Your First Look at the 2014 Melbourne International Comedy Festival

It's that time again. Get your diaries out, and your credit cards at the ready — those excellent comedians need your money once more. The first acts for the 2014 Melbourne International Comedy Festival have just gone on sale and a few more will be up for grabs this Friday, December 13.

So far, it's much of what you might expect. As ever, local crowd pleasers Dave Hughes and Wil Anderson are top of the bill. And, oh good, Wil Anderson has found another pun to make out of his name! Chronologically, from 1998 onwards that makes his full list of shows: I am the Wilrus, Wilennium, Terra Wilius, Who Wants to be a Willionaire, Wil of Fortune, Wil by Mouth, Jagged Little Wil, Kill Wil, Wil Communication, Wil of God, BeWILdered, Wilosophy, Wilful Misconduct, Man vs Wil, Wilarious, Goodwil, and drumroll please, Wiluminati! Not his best, if you ask us.

International favourites Stephen K. Amos and Jason Byrne will be back too. It wouldn't really be an Oxfam Gala without Jason Byrne making some hapless audience member climb in a box, right? And the Brits will be further represented by surrealist oddball Paul Foot, rapper and recent Ricky Gervais' collaborator Doc Brown, and sketch comedy pros Max & Ivan.

There are the big shows on offer too. To get a taste of everything, head along to the 2014 Comedy Allstars Supershow on opening night, or maybe nab some tickets to the RAW Comedy or Class Clowns National Grand Finals which go on sale December 13. Unfortunately the 2014 Oxfam Gala is already sold out — in record time, no less. It's as if people don't know you can just watch it on TV.

Regardless, this little taste of the full bill has been a bit underwhelming. Made slightly worse by the fact there are only two women listed so far — local Melbournite Justine Sless and British comedian Sara Pascoe. Hopefully the full program will bring with it a little balance, but unfortunately we have 'til February to wait and see.

The 2014 Melbourne International Comedy Festival will run from March 26 'til April 20, 2014. For a full list of already announced acts see their website here.