Category: MICF 2021

5 Good Reasons to see Alice Tovey Doggo

1. The show is about dogs. The universally loved best friend of humanity. This is reason enough to see the show. But I will give you 4 more because I like you very much, person reading this article. You have kind eyes and deserve the best.

2. You might see my butt. It is one of my top 10 greatest physical features (number 1 being my cheekbones. Modesty is for chumps).

3. If you come on the same night as my grandma, you get to meet her. Honestly, she’s the best.

4. To honour the life and times of Sir Michael Parkinson. If it were not for Parky, I wouldn’t exist. Honestly. My mum physically ran into Parkinson in a restaurant after my dad proposed. Mum and Mikey talked it all through and then boom, she said yes. 27 years later, I’m here baby! Thanks mate.

5. I am the funniest person to ever have lived.

Alice Tovey Doggo is on at The Butterfly Club April 2 – 11 at 7pm

Tickets available Here:     https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2021/shows/doggo

5 Good Reasons To See Alanta Colley On the Origin of Faeces

1. You are someone or know someone who poops.

2. You’ve ever pondered that bacteria might be cleverer than we give it credit for.

3. Your public school education taught you about the full cohort of great Australian bushrangers rather than any actual useful health stuff, and knowing how Captain Thunderbolt escaped Cockatoo Island isn’t helping you figure out if your poop is exceptional, normal, or you need to see a surgeon immediately.

4. You get upset when your stand up isn’t accompanied with a neatly labelled PowerPoint presentation.

5. You’re into evidence based comedy.

Alanta Colley  performs On the Origin of Faeces at The Butterfly Club 7pm Mar 29 – Apr 4

Tickets available here:
https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2021/shows/on-the-origin-of-faeces

5 Good Reasons to See Mina Harker: Monster Doctor

1. It’s a sequel…but it’s also completely stand-alone.

Mina Harker: Monster Doctor is actually a follow-up show to Innes Lloyd’s SELL-OUT smash-hit Dracula from last year’s MICF. So popular was our retelling of the literary classic that we decided to continue the adventures of our lead character. However considerable effort has been made to make this new show its own beast, so even if you missed Dracula you can still understand/enjoy what’s going on. That’s right you get the best of both worlds.

2. We have one brave, smart, compassionate and overall kick-ass hero.

Most screen interpretations of Mina Harker are pretty unimpressive, she is presented as an object to feast on or lust after. However upon reading her original incarnation in the novel Dracula, we found a strong, scientific and independent heroine. Innes Lloyd wanted to honour this original version and also reward her for over a hundred years of misrepresentation…so in our version she’s a Doctor.

3. We have not one, not two but five villains from literature and cinema.

That’s right…this time around our brave Dr Mina Harker is taking on the most notorious of the ‘Universal Monsters’: Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde, The Mummy, The Wolfman, The Invisible Man and Frankenstein!

4. They’ll be singing and dancing plus lots of fighting monsters…now that’s what I call a Triple Threat.

There will be Fun Facts! As is tradition with all Innes Lloyd shows there’s a healthy dose of quite interesting information that will be passed on to every audience member during the show.

Innes Lloyd presents Mina Harker: Monster Doctor at The Butterfly Club April 5 – 11. 8:30pm 

Tickets available here: https://thebutterflyclub.com/show/mina-harker-monster-doctor-2021

5 Good Reasons to See Completely Improvised Shakespeare


1. Seeing some Shakespeare after a plague season? Tis verily a VIBE!

2. Laughter is the best medicine. For lockdown blues. Not for COVID. Prithee…get vaccinated.

3. In the before times, the show was nominated for Best Comedy at Melbourne Fringe.

4. Every show is different, so you can return as oft as you like!

5. Everyone has been telling you that Shakespeare wrote King Lear during lockdown and stressing you out, but WE spent lockdown stress eating and playing games online and we will STILL make up a new masterpiece on the spot each night. Chew on that, Bill.

Completely Improvised Shakespeare is on at Trades Hall from April 5-18

Tickets available Here: 
https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2021/shows/soothplayers

5 Good Reasons To See Lauren Bok It’s A Long Way To The Bok (If You Wanna Sausage Roll)

1. The show is named after my favourite AC/DC song and my favourite savoury pastry. Bon Scott, the lead singer of AC/DC, was mates with my mum. She told me once that they had their own doctor that they used exclusively to treat the entire band and their groupies’ STDs. The 70s, man.

2. My first ever job was at Macdonald’s and I got paid 7.32 an hour. The 90s, man.

3. It opens with a fun burlesque number, so if a fine set of sparkly mammaries are the thing you want to see at 8.30pm, then I am your gal.

4. The show contains mime, which is the safest form of comedy in a pandemic world as it has no surface contact whatsoever. That doesn’t mean you can mime hand sanitising though!

5. At some point, you will see a giant inflatable vibrator in this show. I’m not going to give away when this will happen.

Lauren Bok It’s A Long Way To The Bok (If You Wanna Sausage Roll) is on at The Butterfly Club Apr 12-18

Tickets available Here:   https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2021/shows/it-s-a-long-way-to-the-bok-if-you-wanna-sausage-roll

MICF 2021 Shows we’ve previously Reviewed

Well.

Hello Everybodeeeee!

It’s been a while and we’ve been through the wars and semi hibernation and discovered online live comedy

BUT

isn’t it great to have live comedy back with us! We’re feeling pretty lucky to be able to have a Melbourne International Comedy Festival, much reduced though it will be. We are already pretty excited about so many shows (live and virtual) this year!

And Yes we will be going out to taste the delights of the Festival to report back on What’s Going On.

As always we begin our coverage with  a list of shows in this year’s festival that we have already seen, along with links to our thoughts about them. As usual we give the disclaimer that festival shows are ever evolving entities so they will certainly have changed since we sat in the audience.

Ali McGregor’s Late-Nite Variety-Nite Night

Here’s Lisa’s review from Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2016:

Always a wonderful way to catch some of the best quirky acts from the Melbourne International Comedy Festival handpicked by our gorgeous host.

https://www.squirrelcomedy.com/?p=9937

Ali McGregor’s Late-Nite Variety-Nite Night is on at The Famous Spiegeltent at Arts Centre Melbourne Fri – Sun throughout the Festival

https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2021/shows/ali-mcgregor-s-late-nite-variety-night

Best of British

Here’s James’ review from Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2017:

Down a quick pint, strap yourself in and go nuts. You’ll have a wonderful time.

https://www.squirrelcomedy.com/?p=11235

Best of British is on at Exford Hotel from March 24 to April 18

https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2021/shows/best-of-british

The Breast of the Fest

Here’s Jess’s review from Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2019:

It’s a refreshing show, with each of the comics bringing something different to the evening, but all bringing more than a few laughs.

https://www.squirrelcomedy.com/?p=13671

The Breast of the Fest is on at Trades Halle from March 25 to April 4

https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2021/shows/the-breast-of-the-fest

Faulty Towers The Dining Experience

Here is Ron’s review from Edinburgh Fringe 2008:

This was one of the most madcap and fun packed dining experiences I can recall. I laughed so hard my jaw is aching.

https://www.squirrelcomedy.com/?p=1633

Faulty Towers The Dining Experience is on at The Duke of Wellington Hotel from April 8 – 18
https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2021/shows/faulty-towers-the-dining-experience

Impromptunes : The Completely Improvised Musical

Here’s Hooi’s review from Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2018:

A charming show that showcases the improvisational and musical talents of the performers… absolutely engrossing.

https://www.squirrelcomedy.com/?p=12663

The Completely Improvised Musical is on at Trades Hall from April 5 to 18

https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2021/shows/impromptunes

Matt Harvey : I Got Bit by a Monkey Once

Here’s Peter’s review from Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2019:

Matt’s show is intimate and warm. It’s rather like listening to a friend telling you stories about their recent travels.

https://www.squirrelcomedy.com/?p=13806

I Got Bit by a Monkey Once is on at Caz Reitops Dirty Secrets from March 31 to April 11

https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2021/shows/matt-harvey

Scout Boxall : Good Egg

Here is Colin’s review from Melbourne Fringe 2019:

Scout has the funny bones to pull off anything vaguely comedic with an ease and comfort on stage…

https://www.squirrelcomedy.com/?p=14366

Good Egg is on at Trades Hall from March 25 to April 4

https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2021/shows/scout-boxall-good-egg

Southplayers: Completely Improvised Shakespeare

Here is Lisa’s review from Melbourne Fringe 2015:

A band of merrie players you can put your trust in for a fun night of storytelling and making stuffe up.

https://www.squirrelcomedy.com/?p=9433

Completely Improvised Shakespeare is on at Trades Hall from April 5 to 18
https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2021/shows/soothplayers