Sydney Comedy Festival 2012

Overview

Envisioning yourself rather anchorless after spending the Easter break at home on the couch, noncommittally watching Australia's Got Talent and gormandising leftover chocolate eggs? Well, idle no longer, because the Sydney Comedy Festival is giving you myriad comedy nights to attend.

Between April 24 and May 12, there are 97 shows comprising 1200 hours of delicious, belly-rupturing hilarity — from top-billed comedians to outrageous musical comedies.

Internet sensation The Axis of Awesome will perform their Tour of 2006. Apparently they've had 40 million hits on YouTube — probably from people checking out that rather deft 'Four Chord Song' number. Now the Time Out Sydney Best Show 2010/2011 award winners return with new songs, classic manhandled hits and brand-new jokes about Benny's height. Dingalingdingding.

Well-established UK Acts Akmal and Jimeoin will also feature. For the first time in history, Akmal will be appearing in "high definition 3D" (glasses not provided). Meanwhile, Jimeoin is offering pure, simple, good old craic — nothing too gimmicky for the comedy classicists out there.

Sketch comedy stars of Edinburgh and Montreal Idiots of Ants (2010 Chortle Award Winners and 2009 Edinburgh Comedy Award Nominees), are coming to Sydney for the first time to deliver a glorious marriage of rock 'n' roll hysteria with sharply brilliant comedy.

Daniel Kitson returns with his particular brand of morose-comedic, oddball storytelling. His new show, Where Once Was Wonder, contains three stories, each relating to "the impossible".

Jim Breuer, auspiciously featuring in Comedy Central's 100 Greatest Stand-Ups of All Time, is known for his four-year run on Saturday Night Live and starring role in the cult classic movie Half Baked alongside Dave Chappelle. Expect superstardom.

Musical comedy gets a significant run throughout the festival with the launch of The Riot House, where comedy stars are flung together on stage, and Alzheimer's the Musical. Sold out shows up north promise to make this an authentic Edinburgh Experience. And don't miss Hot Dub Time Machine if you're at all inclined to attend the world's first time-travelling dance party.

If it's all a little too overwhelming, there is always the comforting pad thai of the comedy world, with the show that kicks it all off — Cracker Night. The ultimate tried-and-true event of the festival's finest and brightest has become much loved, much anticipated and surely not to be missed.

A vast improvement on Australia's Got Talent and an excess of eggs.

Image: Smart Casual.