Google the term ‘stand-up comedy clubs’ and you’ll be presented with images of comedians in front of red curtains and brick walls. But why? Why are these backdrops so ubiquitous with the comedy industry? Quite simply, it’s the combination of utility and humble beginnings. Red Curtains Stand-up comedy originates from the stages of Vaudeville. Borrowed from the French and modified …
7 grads with shows at the 2022 Melbourne International Comedy Festival
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 …
101: Tom Siegert – Fighting for Comedy
Comedian Tom Siegert got his comedy spark at the Gershwin Room in St Kilda. His muse was the legendary comedian Greg Fleet. Today, Tom’s an established comedian in his own right, having performed on TV and at comedy festivals around Australia, as well as hosting his own podcast, Good Banter, with fellow comedian Evan Hocking. In this Hard Knock Knocks …
097: Lewis Spears – The consummate professional behind the ‘Spears’ brand
By dying, Prince Phillip helped sell out comedian Lewis Spears’ last week of his Melbourne International Comedy Festival (MICF) show. Morbid, yes. But also, totally on brand. And totally orchestrated. Yes, mainstream media, like the Daily Mail who called Spears a monster, was played by this true professional. In this Hard Knock Knocks podcast interview, host Steve Davis delves deep …
Comedy school builds comedy hub in South Melbourne
There’s a new stand-up comedy venue in Melbourne, and it’s ‘south of the river’! It’s the ‘The Rubber Chicken‘, and it aims to be Australia’s first comedy hub. Those familiar with Melbourne’s comedy scene will recognise the names of comedy disruptor, Morry Morgan. Since 2016, the Morry has been helping build Melbourne’s stand-up comedy industry, first with his stand-up comedy …