Here’s an attractive proposition: three visiting North American comics, each of whom could easily sustain their own show, performing on a mixed bill. Demands of the US pilot season means few comics could commit to the month that doing the Melbourne festival would normally require – hence Janeane Garofalo’s withdrawal from the programme – hence [...]

If you think this is really the in-depth story of how Des Bishop’s father, a jobbing character actor, nearly got to be James Bond, prepare for disappointment. He was specially asked to audition for 007 in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, such was his promise, but in the end George Lazenby got the gig. Erm, that’s [...]

It’s ironic, given the underlying theme of this show, but the word that best describes Justin Hamilton is ‘professional’. In smart suit, he cuts supremely poised figure, backed up with a slick and well-constructed show, delivered with personable confidence and skilful timing that guarantees the laughs. Yet while he is the consummate comedy pro, Idiot Man [...]

Nick Sun abhors comfort. The fact that either he or his audience might know exactly where they stand is anathema, and he’ll do anything to subvert that. While this particular performance, though by no means conventional, goes pretty well, you can almost feel him fighting the urge to throw a spanner into the works. But he [...]

Never mind the quality of the gags or the power of his storytelling, this show is little more than miraculous – because for Adrian Calear, just being able to be on stage is astonishing. For in his 39 years he has nearly died 26 times, and had his heart stop dead half a dozen times (and [...]

As a bold psychological experiment in the concepts of space and solitude, Harley Breen locked himself in a bathroom for 42 straight hours. What he learned… has almost nothing to do with this show. Forget the high concept, this is an hour of affable stand-up interspersed with appealingly inept marionette work, as a tiny puppet version [...]

Jamie Kilstein has opinions. A lot of opinions. So many, he can barely get them out, jabbering away as if stuck on fast-forward, getting so excited by the passion and intensity of his own ideas he jiggles on the spot like a six-year-old desperate for a pee. Among the dense dissertation are some smart, witty jokes… [...]

Adam Hills’s audience rapport has always been his greatest strength: and with this year’s Melbourne festival show he vowed to make the most of it, with what’s advertised as an hour of unscripted messing around. That’s not quite true: a substantial chunk of this show is dedicated to his obviously prepared tale of meeting the Queen [...]

As an antipodean guitar-based double act who specialise in lo-fi numbers with downbeat, naturalistic lyrics, it’s impossible not to draw comparisons between Smart Casual and Flight Of The Conchords. But while Fletcher Jones and Roger David do occasionally slip into tribute band territory, over the course of their well-constructed show they prove themselves worthy of interest [...]

‘Gratuitous’ is the prevailing atmosphere of Lawrence Mooney’s show.  A strong performer more than capable of crafting a fine comic turn of phrase or positing a provocative opinion, he largely chooses not to. Instead he stands on familiar ground and contributes little, wasting his talent. Much of the show is taken up with sex, loosely based [...]