of the Comedy Festival, presenting a lineup of international and local stars. It showcases some of the fiercest and funniest female and non-binary comedians in the game, featuring Amy Annette, Chanel Ali, Charlene Kaye, Emma Holland, Frankie McNair, Kirsty Webeck, Mel & Sam, Melanie Bracewell, Olga Koch, Robyn Reynolds, Sara Pascoe, Scout Boxall, Tarsh Jago, Urooj Ashfaq and more. It’s brilliant, bold and one of the most in-demand shows on the calendar.
Aboriginal Comedy Allstars
- Capitol Theatre
- April 12
Bringing together some of Australia’s top First Nations comedians, the show will feature sets from Andy Saunders, Elaine Crombie, Janty Blair, Jay Wymarra, Kevin Kropinyeri and Sean Choolburra. This night of big laughs and sharp cultural insights is a masterclass in storytelling, satire and quick-witted humour.
Festival Club
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Comedy never sleeps at Festival Club, Melbourne International Comedy Festival’s laugh-out-loud late-night offering. Known to be a place where comedians hang out after their shifts, somewhere full of surprises and often a little rowdy, Festival Club at Max Watt’s features a whole lot of silly stuff to check out after dark. Read on for a few of your options.
Comedy Bonanza
- Max Watt’s
- Mar 27-28, April 4, 5, 11, 12, 17, 18
If you’re into bold and unpredictable, the Comedy Bonanza is your fix. It brings together a mix of comedians performing everything from improv to stand-up to character comedy. Held every Friday and Saturday at the iconic Festival Club, this showcase features some of the biggest names of the Festival and a few surprise guests will be dropping in too.
Lip Sync Battle
- Max Watt’s
- March 28, April 4, 11, 18
Lip Sync Battle is where comedians trade punchlines for pop star performances. Hosted on Fridays by the iconic duo Alex Hines and Lou Wall, expect big wigs, bold moves and bangers.
Do Go On: The Quiz Show
- Max Watt’s
- April 2
This fast-paced comedy quiz pits team captains Jess Perkins and Matt Stewart against each other, with special guests joining in to tackle a topic from history. Hosted by Dave Warneke, the Do Go On: The Quiz Show is where history, comedy and trivia collide.
Tod Talks
- Max Watt’s
- April 6
Picture TED Talks, but delivered by comedians who have no idea what they’re talking about. Welcome to Tod Talks. Stand-ups must bluff their way through expert presentations they’ve never seen before. This is improv comedy at its finest, hosted by Owen Merriman.
Instructions for Life
- Max Watt’s
- April 16
Instructions For Life will delve into life advice you didn’t know you needed. Hosted by Mark Watson, the show sees some of the festival’s wisest comedians share some witty and bizarre insights on how to navigate the world.
Character Bonanza
- Max Watt’s
- April 3
Hosted by Nat Harris and Oliver Coleman, Character Bonanza is a showcase of the festival’s finest character comedians. They only have one rule: no matter who they are, they can’t break character. Some comedians tell jokes – this time, they become them.
Haus Party!
- Max Watt’s
- April 16
Berlin meets Melbourne in Haus Party! It’s a wild, genre-defying comedy cabaret hosted by Otto and Astrid of Die Roten Punkte. With DJ Andrew McClelland bringing the beats, this late-night bash is an unpredictable mix of music, mayhem and high-energy comedy.
Down to Clown
- Max Watt’s
- April 10
Josh Glanc is hosting Down To Clown, an absurdist playground of physical comedy, mime, and surreal humour. Clowning is back and better than ever. Whether you’re a clowning connoisseur or a newcomer, this show promises hilarity of the highest order.
10 Comedians for 10 Bucks
- Max Watt’s
April 1, 8, 15
10 Comedians for 10 Bucks is spoiling us with a show every Tuesday. Enjoy a rapid-fire showcase of rising stars and some of the festival’s favourites, all for the price of a sandwich. It’s a big laugh for a small price tag.
Comedians on Stage Auditioning for Musicals
- Max Watt’s
April 19
The title says it all. Comedians love the spotlight, but can they actually sing? Hosted by Michelle Brasier and Ben Russel, this show puts comedians to the test as they belt out tunes and compete for their dream musical roles. It’ll be hilarious and chaotic, and maybe even a little impressive.
To browse the full Melbourne International Comedy Festival program, head here.
This article was made in partnership with Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
