Theatre
Melbourne International Comedy Festival unveils incredible 2017 program
The full program for the 31st Melbourne International Comedy Festival has just been unveiled and it’s packed full of amazing talent.
Leading the incredible lineup are comedians Daniel Kitson, Eddie Perfect, Judith Lucy and Denise Scott, Joel Creasey, Jason Byrne, Ruby Wax, Jenny Eclair, Dave Hughes and Wil Anderson, plus hundreds more.
Melbourne International Comedy Festival takes over the city between 29 March and 23 April, with 556 shows across 100 venues including Melbourne Town Hall, The Coopers Malthouse, Trades Hall, The Greek Centre, ACMI, The Forum, Howler, The Comedy Theatre, Imperial Hotel and The Famous Spiegeltent.
“The 2017 Melbourne Comedy Festival program is full of comedy treasure just there for the finding,” says Melbourne International Comedy Festival Director Susan Provan. “Comedians from all over the globe have packed their opinions and will be here, ready to air them, come 29 March.”
Adding, “We have new artists launching their comedy careers and the well-loved returning for the fans and the love of it. We can promise belly laughs, controversy and Donald Trump jokes. There will be comedy of all kinds, in every medium, for every taste. Best time to be in Melbourne!”
The festival won’t be short of the finest Aussie talent either, with the program including Merrick Watts, Justin Hamilton, Eddie Perfect, Dane Swan, Gossling (yes, Gossling and Tommy Little), Zoë Coombs Marr, Judith Lucy and Denise Scott, Rove, Joel Creasey, Lawrence Mooney, Frank Woodley, Wil Anderson, Aunty Donna, Nazeem Hussain, Matt Okine, Sam Simmons, Sarah Kendall, Tom Ballard, Luke McGregor, Dave Thornton AND Hannah Gadsby.
Heaps of international stars are rolling into town too, including Daniel Kitson (performing in two separate shows), James Veitch, China’s comedy superstar Storm Xu, David O’Doherty, Ruby Wax, Arj Barker, Des Bishop, Jason Byrne, Dara O Briain, Orlando Baxter, Jenny Eclair, Fortune Feimster, Larry Dean, Stephen K Amos, plus the 2016 Edinburgh Comedy Award winner Richard Gadd and nominee Kieran Hodgson, and the very best from the Bengaluru Comedy Festival in India.
As well as individual shows, the program includes these family events; The (Very) Big Laugh Out – showcasing brilliant street performers across multiple stages in Fed Square for free, Comedy Club For Kids, Stand & Deliver and Class Clowns.
Other special events include Gala for Oxfam, Upfront, RAW Comedy, Deadly Funny, Comedy Confab, The Great Debate and the Opening Night Comedy Allstars Supershow, which officially kicks off the festival on Wednesday 29 March.
Packed, we warned you!
Tickets for the 2017 Melbourne International Comedy Festival are on sale NOW, along with full show listings at Ticketmaster.com.au/comedyfestival.
