Cultivating an atmosphere of neighbourly fun, Slide Night! at the Sydney Opera House brings together some of Sydney’s most prolific comedic talent for a night of laughs and nostalgia. Hosted by Rove McManus, the audience is invited to an old-school backyard BBQ complete with music (from the skilful Benny Davis), games and a slide show….
Andrew Hansen is a well-known comedian starring in Australian satirical shows such as The Chaser, CNNNN and The Hampster Wheel. Recently he’s been on the road with his one-man comedy show entitled Andrew Hansen – is Cheap. We caught up with him to chat about the show and some of the inspiration behind his comedy….
As Comedian Sammy J hits the road with his new show Good Hustle, John Goodridge catches up with him to find out about he some 20 characters that will feature in the show, reflect on how he keeps his seemingly hectic schedule together – and they talk about the passing of Barry Humphries. Hey Sammy,…
The Sydney Comedy Festival has finally rolled around and it’s time for four weeks of comedy to take over a multitude of venues in the city, but first, the fabulous Sydney Opera House gets to host one of the opening week galas that showcase a selection of artists to be found on the programme. A…
Sydney-based comedian Anthony Locascio is about to head out on his Heart of Darkness tour for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and Sydney and Perth Comedy Festivals. Kicking off today at Belgian Beer Café in Melbourne, the tour will stay until 22 April before moving to Factory Theatre Fusebox in Sydney from 3-7 May and…
Michael Shafar is a testicular cancer survivor, hence the chemo joke. It was what his oncologist told him after he had seen the show; “You were well worth the chemo, Michael.” Which is a pretty good recommendation. On a Tuesday night after a long weekend, the house is full. Even if the stage is an…
If you love your quiz shows, and are up for a spot of comedy, then WrestleBrainia at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival will be right up your alley. And if you happen to be a fan of wrestling, then this should be nirvana. But fear not, if wrestling isn’t your jive, then this still promises…
The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is just around the corner, and one of the acts we are particularly looking forward to is the Filipino-New Zealander comedian James Roque. James is bringing his much-revered Badong show to the festival, and will be performing it from the 28th March until the 9th April. ‘Badong’ is a light-hearted…
Geordie-accented, WA-raised, Sydney-based comedian Rory Lowe is all action. Time flies when watching Rory, a non-stop comedian, with ready-made jokes and quick wit to keep the crowd on its toes. Scruffy-haired Rory is currently performing his Highs & Lowes show at The Rechabite‘s downstairs Goodwill Club as part of Perth’s Fringe World. George Zacharopoulos, who is…
The Perth Fringe World started last weekend and often as a casual punter it can be hard to know what to go and see, but The Purple Rabbit (showing January 25 to February 5) stands out early as a must for keen audiences. The AU Review was lucky enough to be invited along for…
Coffs Harbour comedian Ben Stevenson is coping with grief in the best way that he knows how: through comedy. Using his wit as an outlet for the emotions surrounding the loss of his mother, Stevenson created Ratbag – a stand-up routine combining the darkest point in his life with uplifting stories from his childhood. The…
Chameleon comedian and musician, Tim Minchin has had some busy years working in theatre and on films. After an eight-year break away from live touring, he returned to the live stage with his show, Back, only for Covid-19 to hit. Filmed live at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire in the UK, Back is a clever blend…
Comedian and cancer survivor, Michael Shafar, is back with a fresh new comedy show. Shafar is a regular on television shows The Project and Studio 10 as well as having a huge following on YouTube. We’ve also captured him at the Adelaide Fringe, where his stand-up comedy shows were well-received. Shafar’s comedy is not for the…
When is an iconic story about a whale, not a story about a whale? When it’s a brilliantly funny Lano and Woodley show of course. The comedy duo, who have had a love-hate relationship over many years, are back with a completely improvised and hilarious take on the Moby Dick story. New stops on the…
Fiona O’Loughlin was a regular face on television in the 90s. Her self-deprecating humour about her home and family life made her a popular guest on several chat shows. That came to an end after she collapsed on stage and admitted that she was battling alcoholism. Now that she is clean and recovered, O’Loughlin is…
Whilst it’s perfectly understandable for audiences to attend a comedy show under the assumption they’ll be humorously entertained, the moments of seriousness and self-reflection are often what stay with you. Such is the case with Poncho Orange: Keep It Up!, the latest one-man-show from melting pot oddball clown Dani Cabs, a 60-minute journey into his…
The self-proclaimed love child of Salvador Dali and the Mighty Boosh, Australian comedian Dani Cabs has created a larger-than-life alter ego in Poncho Orange, a Latino-lovin’ buffoon, liquifying the English language so that you can slurp its runny honey, gooey goodness down into your internals and be transported into his world of play, love, and……
Nostalgia. It can happen to anyone, any time. The song that’s playing, that film you saw, the piece of memorabilia you found in your parent’s cupboard. They can spark memories of a time and place that you may have thought you’d forgotten. It’s those feelings of going back, remembering and sometimes cringing that Cameron…
There could not be a more suitable title for a comedy show. We All Have Bloody Thoughts is exactly what you’d expect from a comedian that is known for quite shouty diatribes, especially from his appearances on the now defunct ‘Tonightly’ show, various other stand-up appearances or his opinion articles which dance on the line between…
Have you ever wanted to hear an explicit rap about the incestual ways of ancient Greek figures set to the tune of “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”? Or how about The Little Mermaid‘s “Under the Sea” as a spoken word piece, all the while its performer is donned in a mermaid tail being glistened by…
Returning to Australia fresh off the back of his lead role in the Atomic Saloon Show at The Venetian in Las Vegas, Damien Warren-Smith’s latest show sees him transform into an overzealous idiot attempting to perform all of Greek Mythology in less than 60 minutes in order to save his Hellenic homeland from economic ruin. The show –…
The star of Rhys Nicholson has certainly risen, progressing from a struggling Sydney comedian, selling homemade bow-ties after shows and working at the evening’s box office, to hosting their own sold-out hour-long show at the same venue – it’s certainly been an impressive journey to witness. Their show was to be a triumph of navigating…
The Sydney Comedy Festival Gala at The State Theatre was a sneak peek of some of the acts which will form the line-up of this year’s festival. With talent from around the world, each act was given 5 minutes to impress the crowd enough to get you to buy tickets to their show and provide…
With the Melbourne International Comedy Festival underway, look no further than the zany and fun Werk It, a circus show incorporating spandex, high-vis and unearthly vitality and vigour. With eye-popping colours., sass and just a hint of tradie combined with a spin instructor mixed with a healthy serving of cross-training sorcery, it is delivered by…
It’s comedy festival time in Australia, and one of the leading lights on the scene is Anthony Locascio. His comedy showcases his Greek and Italian heritage through the use of stories, songs and sounds. He explores the rich highs, and challenges associated with his Mediterranean-Australian heritage, and his show has proven to resonate strongly with…
Unstoppable comedian, actor and all-around talented individual Chris Rock is set to return to Australia as part of his Ego Death world tour. Recently announced, the dependable stand-up will be trotting around the world to take his apparently very personal and intimate new material to his many fans. And Aussies will get to experience it…
Daniel Muggleton is an Australian stand-up comedian wearing a tracksuit. His trademark comedy is poking holes at bogans, racism, and almost anything else he can think of. He has a regular podcast and is a comedy club regular. On this chilly Tuesday night in the open-air Piglet Theatre at Gluttony, he wasn’t fazed by the…
Introducing Brendan Clare: actor, husband, father, IT nerd. Diagnosed with autism in his 40s, he faces his fears to tell his story with humour and heart. Brendan will look back on moments that were bewildering and disturbing, but now seem profound and illuminating. The AU Review sat down with him before his first Adelaide Fringe…
The Producer’s Hotel has had a chequered life but is currently undergoing renovation and is starting to regain some of her former glory. The main room has larger events but upstairs is where the comedy lives. It is in one of the upstairs former bedrooms that Liars and Clowns, A Late Night Comedy Show is…
The Rhino Room is considered Adelaide’s premier venue for comedy. The 2022 Fringe program is huge and this year they’re hosting over 50 performers with 16 shows per night, five nights a week. With this incredible choice, it can be difficult for some performers to break through the noise and find an audience. It was…
