23 FEBRUARY–25 MARCH 2018 BRISBANE POWERHOUSE + BRISBANE CITY HALL + SUNPAC BOOK NOW BRISBANECOMEDYFESTIVAL.COM HCF_Brisbane_Comedy_Festival_DD01.indd 1 24/11/17 5:53 pm hcf.com.au/thankyou GO TO and more from HCF Thank You. reserved seating and VIP experiences at Brisbane Comedy Festival HCF members have access to a range of discounted tickets, FOR YOUR FACE. IT’S A WORKOUT LAUGH. CONTENTS LAUGH. 39 After Hours 35 Jude Perl 26/52 Akmal 40 Knockoff 36 Alex Ward 11 Lawrence Mooney IT’S A WORKOUT Welcome to 48 Animated! 27 Lehmo 31 Angella Dravid + 51 Live and Local Melanie Bracewell Brisbane Comedy 40 Livespark 21 Angus Gordon FOR YOUR FACE. 14 Luke Heggie 10 Becky Lucas Festival 2018 07 Matt Okine 34 Brisburned HCF members have access to a range of discounted tickets, I once went to the park to play Frisbee with my dog. 24 Matt Stewart 47 Cal Wilson reserved seating and VIP experiences at Brisbane Comedy Festival It was rubbish. I think I need a flatter dog. 18 Mel Buttle 32 Cameron James So clearly, I’m not much of a comedian (and don’t believe 12 Nazeem Hussain and more from HCF Thank You. 23 Cam Knight in animal cruelty!) but for those after a real laugh, look no 06 Neel Kolhatkar 45 Celia Pacquola further than the even bigger and better Brisbane Comedy 25 Nick Cody 38 Class Clowns Festival in 2018! 15 Pauly Fenech 38 Convince Me! The program is bursting at the seams with our largest ever 20 Peter Helliar 32 Cool Story Bro lineup of more than 70 comedians and this year we’re laying 39 Queensland 30 Daniel Sloss Theatresports™ comical siege across THREE mighty venues – Brisbane Championships 24 Danielle Walker Powerhouse, Brisbane City Hall and a new venue in SunPAC! 37 Queerstories 36 Damien Power From stand-up to improvisation, musical and sketch comedy, 22 Rama Nicholas 16 Dave Hughes comedy legends and newbies, we’re dishing up non-stop 04 Rich Hall 13 Dave Thornton laughs for everyone’s sense of humour. I mean, no matter 33 Rose Callaghan 14 David Smiedt how much you push the envelope, it'll still be stationery. 31 Sam Campbell 09 DeAnne Smith From humble beginnings, Brisbane Comedy Festival is now 08 Sam Simmons 23 Demi Lardner Australia’s fastest growing comedy festival, and like all 24 Sam Taunton 10 Des Bishop decent young upstarts we’re making our mark. Oh, and in 17 Shayne Hunter 21 Dilruk Jayasinha GO TO 2019 we celebrate 10 years! I like birthdays, but I think too 51 Simon Taylor many can kill you. 45 Dusty Rich hcf.com.au/thankyou 05 Stephen K Amos 43 Fiona O’Loughlin A very special thanks to Brisbane Comedy Festival partners 50 The Naked 17 Gen Fricker Magicians HCF and Brisbane Times, as well as our many generous HCF_Brisbane_Comedy_Festival_DD01.indd 1 24/11/17 5:53 pm 33 Gillian Cosgriff 26 The Stevenson supporters and of course you – the devotees who keep Experience coming back for more. There is no "i" in denial, so don’t 18 Guy Montgomery 28 The Travelling hold back! See you at a show – or two! 22 Harley Breen Sisters 13 Heath Franklin’s 33 Tim Hewitt Kris Stewart Chopper 42 Tom Gleeson Artistic Director, Brisbane Powerhouse 34 Ivan Aristeguieta 09 Tommy Little 47 Jacques Barrett 28 Tom Walker 29 James Smith BRISBANE COMEDY FESTIVAL IS PRESENTED BY BRISBANE POWERHOUSE 03 Urzila Carlson WITH SUPPORT FROM BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL 06 Jeff Green 44 Wil Anderson 46/ 53 Jimeoin 49 Yada Yada Yada 41 Jim Gaffigan 27 Zoë Coombs Marr 19 Joel Creasey 35 Joe Shaffer PAGE 01 URZILA CARLSON STUDIES HAVE SHOWN BRISBANE POWERHOUSE BRISBANE Every time you hear, ‘studies have shown’ you know you’re PRESENTED BY BRISBANE COMEDY FESTIVAL about to learn something ridiculous! AND LIVE NATION Studies have shown your dog is happier than your cat! Who cares! DATE Thu 22–Sat 24 Mar TIME Thu 7pm, Fri + Sat 6pm How about they give funding to scientists to come up with a way to VENUE Powerhouse Theatre, eradicate the unibrow, or those weird thin white hairs you occasionally Brisbane Powerhouse find attached to your face. Let’s get some research done on what TICKETS Thu $35 (f), $30 (c), Fri + Sat $40 + transaction fee of $5.95 happens to your blood pressure when your kid keeps getting out of bed when you’ve tucked them in 20 f*cking times already! SUITABLE FOR AGE 15+ CONTAINS COARSE LANGUAGE AT FESTIVAL COMEDY BRISBANE Last year, despite adding extra shows, Urzila’s Brisbane season sold out before the festival even started. So be warned... buy your tickets BRISBANE COMEDY FESTIVAL AT FESTIVAL COMEDY BRISBANE right now to avoid disappointment! BRISBANE CITY BRISBANE HALL BRISBANE COMEDY FESTIVAL GALA PRESENTED BY Are you ready Brisbane? BRISBANE COMEDY FESTIVAL PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY Kicking off Brisbane Comedy Festival 2018, is our night-of-nights BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL variety extravaganza. Frock on up, and join us for this special DATE Fri 23 Feb evening of non-stop laughs. TIME 7.30pm VENUE Main Auditorium, Join our host, Brisbane’s Mel Buttle, and fellow crowd Brisbane City Hall TICKETS $60 (f), $54 (c) favourites Matt Okine, Luke Heggie, Becky Lucas, + transaction fee of $5.95 Demi Lardner, plus surprise special guests. SUITABLE FOR AGE 15+ MAY CONTAIN COARSE LANGUAGE PAGE 02 PAGE 03 BRISBANE COMEDY FESTIVAL AT AT FESTIVAL COMEDY BRISBANE RICH HALL “LAUGHS CAME THICK AND FAST THROUGHOUT… Everyone’s favourite sardonic straight shooter Rich Hall PRESENTED BY MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL DON’T MISS IT." makes his long-awaited return to Brisbane. After a sell-out COMEDY FESTIVAL AND THE AGE BRISBANE POWERHOUSE BRISBANE Australian tour in 2016, the cranky Yank is back, bringing more BRISBANE COMEDY FESTIVAL of his trademark wit and caustic conversation. DATE Thu 22 Mar BRISBANE POWERHOUSE BRISBANE TIME 8.45pm Alongside top gongs at both Melbourne International Comedy Festival VENUE Powerhouse Theatre, Brisbane Powerhouse and Edinburgh Fringe, Rich Hall has collected a legion of fans around TICKETS $39 (f), $35 (c) the world. An expert stand-up, musician and improviser, Rich Hall is + transaction fee of $5.95 a master of irony and the absurd. Do not miss this true festival legend SUITABLE FOR AGE 15+ doing what he does best – nimbly delivering line after line of on-point CONTAINS COARSE LANGUAGE political observations and comic banter. AT FESTIVAL COMEDY BRISBANE “SEARING, SMART AND SO FUNNY IT HURTS." «««« THE ADVERTISER STEPHEN K AMOS BREAD AND CIRCUSES Brexit. Trump. Mary Berry! Things are looking bleak. PRESENTED BY BRISBANE COMEDY FESTIVAL So wouldn’t it be better to just forget all about it? AND MARY TOBIN PRESENTS Comic maestro Stephen K Amos might not be able to provide bread DATE Fri 23 Mar–Sun 25 Mar TIME Fri + Sat 7.45pm, Sun 6.45pm to the hungry masses, but no one else is going to put on a better VENUE Powerhouse Theatre, circus. Leave your problems behind for the evening in the company Brisbane Powerhouse of the ‘effusively charming’ Amos and who knows? Maybe the world TICKETS Fri $45.50 (f), $42.50 (c), Sat $49.50 (f), $46.50 (c), will seem just a little bit brighter. Sun $42.50 (f), $39.50 (c) “Deliciously deft… we roared at ad-libbing that was first rate + transaction fee of $5.95 throughout… you’ll leave the show smiling.” THE TIMES SUITABLE FOR AGE 15+ MAY CONTAIN COARSE LANGUAGE PAGE 04 PAGE 05 BRISBANE COMEDY FESTIVAL AT AT FESTIVAL COMEDY BRISBANE “uncanny impersonations, entertaining observations- MATT OKINE Neel has been making waves in THE HAT GAME the Aussie comedy scene... and can’t be described as anything short of a star.” ««««« POWERHOUSE BRISBANE From a young age, Matt's dad taught him how to get the most PRESENTED BY THIS IS RADELAIDE BRISBANE COMEDY FESTIVAL out of the slurpee machine. You gotta tap and shake the cup. AND CENTURY BRISBANE POWERHOUSE BRISBANE Expel the air. Work it like a conga drum... These are the things DATE Thu 01–Sun 04 Mar our teachers never taught us. TIME Thu 7pm, Fri + Sat 7.45pm, Sun 6.45pm It’s been a massive 12 months for Matt Okine. You could not miss VENUE Powerhouse Theatre, him in 2017 when he wrote and starred in his very own hit series Brisbane Powerhouse TICKETS Thu + Sun $35, Fri + Sat $39 The Other Guy on Stan, along with hosting his own cooking show on + transaction fee of $5.95 ABC, Shortcuts to Glory and touring the country with his live stand-up SUITABLE FOR AGE 15+ AT FESTIVAL COMEDY BRISBANE show. Don’t miss seeing Matt Okine live in 2018. CONTAINS COARSE LANGUAGE “Okine is an outstanding storyteller.” ««««« THE MUSIC JEFF GREEN NEEL KOLHATKAR 30 LIVE Celebrating thirty years and numerous Neel is back with some of his best new awards, best-selling books, TV specials and material and some old faves! sold out West End runs, Jeff Green is at the Since skyrocketing to Internet stardom and height of his comedy powers. subsequently earning one million+ followers Jeff brings his latest, laughter-packed show to world-wide, Neel has continued to build an Brisbane Comedy Festival – don’t miss ‘one of impressive live following. Don't miss one of the greats’ (Herald UK) in this very special 30th Australia's best, live on stage. anniversary performance. PRESENTED BY BRISBANE COMEDY FESTIVAL AND FRONTIER COMEDY PRESENTED BY BRISBANE COMEDY FESTIVAL AND FRONTIER COMEDY DATE Sat 10 Mar TIME 9.30pm DATE Fri 09–Sun 11 Mar VENUE Powerhouse Theatre, Brisbane Powerhouse TIME Fri + Sat 8.45pm, Sun 7.45pm TICKETS $30 + transaction fee of $5.95 VENUE Turbine Studio, Brisbane Powerhouse TICKETS Fri + Sun $35 (f), $30 (c), Sat $35 SUITABLE FOR AGE 16+ + transaction fee of $5.95 CONTAINS COARSE LANGUAGE SUITABLE FOR AGE 15+ CONTAINS COARSE LANGUAGE PAGE 06 PAGE 07 BRISBANE COMEDY FESTIVAL AT AT FESTIVAL COMEDY BRISBANE DEANNE SMITH TOMMY LITTLE WORTH IT THE LAST KING OF STUPID Your favourite Barry-nominated Canadian/ Tommy Little is as stupid as they come.