I’m a little behind on my blogging, so I thought I’d write a rapid-fire review post to make sure all the great shows I’ve seen(that still have shows left) would get a plug. I’ve already posted about some great shows everyone should check out, including Wil Anderson, Alasdair Tremblay-Birchall, Hannah Gadsby, Anne Edmonds and Claire Hooper. Here are some other good’uns worth checking out:

FanFiction Comedy

These guys have been doing the festival for a few years and I’m glad I finally got to one of their shows. They write new stories for every show, so it’s different every time. They’ve perfected the art of comedy fan fiction writing and you should get some laughs even if you’re not familiar with the topic they’ve chosen (most often a movie or television show), although it is definitely funnier the more familiar you are with the topic. They also invite a guest comedian from the festival to write something each show, which can be a real treat (as was the case on the night I went, with Laura Davis‘s erotic infomercial fic blowing the others out of the water). If you follow them on twitter they will often post what fictions they will be writing and who the special guest will be so;that you;can make a last minute decision if there’s a fiction or comedian you HAVE to see.

Alan Brough and Casey Bennetto “The Narelles”

This is the only musical act I’ve seen this festival (although lots of acts have had a song), and it’s a great one! Being a brand new duo, they avoid the conundrum of the musical comedy act – some fans wanting to hear your old stuff (like other bands), and comedy fans wanting all-new material. They’ve created a great hour of hilarious music and comedy – pulling you into a world were The Narelles have been a fixture of the Melbourne music scene for decades. It felt so familiar; like I was watching a concert I’d been to when I was a 14-year-old punk rock fangirl, but through a comedy lens. I recommend this show to anyone with a passing interest in music!

Chimp Cop

This is the only sketch group I’ve been to this festival. Chimp Cop is a single story about an inner-city cop. It plays on all the tropes of sketch comedy and crime-shows to make for a fun show. It’s a little predictable, but I have to recommend this show for the sex scene; which I think has become my favourite bit of the festival.

Karl Chandler “World’s Greatest (and Best) Comedian”

This is a perfect show if you want a show with the classic set up/punch line style of comedy which is way out of comedy-vogue at the moment. Of course, Chandler has come up with a twist on the style – to invite another comedian to heckle and critique his performance. Another one that is different every night, this show will quickly dissolve into comedic banter and call-backs from earlier. Sometimes he’ll say who his guest is on Twitter or Facebook, but I’d recommend checking it out even if you don’t know the guest – it’s sure to the hilarious anyway, and you’ll get to discover someone new.

Tommy Dassalo “Cutie Pie”

The other half of the Little Dum Dum Club has put together a great hour of stand up. Heaps of fun, lots of throwbacks to growing up in the 90s with video stores and Super Mario Cart. I was just a few years too young for some of the references but it was still funny. I liked that Dassalo finished the show with some great material, instead of it just ending awkwardly like some other comedians have this year. This would make a great show to take someone new to stand up to.

Kate Dehnert “Pony Yell”

Dehnert’s show is weird, and really not everyone’s cup of tea (Dad just didn’t get it). It’s a one-woman theatre performance about a postal worker and her pony colleague. If that seems weird, it gets stranger every minute. It reminded me of a slightly funnier, slightly better performed year 12 drama solo, but I got some good laughs out of it and found her energy and performance impressive. The main reason it makes my list is because I want someone to see it as a triple feature along with Simon Keck (who I wrote about previously) and Ben Russell (below), and have their mind explode from all the crazy, confusing, weirdness.

Ben Russell “The Tokyo Hotel”

If the idea of a one-person, weird-ass comedy performance appeals to you (and you’re not keen on my triple-feature idea for some reason (and you should be because it’s totally the best idea ever and you should do it)), I’d probably recommend The Tokyo Hotel over Pony Hell. It’s weird, but has some great characters and great jokes. Again it vaguely reminded me of a better, funnier year 12 solo (especially for the use of the door prop), but it’s certainly good for a late-night mind-fuck.

There’s heaps of great stuff on, so get amongst it and enjoy the final week of the festival!