Nine Weird and Wondrously Funny Shows to See at 2018's Melbourne International Comedy Festival

You’ve seen the TV series, following an incredibly relatable tale of trying to balance work, life, love and the like. Now, see the play that inspired the show. Before Fleabag was winning TV awards all over the UK, including a BAFTA for best female performance in a comedy for writer/creator/star Phoebe Waller-Bridge, it was a similarly applauded one-woman stage piece. And it’s headed to Melbourne.

Actress Maddie Rice takes on the lead role as Fleabag hits Malthouse Theatre from March 28 until April 22, stepping through the story of its titular character. Fleabag’s existence is perhaps best described as chaotic. Friends, family, job interviews, keeping a guinea pig-themed café afloat…they’re just the beginning. The idea behind it came at one of Waller-Bridge’s pal’s storytelling nights, as a challenge to create a character for a ten-minute slot. If you’re a fan, you’ll want to see where it all began — and fill in the gap until the TV show’s second season, which is expected in 2019. If you’ve just heard everyone talking about Fleabag, and haven’t watched it yet, here’s your chance to jump on board.

“Part safari party. Part murder mystery. All denim.” That’s the tagline for Double Denim Adventure Show, a gut-busting, rapid-fire and very skill sketch comedy show from Michelle Brasier and Laura Frew. Whereas the last Double Denim had the pair embrace their inner pre-teens, the sequel sees them journey “from teenage years to avocado days”. Brasier and Frew were nominated for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival’s prestigious Golden Gibbo Award in 2017, and from all reports their 2018 show is every bit as strong.

You might know Zoë Coombs Marr better by her alter ego. For years, the stand-up has performed as an unhinged male comic named Dave, raging against the femenazis and all the other bitches who for some strange reason don’t think he’s all that funny. Now the 2016 Barry Award winner is back… as herself. Expect Bossy Bottom to tackle gender, feminism and homophobia, as well as how all those subjects inevitably intersect with comedy in the modern age.

Demi Lardner’s comedy, in one word? Strange. The young South Australian comic has a bucketload of awards to her name, including Best Newcomer at the Sydney Comedy Festival and the So You Think You’re Funny? Award at Edinburgh Fringe. The listing for her latest show, I Love Skeleton, doesn’t offer too many clues as to what we can expect (“Demi Lardner is the primary source of nutrition for infant mammals… A good serve of Demi Lardner can make your bones strong and handsome”), but if you want to get a feel for her work check out her baffling performance during last year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival gala.

Razor sharp in wit and dress, the Barry Award-nominated Rhys Nicholson has made a name for himself as one of the country’s funniest stand-up comics. His show at least year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival was an absolute highlight, tackling everything from sex to mental health in a manner that was both relatable and utterly hilarious. His follow-up is titled Seminal, and shapes up as one of the must-see sets of the fest.

Sam Simmons’ comedy has always been unusual, but we honestly don’t know what to make of his latest show. Titled Radical Women of Latin American Art, 1960-1985, the set promises to tackle “the feminist Latin art movement of urban Puerto Rico in the 1970s”. We suspect there’s more to it than that, although knowing how much the comedian likes to mess with his audience, maybe not. Still, given how funny Simmons is at his best, we’re willing to take the risk.

One of the rising stars of the Australian comedy scene, Danielle Walker won RAW Comedy at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival two years ago, before backing it up with a stellar set as part of The Comedy Zone 12 months later. Her delivery veers from adorable to vaguely maniacal – and yes, we mean that as a compliment. Bush Rat is her first big solo show and we can’t wait to see what she comes up with.

One of the sharpest political satirists in the business, UK comedian Andy Zaltzman is best known as the host of The Bugle, a weekly podcast that specialised in fake news long before Donald Trump started tweeting about it. He was also the guy in last year’s Great Debate wearing cricket gear arguing with a cauliflower. His latest show promises to tackle “the biggest questions facing our very naughty planet” – although knowing Zaltzman, there’ll also be a fair amount of nonsensical sporting trivia as well.

Some of the biggest stars of this year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival are coming together for a truly important cause. Proceeds from these two benefit gigs will go to Youth Projects, a Melbourne-based charity dedicated to helping young people in Melbourne who are sleeping rough. Host Tom Ballard of ABC Comedy’s Tonightly will be joined by a cavalcade of comedic stars – past participants include Judith Lucy, Daniel Kitson, Tom Gleeson, David O’Doherty and Cal Wilson.