Is there anything better than an event that sends you home with a good laugh? We think not.
For the nights when you want to be sent home with a good laugh rather than a hangover, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2019 (25 to 28 September 2019) has you covered – and we have the highlights from the highly-anticipated lineup.
Becky Lucas
Unexpected punchlines and non-sequiturs punctuate this performer’s act, garnering tons of rave reviews to show for it. Becky Lucas’ effortlessly hilarious wit takes on observations of modern life with unabashed snark, which put her on Buzzfeed’s list of 27 funniest Australian comedians and on Australian television as a regular. Many reviews peg her as a millennial icon in the circuit, but while her skits do draw upon her experience as a young woman in the current age, her brand of laughs transcends age groups and is sure to impress, even when she doesn’t mean to.
Aaron Chen
Aaron Chen has the ability to take seemingly undramatic anecdotes down an unexpected path to humour, all the while ensuring that his punchlines are universally funny. It’s no wonder that this Sydney native comes straight from a sold-out show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe season, and has amassed a slew of awards including the Melbourne International Comedy Festival’s Best Newcomer (2017) and Directors’ Choice Award (2016, 2019). His unpredictable quirkiness and awkward manner seems to be the key to fooling the crowd into underestimating his wit (spot the joke there if you’ve watched his shows), and he plays that card well.
Brennan Reece
This English stand-up started out strong, earning a nomination for the Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer during his early years. Slightly rom-com obsessed (if his stories of heartbreak and looking for his ideal girl are any indication), his gift of enthusiastic gab draws you in with often rhyming prose. We think the relatability of his content (romantic failures are commonplace in life, after all) also has a hand in enabling him to find an equally romance-minded niche audience that hangs on to his every word.
Fakkah Fuzz
Known for regional-centric jokes and controversial humour (a gutsy move in Singapore), Fakkah Fuzz is the first Singaporean who has had the honour of being featured in his own Netflix comedy special. With two wins at the ‘Stand Up for Singapore’ comedy competition and a headlining act at ‘Comedy Club Asia’ under his belt, he’s one of the most well-known local stand-ups, and we’re curious to find out what he has up his sleeves at this international LOL fest.
Ben Knight
Teacher turned comedian Ben Knight wears so many hats we’re surprised he doesn’t make it a must-have for his stage outfits. Also an actor and musician, he’s known to mesh tales from his days as a teacher (a job that seems to provide much material for sketches, it seems) with a casual smattering of jokes to bring the audience one laughter-inducing song. His delivery epitomises that laid-back vibe that Aussies are known for, and his crooning of punchlines somehow makes his clever quips all the more hilarious. Besides, poking fun at idle parents and school yard stereotypes never gets old, amirite?
Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2019, 25 to 28 September 2019, KC Arts Centre, 20 Merbau Rd, #01 – 13, Singapore 239035
This post is in partnership with Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
