30 funny women to see at this year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival - Women's Agenda

30 funny women to see at this year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival

This year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival features a record number of performers, and you might be struggling to narrow down your “must see” list from the chock-a-block festival program.  To help you, here’s a list of some great, funny women you should see.

From the ‘who’s that?’ to the ‘who’s who’ there is something for everyone. Whether cabaret is your thing or you prefer off-kilter stand up, here’s a (by no means comprehensive) guide to women at this year’s comedy festival.

  1. Kate Dehnert: After her high-energy debut show Noise Adventure introduced audiences to Dehnert’s unique brand of breathless music comedy her new show Pony Yell takes a slightly different approach. In this narrative show Dehnert plays a lazy postie in a parallel universe and her trusty sidekick – a pony with a bad back.
  2. Nellie White: White’s previous show titles have included The One Handed Show: An Introduction To PornographyThe Shitty Carer and Would A Whore Bring Cake? So, expect her new show Idiot Dick to be a little wrong, but oh-so hilarious.
  3. Victoria Healy: Promising her most personal show of her five year stand up career, Healy is a talented observational comic who’s show Get In Line is about waiting – for the big stuff and the small stuff.
  4. Becky Lucas: Making the RAW comedy finals in 2013, Lucas’ show High Tide explores enduring friendships. Wil Anderson once said she was so talented he would “want to destroy her if he didn’t like her so much.”
  5. Wander Women: A three-woman sketch show exploring the trials and tribulations of international travel from exploding toothpaste tubes to whether or not to roll or fold when packing –something for even the most seasoned overseas traveller.
  6. Laura Davis: No stranger to rave reviews, the comedian’s comedian Laura Davis is worth a look in at her late-night, underground spectacular Ghost Machine
  7. Zoe Coombs Marr: Zoe Coombs Marr plays Dave in this drag, stand-up show of the same name. Dave doesn’t seem like the kind of guy you might want to spend an evening with, but Marr certainly is. She’s only on for two nights so don’t miss her! Or him!
  8. Sarah Bennetto: Bennetto decided this comedy festival that she would stage her own funeral, so Sarah Bennetto’s Funeral is exactly what it says on the box – her funeral – eulogy and all. As she says “if you want something done right, you better do it yourself.”
  9. Claire Sullivan: Seeing Claire Sullivan perform is a little dangerous and the descriptor “madcap” has never been more apt. Her new show Space Cadet is part-play, part-stand up, part-journey into space.
  10. Clem Bastow: Bastow is probably better known to Women’s Agenda readers for her feminist musings but perhaps less for her stand up. Her show Escape from L.A. brings her self-deprecating humour to stage and explores the two years she spent living in L.A. trying to make it as a screenwriter.
  11. Sarah Kendall: Australian comic Kendall spends most of her time being adored in London, and occasionally comes back to our shores to share a unique and genius stand up show. This year her show A Day In October sees her sharp observations focussed in on a particularly disastrous pool party she attended in 1989.
  12. Deanne Smith: Canadian/American Deanne Smith has a reputation for creating something unique for each night of her show. Get Into It is Smith at her understated best.
  13. Tessa Waters: At last year’s Fringe Festival Tessa Waters spent the closing night standing on stage being showered with awards.  Fresh from touring her show Womanz to both Perth and Adelaide, now is your chance to see her amazing physical comedy exploring sexuality and gender.
  14. Sarah Pascoe: Pascoe debuted her particular brand of comedy in 2014 and if you saw her, you’ll be so glad she’s back. Her show Sarah Pascoe v History looks at the evolution of sexuality and promises to be great, yet again.
  15. Urzila Carlson: Poise Control is South African ex-pat (now living in NZ) Carlson’s third festival show. She’s massive in NZ, so we’re likely to claim her as our own by the end of the festival.
  16. Gillian Cosgriff: Winner of Melbourne Fringe Festival’s Best Cabaret, Cosgriff’s brand new show Whelmed is all about coping. Set to music.
  17.  Ali McGregor: McGregor is a god-send for parents wanting to enjoy the comedy festival this year with her family-friendly variety show CabHOOray. She also has a show for older audiences with her Late-Nite Variety-Nite Night running for its ninth year.
  18.  Beau Heartbreaker: Beau Heartbreaker is an endearing bloke played by talented comic Selina Jenkins. She’s won awards, received rave reviews and if you don’t like it, she offers a money-back guarantee.
  19.  Geraldine Hickey: Hickey’s show Listen out for the Castenets is about a time she found herself in a confronting situation and was forced to do something about it. She’s hilarious, sardonic and very likeable.
  20.  Effie: For two shows only you can revisit the 80s with Mary Coustas’ legendary creation Effie. In her show A Date With Effie everyone’s favourite second-generation Greek Australian is looking for love (and child support).
  21. Fiona O’Loughlin: O’Loughlin’s Australian Story on ABC last year explored a less funny side of her life that many may not have known about: her struggles with alcohol and her decision to leave her family to move to Melbourne. Her show, The One Where She Left Her Husband and Moved to Melbourne is all about that move and promises one of Australia’s biggest comics at her most raw, and most hilarious.
  22. Em Rusciano: Rusciano is practically everywhere right now. Whether it’s on the small screen, in your twitter feed or writing for your favourite websites, she’s now on your comedy festival stage too. The Motherload is an honest look at parenting, with swearing.
  23.  Judith Lucy: Her ABC hit show Judith Lucy Is All Woman was a unique and fun look at modern feminism. Audiences haven’t seen her on stage for three years, so will be chomping at the bit to see her latest offering. Inspired to write it after what was a truly awful year for Lucy Ask No Questions of the Moth is sure to sell out.
  24. Celia Pacquola: Pacquola performed her show Let Me Know How It All Works Out at last year’s festival and everyone loved it so much she’s doing it again. If you missed it the first time around, don’t make the same mistake. It really is a superb hour of stand-up from Australia’s biggest rising star.
  25. Anne Edmonds: Every festival year “Eddo” brings her observations to the stage to a bigger and bigger audience. Promising to be her best festival run yet – You Know What I’m Like is all about eavesdropping. Or more accurately what Edmonds hears while eavesdropping.
  26.  Nina Conti: Almost single-handedly keeping the art of ventriloquism alive for modern audiences, Conti’s In Your Face is an interactive new show where she picks audience members to don her unique ventriloquism mask – anything could happen.
  27. Denise Scott: For four shows only, Scott’s Barry award-winning Mother Bare is back for a second run. Great, honest story telling from one of Australia’s living legends.
  28.  Jen Kirkman: Making her debut at MICF in 2014, Kirkman may be best known to comedy fans as a writer for late-night show Chelsea Lately and her appearance on the hysterical Drunk Histories. Her show I’m Gonna Die Alone (And I Feel Fine) explores her ineptness at relationships but love of being alone.
  29. Josie Long:  Mostly known for her insightful political comedy, Long’s new show Cara Josephine is decidedly more personal exploring heartbreak and childhood. According to independent analysis it was the best-reviewed show at last year’s Edinburgh Festival and you can’t argue with independent data analysis!

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