Experience some of the most memorable and joyously unexpected shows at the 40th Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
From March 25 to April 19, the city will load up on laughs when the Melbourne International Comedy Festival takes over town for its 40th year. The jam-packed program features hundreds of shows from long-time festival favourites, international guests and comedy’s rising stars.
We are pleased to offer Age subscribers 2-for-1* tickets to selected sessions of a curation of funny and inspiring performances.
You can redeem your 2-for-1 tickets to the eligible shows via this link here. You can also view the list of eligible shows below.
Abby Wambaugh (USA/Denmark) | The First 3 Minutes Of 17 Shows
The First 3 Minutes of 17 Shows sees Abby exploring her talent for a wide range of comedy styles in this one-person variety show, including potential hits like ‘Old Man Learns Parkour’ and a very long impression of the number nine – a setup that explores gender, pregnancy, loss and creativity, and uncovers a deeper story about the value of beginnings that don’t necessarily have a middle or an end. BUY TICKETS.
Chloe Petts (UK) | Big Naturals
Taking a deep dive into her upbringing at the height of lad culture, Chloe Petts brings a brand-new show to Australia. From fronting a Christian rock band, to accidents on the golf course, join Chloe for her most loutish hour yet. Chloe was acclaimed as one of the top comedy shows to see at the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe by multiple titles including The Guardian, The Times, Evening Standard, The Scotsman, Edinburgh Evening News and Time Out. BUY TICKETS.
Ali Mcgregor | Late Night Variety Nite Night
For nearly two decades Ali McGregor’s Late-Nite Variety-Nite Night has entertained audiences at Melbourne International Comedy Festival. With a different lineup each night hand-picked from the biggest comedy acts, sexiest burlesque, heart-stopping cabaret and jaw-dropping circus from across the Festival, the cult variety show offers something for everybody. Curated by Ali herself, the night draws some of the most surprising performances and a truly unique night out. BUY TICKETS.
Featuring Peter Josip (VIC), Bahaa Dabbagh (VIC), Stella Wu (NSW), Jack Knight (QLD) and Kushi Venkatesh (SA) | Comedy Zone
Comedy Zone is celebrating its 26th year showcasing Australia’s next-gen comedy superstars! Don’t miss your chance to see the rising stars set to become ‘the next big things’ in comedy. BUY TICKETS.
David O’Doherty (Ireland) | Highway To The David Zone
A new opus from the hairy Enya, the Ryanair Bublé, the nine volt battery-powered Beethoven. Talking, songs, talking during songs, talking while walking around – it’s got the lot. BUY TICKETS.
Ed Knight (UK) | Your Old Mucker
As seen on Melbourne International Comedy Festival Gala (ABC) and Comedy Central’s Roast Battle (Comedy Central). Underrated, pathetic wretch Ed Night returns with a sizzling new hour of mischievous, self-aware and utterly gratifying comedy. Following sold-out runs at Edinburgh Fringe and London’s Soho Theatre, the Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Show Nominee shares endearing tales of the fragile and penniless adulthood experience, including rent haggling, cheap coffee and eccentric grandparents with a penchant for multipurpose biscuit tins. BUY TICKETS.
Emmanuel Sonubi (UK) | Life After Near Death
Emmanuel Sonubi survived heart failure and lived to… write a show about it! Following a sold-out run at the 2025 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, UK comedy powerhouse and two-time Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee returns to Melbourne with an hilarious and heartfelt show. A deeply personal, refreshingly honest and outrageously funny take on life after surviving heart failure, facing the cause of trauma and finding unexpected comedy in life’s toughest moments. BUY TICKETS.
Ian Smith [UK] | Foot Spa Half Empty
Two-time Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee Ian Smith makes his Australian solo debut with his critically acclaimed new show about stress, love and buying a magic spell off Amazon. BUY TICKETS.
Josie Long [UK] | Now Is The Time Of Monsters
A new show about extinct, gigantic, charismatic, megafauna from three-time Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee, and very good comedian Josie Long. In these troubled times, in this wicked world, it can feel like apocalypse is everywhere, but did you know 11,000 years ago there were some really big armadillos? Josie is back with a new show about discovery, wonder, extinction and how to walk through a landscape of monstrous disaster. There is also a good tip about silt, guaranteed. BUY TICKETS.
Lara Ricote (USA/Mexico) | Inkling
You know when stuff happens to you and then you act in a certain way (read: cry) and you figure out how you feel cause of how you reacted? A man was mean to me in a museum in March (classic) and I’ve gotten a lot out of it (hell yeah). My stupidest and smartest show yet (alright!). Inkling is a show about how confusing it is to be alive and how wonderful that might be (ok?). Can’t wait to do it for you in Australia (i am serious). Lara Ricote returns to Australia with an hour of exceedingly surreal oddball musings! BUY TICKETS.
Luke McQueen (UK) | Comedian’s Comedian
Critically acclaimed comedy maverick Luke McQueen makes his Australian debut with a mischievously funny show. After years of being overlooked by The Comedian’s Comedian Podcast, Luke has stopped waiting for the invitation – using artificial intelligence, he’s recording the episode himself. Live. Part stand-up show, part psychological breakdown, Comedian’s Comedian is an exploration of ambition, artificial intelligence and if we can still find honesty in the digital age. Join Luke as he sits down for an in-depth, no-holds-barred conversation about his journey through the world of comedy. The highs. The even highers. The moments he won’t let you forget. This is the definitive interview – the one he’s been mentally rehearsing for the last decade – and you’re invited to witness it in real time. Except… something’s off. BUY TICKETS.
Mark Watson (UK) | 20 Years Of Doing My Absolute Bloody Best
It was in 2006 that the then clean-shaven, even skinnier Mark Watson stepped nervously onstage for the first time at what would become his favourite festival. Twenty years later, his Melbourne shows have taken in sin, death, fatherhood, divorce, identity theft, alcoholism, a massive passport problem, life expectancy, Google and many more things, in amongst an unusual amount of ad-libbing and waving his arms about. Here, Mark attempts to piece together the best routines from his notable Melbourne International Comedy Festival career – while reviving some bits that might not work at all any more. BUY TICKETS.
Mike Rice (Ireland) | Cruel Little Man
Irish rising star Mike Rice makes his Melbourne debut with a rapid-fire hour of darkly twisted storytelling. The Kilkenny native talks about trying psychedelics with his brother, an entanglement with a Spanish sausage dog named Nino, and many other such rotten adventures. BUY TICKETS.
Featuring Christopher Macarthur-Boyd, Sharon Wanjohi & Thor Stenhaug | New Order
Want to see three of the UK’s hottest young comedians in one massive show? NEW ORDER brings you the best of the UK comedy scene, live in Melbourne! We’ve done a deep dive to find out who’s lighting up stages across the UK. From fan favourites at Edinburgh Fringe, to stand-outs from Soho Theatre London, we’ve curated a lineup that UK comedy fans can’t stop talking about. BUY TICKETS.
Phil Wang (Malaysia/UK) | Uh Oh
Uh oh. Phil Wang’s back with a new stand-up show and he’s older than ever before. He’s got a moustache now. It bristles with wisdom. His eyes shine with good humour. His shoulders groan under the weight of being the only cool millennial left. Everyone’s an idiot but him. Nice is out. Right is in. The vibe shift is real. Old Wang’s riding it. BUY TICKETS.
Prashasti Singh (India) | Divine Feminine
Indian stand-up star Prashasti Singh makes her Melbourne International Comedy Festival debut with Divine Feminine, her acclaimed hour of sharply observed stand-up. Prashasti always wanted to live the life of a man. Inching towards 40, but pretending to be 30, she can finally mark this dream complete. But instead of happiness, she finds herself pondering if it’s worth the price? In her brand-new stand-up show, Prashasti questions all her life choices and meticulously assigns blame to the women and men who shaped her into this being. BUY TICKETS.
Rich Hall (USA) | Chin Music
‘Chin Music’ has two meanings. One is idle talk. The other is a brushback throw in baseball to intimidate the batter. Both describe Rich’s comedy. Idle but punchy. Spikey, quick, splenetic and sublimely funny. If you’ve never seen him, you need to grab a seat because he never disappoints. Ever. BUY TICKETS.
Sam Jay (USA) | We The People
In her Australian solo debut, Sam Jay explores how a black woman who never truly felt a part of her country might grapple with its certain demise. BUY TICKETS.
Sam Nicoresti (UK) | Baby Doomer
Following a breakout run at Edinburgh Fringe which scooped the Best Show award, delusional queer icon Sam Nicoresti brings a glistening diamond hour of stand-up about love, insanity and the hunt for the perfect skirt suit. From a sartorial emergency to the standing stones of Cornwall, through the seas of change, clothes and cats, Sam Nicoresti asks the vital question: does the perfect skirt suit even exist? BUY TICKETS.
Sarah Keyworth (UK) | Roll To Me: An Hour Of Crowd Work With Sarah Keyworth
Keys is back in Australia, but with something a bit different. Spend an hour with award-winning UK comedian Sarah Keyworth as they joke and gently meander their way through an evening of playful crowd work. Expect to chat. Expect to be surprised. Every hour is completely funny and completely different! BUY TICKETS.
Zainab Johnson (USA) | Toxically Optimistic
As seen on Hijabs Off (Amazon Prime stand-up special) and UPLOAD (Amazon Prime). Following her hit stand-up special Hijabs Off (Amazon Prime), Zainab Johnson returns to Melbourne toxically optimistic. The New Yorker’s bold new hour explores being charitable on dates and a surprising friendship with a wild animal. BUY TICKETS.
Terms & Conditions:
*The 2-for-1 ticket offer is available to Age digital subscribers and print subscribers with 2+ days of home delivery. This offer applies to selected performances of selected Melbourne International Comedy Festival shows and ends on April 19, 2026 or when the total allocation of 2-for-1 promotional tickets has been redeemed. Allocations per session are limited and subject to availability. Allocations per session are limited and subject to availability. The offer must be redeemed online and cannot be redeemed for cash.
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