The Ten Best Shows to See at the Brisbane Comedy Festival 2015
Time to work those stomach muscles, the fun way.
The Ten Best Shows to See at the Brisbane Comedy Festival 2015
Time to work those stomach muscles, the fun way.
Are you ready to laugh? Of course you are — and hopefully your stomach muscles and lung capacity are primed for the next month of funniness, too. That’s right, from February 24 to March 22 it’s Brisbane Comedy Festival time, when the Brisbane Powerhouse becomes the home of humour, and your insides hurt from constant chuckling.
It is easy to forget that BCF is still a relatively new event, probably because each festival’s lineup reads like a seasoned comedy roster. In only the seventh year that Brisbane has had its own celebration of hilarity, the best in local talent and a smattering of overseas stars combine once more, with more than 40 acts stepping up to the mic.
Ogling the program is the easy part; narrowing down who and what to see is much harder. For that, here are our top ten BCF picks.
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10
One day, you might just be able to say that you saw Tessa Waters way back when. You’ll be able to tell your friends that you witnessed her talents before the certain rising star was a household name, although the way she’s winning awards at the moment — including the Brisbane Powerhouse Award for Most Outstanding Comedy at the Melbourne Fringe 2014 — that might be soon. What it is like to be a woman is her current topic of discussion, something that more than half the population can understand, and the other half should listen to. In her usual clowning-around style, there’ll be booty-shaking, bedazzling costumes and hilarious one-liners as she jumps into the funny side of feminine mystique.
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9
You’re on the bus alone, you forgot your headphones and you have no other choice but to hear the chatter of those around you. Well, hear might not be the best word. You’re not just letting the sounds of their voices hit your ears, you’re actively listening. Admit it. So was Anne Edmonds, and now she’s turned the act of eavesdropping strangers’ tidbits into her latest comedy show. While you’ve been watching her on Backseat Driver, It’s a Date and Wednesday Night Fever, she could’ve been overhearing your public transport gossip — and her observations about your conversations are no doubt funnier than anything you’ve ever uttered.
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8
Is there anything Sam Simmons hasn’t done? He used to routinely perplex Triple J listeners with his shitty trivia, he got married in an Elvis Chapel in Vegas and invited everyone to go along or watch online, and he’s appeared on Conan O’Brien’s talk show. Simmons is also known for delivering show after show of crazy comedy gold centred around all the things that annoy him, and his new stand-up set is unlikely to be any different. Returning to Australia from LA, where he is now based, he’s certain to have a fresh batch of comic grievances to air, songs to sing and strangeness to share.
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7
Make no mistake: Sandra Bernhard is an icon. Not just in stand-up, where she has offered her outspoken views to anyone who’ll listen for almost four decades, but in films such as Martin Scorsese’s The King of Comedy, and for playing the first openly gay character on a network series on television’s Roseanne. To say she’s pretty great is an understatement. For the last 12 months, Bernhard has been touring the United States with her one-of-a-kind live show, Sandyland, an all-out celebration of just what makes her so fabulous. Now, she’s bringing it to Brisbane for one hysterical night of rock ‘n’ roll, cabaret, stand-up, burlesque and just telling it like it is.
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6
You’ve probably woken up to his voice for the last year, so now it’s time to see him in person. No, we’re not being creepy. We just think you should take your fondness for Triple J’s breakfast show co-host Matt Okine to the next level by checking out his stand-up. Okine certainly has plenty to talk about, and we know he’s not afraid to make jokes about just about everything, too. Everything from professional success to personal pain gets a mention in this new show by this Brisbane local made good. That’s right, he grew up in Indro — and he calls it Indro, so you know it is true.
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5
Late at night: that’s when all the fun stuff happens. Things get a little loose and a little crazy, audiences are ready for something a bit strange and silly, and comedians get brave enough to try out new material. The Brisbane Comedy Festival knows this, and they’ve created the perfect place for all kinds of shenanigans. Think a comedy club in the middle of the Brisbane Powerhouse, with the requisite laidback atmosphere. Anything goes at Chalkboard — and any<em>one</em>, too, with lineups announced on the day. You never quite know what might happen, but it won’t certainly won’t be like anything on the main stages.
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4
So much to see, so little time: it’s the festival attendee’s perennial problem. Or maybe your wallet just isn’t flush with enough money to see all the funny folks that you want to. This year, there’s a solution for the time-poor and cash-strapped alike. Head along to The Biggest Comedy Show on Earth and see ten comedians take the stage in one show. Ronny Chieng, Rhys Nicholson, Katrina Brown and Tien Tran are just some of the talent on display in this fast-paced showcase of non-stop laughs. Expect something more than your average set, and expect special guests, too, as comedy takes over Brisbane City Hall.
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3
Back in the ‘90s, Janet Jackson and Luther Vandross may have told us that the best things in life are free, but is the best comedy? You be the judge at The Pineapple Club, Brisbane Comedy Festival’s ode to improvisation and all-round place to hang out on Friday and Saturday evenings. Every weekend, the quick thinkers of ImproMafia come together for a retro-style show — and yes, it won’t cost you a cent to attend. Games, songs, quizzes and more will be on offer, including cans of pineapple. That’s the prize for being a good sport, joining in the fun and embracing that essential part of improv shows: audience participation.
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You’ve seen him on Would I Lie To You, Never Mind The Buzzcocks and Stewart Lee’s Alternative Comedy Experience, and now you can see him in person. Paul Foot is so left field, he’s unlike any other comedian to grace the Brisbane Comedy Festival stage — and yes, that’s a good thing. If the unusual title of his show doesn’t let you know that you’re in for something special, perhaps his many awards — including Best International Act at both the Sydney and Perth Comedy Festivals in 2014 — will. And if you’re not familiar with his stream-of-consciousness collection of random thoughts, that might even be for the best. You can only discover him for the first time once, after all.
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1
All hail the Keanaissance — for bringing him back to our screens, and for making it acceptable to love his past hits as well. Before he was Neo and John Wick, he wasn’t just one half of Bill and Ted and surfing FBI agent Johnny Utah but also a guy trying to stop the bus that couldn’t slow down. We know you’re a fan, and we know you’ve always wanted to relive the action movie magic that was Speed — so here’s your chance. Step on board a vintage B59 Volvo, and prepare for the ride of your life. This is one stint of public transport chaos you should willingly sign up for.
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