Melbourne’s comedy calendar is about to add a new kind of headline. Not a gala. Not a late night showcase. But a serious industry gathering for the people who make comedy happen. The Business of Comedy Conference will run from Thursday 16 to Saturday 18 April 2026 at Crowne Plaza Melbourne, timed to coincide with the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. …
Are you thinking to enter Raw Comedy 2026? Registrations are now open, so click here. Got no idea what Raw Comedy is? Well, what you should know is that Raw Comedy is Australia’s largest amateur comedy competition for, well, raw comedians. And by ‘raw’ the competition’s organisers mean you’ve not earned more than $500 total from comedy – ever. In …
Photo: Eddie PerfectPhoto Credit: Melbourne International Comedy Festival / Jim Lee Photo So how do you get to perform at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival (MICF) in 2026? Is it invite only? Do you need to know the mayor? Is a bribe required? The good news for Australians and New Zealanders is that anyone can perform – without a bribe. …
Konrad from ‘Punter’s Politics’ brings his sharp political insights and irreverent humour to Melbourne International Comedy Festival in a show that promises to dissect the absurdity of Australian politics like never before. Known for his no-nonsense takes and relatable style, Konrad combines wit, satire and laugh-out-loud moments as he tackles the big issues – from Canberra chaos to the quirks of Aussie life. Whether …
(Updated August 6, 2025) Not all rooms are ‘open mic’. Many are curated, meaning you need to have your name ‘on the bill’ days or even weeks before getting up. So reach out (probably via Facebook) before popping down to the following comedy rooms and expecting to perform your ‘tight five‘. Or better still, create your own open mic comedy …
Three alumni of the Hard Knock Knocks comedy school have beaten close to a thousand amateur comedians to compete in the National Raw Comedy final at the Melbourne Town Hall on April 14, 2024. The three were chosen alongside nine others selected from all of Australia’s States and Territories, making up the final 12. What’s incredible is the speed at …
Before they started digging the Metro Tunnel, there was a statue of Burke and Wills at the corner of Collins and Swanston Streets. It was right next to the Melbourne Town Hall, the centre of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and arguably the stand-up comedy centre of Australia. Aussie Schadenfreude Burke and Wills are famous for not only going where no …
How well do you know comedian Jeff Green? Well did you know that for the 1994 Perrier Awards, one of the highest achievements in comedy, Jeff was narrowly pipped at the post by Aussies Lano & Woodley? This only spurred him on. In 1996 Jeff appeared on his own stand-up show Jeff Green Live, recorded London’s Her Majesty’s Theatre, and consequently shown …
Each of the guides on Channel 9’s TV show Travel Guides got coached by the Hard Knock Knocks comedy school with each of the travel guides not only learning the basics of stand-up comedy, but also performing a final presentation to a live audience! Watch the show: There’s many reasons why you should learn stand-up comedy with the Hard Knock …
