Melbourne Comedy Festival Back for 2018

(Source: Visit Victoria Media Hub)

The 2018 Melbourne International Comedy Festival is set to bring the belly laughs with an enormous program of stand up, film, sketch, improvisational, musical, mime, satirical comedy, cabaret, street performance and much, much more.Taking place from 28 March – 22 April, this year’s Festival includes a record-breaking line-up of 612 shows featuring a sensational mix of local and international artists including Lano & Woodley, Kitty Flanagan, Rich Hall, Celia Pacquola, Jimeoin, John Safran, Matt Okine, Peter Helliar, Rosie Waterland, Urzila Carlson, Fiona O’Loughlin, Stephen K Amos and Lady Rizo.

As Australia’s largest cultural ticketed event, the Festival sees performances taking place in over 100 venues around the city, including the Melbourne Town Hall, Comedy Theatre, Athenaeum Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne, Belleville, Cooper’s Inn, Imperial Hotel, The Butterfly Club, the Carlton Club, Trades Hall, Victoria Hotel and The Famous Spiegeltent.

Melbourne will truly become the centre of the comedy universe with international comedic heavyweights David O’Doherty (IRL), James Veitch (UK), Andy Zaltzman (UK), 2017 Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer Natalie Palamides (USA), Tim Key (UK), Fin Taylor (UK), Ari Eldjárn (ICELAND), Phil Wang (UK), Larry Dean (UK), Eleanor Tiernan (IRL), Brennan Reece (UK), Carl Donnelly (UK), Douglas Lim (MALAYSIA), Mark Watson (UK), Arj Barker (USA), John Kearns (UK), Sophie Willan (UK), Jason Byrne (IRL), Loyiso Gola (STH AFRICA), DeAnne Smith (CAN/USA), and Des Bishop (IRL/USA) all getting their favourite jokes a passport for the 2018 Festival.

Australian comedy genius from Tasmania to Far North Queensland will also be showcased at the 2018 Festival with Cal Wilson, Anne Edmonds, Lawrence Mooney, Nick Cody, Pauly Fenech, Sammy J, Nazeem Hussain, Dane Swan, Tom Gleeson, Aunty Donna, Joel Creasey, Briefs, Sam Simmons, Harley Breen, Dave Thornton, Becky Lucas, Rhys Nicholson, Ivan Aristeguieta, Geraldine Hickey, Charlie Pickering and many others representing the nation’s talent.

The Festival also offers many family events including The (Very) Big Laugh Out - bringing the world’s most brilliant street performers to multiple stages in Fed Square for free, Comedy Club For Kids, LOL Squad and Class Clowns. Other special events include The Gala proudly supporting Oxfam, Clicks Vs Tix, Upfront, RAW Comedy, Comedy Up Late, Deadly Funny, The Great Debate, Jeez Louise and the Opening Night Comedy Allstars Supershow, which will officially kick off the Festival on Wednesday 28 March.

For the full 2018 program and ticket information go to comedyfestival.com.au