The Hard Knock Knocks Comedy School is coming up to our tenth year of coaching stand-up comedy, and one thing we know for sure, graduates are super keen to perform at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, ASAP. But are they ready? Performing a ‘tight five‘ at a Hard Knock Knocks Comedy School graduation is one thing. Performing over multiple nights …
Each year close to 1000 amateur comedians compete in the Melbourne International Comedy Festival’s Raw Comedy competition. Getting past a heat is an accomplishment, but winning a State Final to get into Raw Comedy National Final is incredible. And Hard Knock Knocks graduates have done just that. Six times! Stella Wu – Graduated May 2023 Stella Wu graduated from the …
Delhi Buoy, the comedic alias of Indian-born South Australian, Chetan Singh, took out Runners Up at the Raw Comedy National Finals at the 2022 Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Alexandra Hudson from New South Wales and Bron Lewis from Queensland were awarded joint-winners. The double act was a Raw Comedy first. He may not have taken gold, but it was a …
The Melbourne International Comedy Festival (MICF) is the largest stand-alone comedy festival in the world, and the second-largest international comedy festival on the planet. Typically running for four weeks from March through April, it plays host to thousands of the best local and international comedians. A good chunk of those comedians are alumni from our very own Hard Knock Knocks …
The Australian comedy circuit is tough. Unlike the US, where large comedy-club-supporting cities are separated by a few hours drive, it can take a day, or longer to get to the next audience in Oz. Worst still, these towns (yes, normally towns), are not linked by air, but by long, boring single lane roads and zero visual inspiration. How to …
The audio interview of this transcript with Gavin Sempel is available here. Morry: Comedian Gavin Sempel is one of the hardest working new comics in Australia. At the age of 18, in March 2016, Gavin Sempel began his stand up comedy career by enrolling in the very first Hard Knock Knocks course. Two years later, almost to the day, he’s …
Australian comedian Gavin Sempel is one of the hardest working new comedians in Australia. At the age of 18, in March 2016, Gavin began his stand-up comedy career by enrolling in the very first Hard Knock Knocks course. Two years later, almost to this day, he’s done close to 300 open mic, curated, and paid gigs all around Australia. Last …
BUNGEE JUMPING, PARACHUTING and stand-up comedy. These are possibly the three most legally terrifyingly activities that one can do today, and yet, with the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in full swing, the city is crawling with hundreds of comic masochists. So what makes them do it? What makes someone leave a perfectly safe seat, climb onto a stage, grab a microphone …
