The past pandemic-filled years haven’t been exactly kind to Brisbane Comedy Festival, but its imminent return is proof that you can’t keep a good thing down. More than 100 international acts and homegrown heroes will have audiences cracking up in their seats at more than 350 shows across five weeks at Brisbane Powerhouse, The Fortitude Music Hall and The Tivoli. You’ll be able to hoot and holler at (or with?) Malaysia’s favourite doctor-turned-funnyman, Jason Leong, Irish comedy icon David O’Doherty and stand-up comedian and podcast host Gareth Reynolds. Audiences can also expect lauded Aussie names to hit the stage such as comedian, writer and presenter Wil Anderson, TV and radio joker Dave Hughes, Australia’s favourite comedic import Ross Noble (seriously, he belongs to us now, right?), and beloved comedian and author Judith Lucy.
The laughs will kick off at Fortitude Music Hall with the Brisbane Comedy Festival Opening Gala, which gets the giggles going on April 29 with a cackle-inducing line-up of Australia’s best comedians, hosted by Nick Cody. Boogie boards and Balinese prisons will provide belly laughs in Schapelle, Schapelle – The Musical (May 24 to June 5), a satirical tale based on one of Australia’s most divisive characters, Schapelle Corby. This year’s festival is spotlighting First Nations comedians, with Steven Choolburra, Kevin Kropinyeri, Andy Saunders and Steph Tisdell levelling up the spellbinding roster of talent. They’ll be performing as the beloved outfit Aboriginal Comedy Allstars at Brisbane Powerhouse on May 8, as well as at a bounty of solo and ensemble show throughout the festival. Punters can grab their calendar to pencil in the Multicultural Comedy Gala on May 28, a star-studded and diverse line-up of Australia’s top stand-up comedians, and hilarious national storytelling project Queerstories on May 29, which unites an exemplary collective of local LGBTIQ+ legends.
Tickets for Brisbane Comedy Festival go on sale on Thursday March 10. To check out the full program and to buy tickets, head here.
This article was written in partnership with our friends at Brisbane Powerhouse.
