Comedy

Adelaide Cabaret Fringe Festival review: Fiona O’Loughlin is back and glorious

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…

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Brisbane Comedy Festival Review: Poncho Orange: Keep It Up!; come for the allure, stay for the education

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…

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Interview: Australian comedian Dani Cabs on injecting serious topicality into his larger than life creation, Poncho Orange

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……

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Cameron James

Sydney Comedy Festival Review: Cameron James – Electric Dreams

  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…

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Greg Larsen

Sydney Comedy Festival: Greg Larsen – We All Have Bloody Thoughts

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…

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Brisbane Comedy Festival Review: Garry Starr: Greece Lightning revels in its witty, smutty irreverence

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…

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Interview: Australian comedian Damien Warren-Smith on creating one-man comedy show Garry Starr: Greece Lightning

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 –…

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Sydney Comedy Festival Review: Rhys Nicholson – Rhys! Rhys! Rhys!

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…

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Gabi Bolt performs on stage at the State Theatre Sydney.

Review: Sydney learns to laugh again as the Sydney Comedy Festival kicks of at The State Theatre

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…

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Werk It

Circus Trick Tease brings Werk It to Melbourne International Comedy Festival

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…

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Anthony Locascio

Comedian Anthony Locascio shares his top 5 movies based in Italy or Greece

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…

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Chris Rock has announced an Australian visit for his Ego Death world tour

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…

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Adelaide Fringe review: Daniel Muggleton is white and wrong (but mostly white)

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…

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Brendan Clare

Adelaide Fringe Interview: Brendan Clare demystifies the stigma around autism

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…

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Adelaide Fringe Review: Liars and Clowns serve up comedy allsorts

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…

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Adelaide Fringe Review: Suren Jayemanne describes being an Industry Darling Adjacent

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…

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Adelaide Fringe Review: Surviving Matt Hale’s Hypnotic Chaos

Matt Hale is a self-confessed comedy hypnotist, with self-help motivational and corporate entertainment packages a major part of his life. It makes sense then that a show called Absolute Chaos would be on the Fringe list. Hale’s introduction to the show is measured, thorough and complete. He explains the process and jokingly warns that even…

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Sarah Gaul

Adelaide Fringe Review: Sarah Gaul wants to be a WIFE. Or does she?

Sarah Gaul is a 31-year-old woman who’s been to more weddings in the last six months than she cares to admit. Always the bridesmaid but never the bride? Sarah takes the audience on a journey into her world, her take on relationships and what makes her tick. First things first, Sarah is an eco-warrior. She…

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Interview: Comedian Michael Shafar on going viral on Chinese social media ahead of Adelaide Fringe

Michael Shafar is a Jewish lawyer turned comedian who relates his cancer recovery in his stand up shows. We chatted ahead of his upcoming season at the Adelaide Fringe. How did your show go back at the Fringe – was it two years ago or last year? I mean it feels like it’s a decade…

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Fringe World Review: Lisa Woodbrook’s comedic twist on Amy Winehouse & Lily Allen

Fringe World Festival is back in Perth despite the hardest of hard borders in WA but the local talent is shining, with Lisa Woodbrook‘s It’s Not Me, It’s Definitely You: Songs of Amy Winehouse & Lily Allen a fine example. As a supremely talented vocalist, Woodbrook’s show – as the title suggests – contains plenty of…

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In Oh, More Mr White Guy, Daniel Muggleton’s easy likeable personality shines through

Daniel Muggleton leaps out onto the stage, both noticeable and memorable for his bright red tracksuit. A fine fashion choice? Probably not, but if you Google “tracksuit comedian”, he is on the top of the list. So, it’s perhaps a wise one. The venue (Gluttony‘s Piglet – not Adelaide’s Rhino Room where you’ll see him this Thursday)…

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9 acts you won’t want to miss at Brisbane Comedy Festival

Kicking off just as mask restrictions (hopefully!) ease in Brisbane next week, the Brisbane Comedy Festival has got a stellar line-up planned for its 2021 iteration. With so much to choose from, including legends such as Ross Noble, Akmal, Cal Wilson, and Jimeoin, as well as internet sensations Nat’s What I Reckon and Christian Hull,…

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Comedy Review: Grey hair is glitter and other lessons from A Flying Photon

Arriving off the back of a successful run at the Adelaide Fringe, A Flying Photon at Giant Dwarf in Sydney is science, with a twist. The twist being – it’s actually interesting. We are introduced to Rachel Rayner, Science Explainer, who is a ‘science communicator, poet and performer’. With a background in physics, Rayner begins…

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Circus Review: The Dumtectives in Cirque Noir is a dazzling blend of acrobatics, slapstick and adult comedy

A perfectly stupendous amount of ‘Dum’! The critically acclaimed and globally touring Australian circus company, Dummies Corp, lights up the stage at The Famous Spiegeltent in Melbourne with their first adult-themed circus comedy – The Dumtectives in Cirque Noir. As part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, this show blasts you into a world of…

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Adelaide Fringe Review: Daniel Muggleton is so much more than Mr White Guy

Daniel Muggleton leaps out onto the stage at Adelaide Fringe, both noticeable and memorable for his bright red tracksuit. A fine fashion choice? Probably not, but if you Google “tracksuit comedian”, he is on the top of the list. So, it’s perhaps a wise one. The venue (Gluttony‘s Piglet) is probably not the best available…

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Adelaide Fringe Review: Confessions of a Fake-Fake Psychic exposes magical secrets

As the audience assembles in the foyer of the Mill, yellow envelopes are handed out. The instructions are to write a question for the Fake-Fake Psychic and seal them within the envelope. We place them in a glass bowl near the stage as we enter. A statement is projected up on the screen. Words are…

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Adelaide Fringe Review: 3 Course Comedy serves up the laughs

To say that it’s been a difficult time for the arts industry over the last year is an understatement. The Adelaide Fringe was one of the last events held in 2020 before Coronavirus hit and is now back in a far reduced capacity and social distance friendly way. Which doesn’t mean that everything is smooth…

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Adelaide Fringe Review: Paul McDermott and his PLUS ONE serve up some hilarious home truths

You may remember Paul McDermott from our television screens back in the eighties as one of the Doug Anthony All Stars. He’s not as stunningly attractive these days, but with his new bearded look, one could say that he’s still got a certain appeal – to other men with beards, perhaps. Forty years of entertaining…

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Adults Only Magic Show

Adelaide Fringe Review: The Showmen’s Adults Only Magic Show entertains and delights

Magic duo Sam & Justin (known as The Showmen) present the Adult Only Magic Show at Gluttony. The show is marketed as an incredible array of hilariously raucous comedy, mind-bending illusions and stunningly dangerous stunts. The fast-paced show has plenty of audience participation with free drink cards for those helping on stage. Not that many…

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Don't Feed The Ducks

Adelaide Fringe Review: Amy Hetherington on why not to feed the ducks

Amy Hetherington’s one-person stand-up show Don’t Feed The Ducks is a little of a misnomer. If you are expecting an hour of duck jokes, you’d be disappointed. There are duck jokes. But, there’s also a whole lot more to the show. From the moment that the audience are squeezed into the broom-cupboard sized Hell’s Kitchen at…

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