Category: MICF 2020

Cancellation of MICF 2020

We at Squirrel Comedy are gutted at the news that this years Melbourne International Comedy Festival (amongst many other large public events) has been cancelled due to health concerns. Our Hearts go out to all the performers, producers, the tech people and support crew. Everyone who worked so hard and put their time, energy, love and money into creating a super, fabulous Festival.

Here is a statement from Festival Director Susan Provan:

Following the Prime Minister’s announcement about non-essential mass gatherings, we have made the very difficult decision to cancel the 2020 Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

The success of our Festival is in the way that comedy transforms our city for the inspiration and entertainment of hundreds of thousands of comedy lovers.

Our primary concern is the health and welfare of our artists and participants, staff and audiences. Cancelling the Festival is heartbreaking but the only decision possible to support the community’s efforts to slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).

We’re devastated by the news but thank everyone for their understanding and support.

Ticketholders will be notified shortly regarding refunds.

No decision has been made about the Melbourne Comedy Festival Roadshow, due to commence in late April.

If you’re healthy, while you can, please support the local comedy rooms. If you find yourself stuck at home, almost all of the performers who were to appear at the festival have some content online (be it videos, podcasts, etc) for you to enjoy. If you can, throw them a buck or two as all performers have invested large amounts of time and money into the preparation of their shows. In some cases this Festival is often their main source of income and they help make Melbourne a top festival city and tourist destination.

So everyone stay safe and hygenic out there. We all need a laugh in these trying times.

5 Good Reasons to see Cressida Bradley in Up The Pole

1. It’s a true story about awful dates, bad sex and fabulous friends. We’ll share a laugh about my life and then you’ll thank god it’s not yours.

2. There are plenty of call backs. Who doesn’t love a tasty call back?

3. The show’s at The Motley Bauhaus – the coolest, cosiest venue at the festival.

4. See reason two.

5. You’re going to feel stuff in this show and it’s going to feel good (well, that’s what usually happens, unless you’re dead inside, look trust me, just come, it’s going to be a blast).

Up The Pole is on at The Motley Bauhaus from April 7 to April 19
https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2020/shows/up-the-pole

5 Good Reasons to see Jen Mackie & Maddie Parker in Live. Laugh. Love.

5. Kath and Kim hasn’t aged as well as you would have liked.
Live. Laugh. Love. is a huge nod to our four mothers: Kath, Kim, Prue, Trude. We live, we stan, we die, duh. But even though the show is a cultural icon, and a perfect work of flawless female comedy, it’s a snapshot in time. Jan and Marie are the woke versions of Kath and Kim, with a little more cultural capital and a little more chianti. It’s the 2020 update Kath and Kim fans need.

4. Female Friendship is very *now*
Tina and Amy. Kirsten and Maya. Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan Quartet, if you’re bookish. And now: Jan and Marie. Jan and Marie are best friends whose support of each other to be the best versions of themselves is borderline aggressive. And frankly, the same goes for their creators, Maddie and Jen.

3. It’s different every time (unlike normal, boring comedy)
You can see any number of shows at MICF that are the same night after night, but Jan and Marie have whole swathes of the show that are made up on the spot, based on life advice questions from the audience. That means you could come and see the show multiple times and have a totally different experience. Heck, you could even get completely conflicting advice on the same issue.

2. Your pelvic floor is still intact.
No matter how many kegels you’re doing, you know that prolapse will come for all of us. If you can still laugh without too much pee coming out, run, don’t walk to our show. Jan and Marie have had to stock up on incontinence pads because they’re just having too much fun to hold in their wees on stage.

1. Your life is a mess.
Jan and Marie have answered questions like “How do I keep the spark alive in my marriage”, “My sister’s baby is ugly, what should I do?” and “How do I convince my much younger colleagues that I’m cool?” and they have never got it wrong. Every morsel of advice they have dispensed has been gold, and anyone who thinks they’ve been led astray has been wrong. Break up with your therapist; ask Jan and Marie how to solve your problems instead. They’ve got a LOT of opinions.

Live. Laugh. Love. is on at Tasma Terrace from April 6 to April 19
https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2020/shows/live-laugh-love

5 good reasons to see Fishlace Jones in Masterclasser

1. “I don’t go to work thinking, ‘Right, I’m going to be more Heart-Throbby today.’” Kit Harington

2. “Acting is standing up naked and turning around very slowly.” Rosalind Russell

3. “I’m a skilled professional actor. Whether or not I’ve any talent is beside the point.” Micahel Caine

4. “I think the best way to become a character is by osmosis as opposed to thinking drectly about stuff.” Theo James.

5. “People who speak in metaphors should shampoo my crotch.” Jack Nicholson

Masterclasser is on at Crowded In The Vaults from March 30 to April 5
https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2020/shows/fishlace-jones-masterclasser

5 Good Reasons to see Caili Christian & Katrina Fleming in Queenagers

1. We talk about sex.

2. You’ll laugh your tits off.

3. You’ll learn stuff.

4. One of us can sing.

5. If there’s ever a time to revel in the joy of being a woman, now is that time.

Queenagers is on at Tasma Terrace from April 13 to April 19
https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2020/shows/queenagers

5 Good Reasons to see Hannah Camilleri in Coming

1. This is Hannah’s third show at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and third time’s the charm. Let Hannah charm your socks off this year.

2. No two shows are exactly the same. Like a snowflake or a potato chip, every show has it’s quirks and nuances.

3. This is a wild, one woman show. Every character, every situation- it’s all Hannah, so you don’t have to worry that you thought you had picked a one woman show only to find men on stage, ’cause they’ll be characters!

4. Get transported to fantastical new lands by the dulcet tones of Hannah’s vocal cords vibrating and their ability to morph into various voices.

5. This show is conveniently on at 6pm right in the CBD so you can finish your stressful day at work, have 50 minutes of belly laughs and then fill those now empty bellies with delicious food, ready for a big night of comedy. Start your night right with this show!

Coming is on at Crowded at The Croft from March 25 to April 4
https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2020/shows/coming