TOP PICKS FOR MICF 2022
The cream of the comedy crop
It’s late March, and you know what that means: nearly time for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. This year will bring comedy fans a wide array of brilliant shows to coax laughter from even the most clinically depressed sufferer of a terminal illness. Here are my TOP PICKS that everyone should go see at this year’s MICF.
Matt Hempenstall, “What A Palaver”
Hempenstall is one of the most unique comic voices to come out of the thriving Bulimba scene in recent years. Performing the entire hour from behind a large fridge, his observations on the petty frustrations of everyday life stand out from other comedians’ routines due to the sheer volume of obscenity with which he peppers every sentence. The finale of this carefully-honed show, in which Hempenstall personally threatens several well-known media figures with acts of violence, is a stunner.
Jackelope Staircase, “Mrs Garibaldi’s Bandolero”
This exciting new British sketch troupe specialise in absurdist situations and high-pitched whistling noises. In this raucous show, revolving around a delightfully bonkers murder mystery at the fictional Testicle Manor, Jackelope Staircase’s twenty-nine talented members show off their gift for physical comedy and hilarious fourth-wall-breaking arguments that you first assume are part of the show but gradually grow to realise are really happening, exposing deep fissures in the group that make the whole audience incredibly uncomfortable. Not to be missed.
Daniel Speck, “Just a Young Bloke”
Daniel Speck is a typical 20-year-old Aussie bloke, going through all the typical 20-year-old Aussie bloke experiences. You’ll be in stitches hearing him describe accurately events in his life while wearing a tight white t-shirt. Catch him now, as by next year’s festival Speck will be a huge name, having just signed a contract to appear on Have You Been Paying Attention for the next twenty years.
Havalera Ondulum, “I Pierced My Nipples For This?”
The trials and tribulations of modern womanhood are the subject of this show by rising star Ondulum, who has racked up writing credits on shows from The Feed to Survivor Australia. You’ll howl with laughter at her graphic depiction of the process of applying for a business loan, and groan with familiarity when she skewers the internal employee dispute resolution system at Ernst and Young. Don’t be put off by the poster: the show itself doesn’t contain any Con the Fruiterer references at all.
Asher Feck, “Foreskin Memories”
The world’s most controversial YouTuber is here to deliver his forthright opinions on everything from his critics to people who dislike him. Pulling no punches, barring no holds, and occasionally breaking off his monologue to play Fortnite, this is a must-see for anyone who finds Feck vaguely recognisable.
Wendy Bleeming, “Happiness Is A Warm Bun”
Wendy Bleeming has wowed audiences around the world with her bun-themed comedy, and for the first time she’s bringing it to Melbourne. Expect lots of jokes about buns, and then lots more jokes about buns.
The Aguirre The Wrath Of God Collective, “Stefanovic The Musical”
Turning the life of Karl Stefanovic into a musical is such a no-brainer it’s amazing it took this long to happen. The ATWOGC, best known for their web series “Tolstoy’s Turkey Slap”, bring the Stefanovic story to life in uproarious style, with toe-tapping tunes like “Twelve Months In The Same Suit” and “Fucken HOW Much, Lisa?” Bold directorial choices like the Guatemalan jungle setting and the title character being played with a thick Norwegian accent pay off in spades.
Bryan Knees, “Bloody Oath”
Knees has been around a while and seen some things, and he’s here to tell you all about what’s wrong with the modern world. Sharp and witty observations on the menace of teenagers with backwards hats and the difficulties of ordering food online give way in a startling mid-show pivot to an angry, heartfelt rant about the tyranny of clothes and the need for humanity to free itself from our fabric prisons. It will make you think about nudity in a very different way. The “Nanette” of this year.
Adam Hills, “My Struggle”
A festival veteran, Hills has once again shown his genius for reinvention by crafting a scintillating hour around his recent discovery that he is a Nazi. Hilarious and revelatory.
The Jerusalem Artichokes, “Bouncy Time”
Fans of thirtysomething white men pulling faces and hitting each other with inflatable hammers will be delighted by this show, from the creators of the recent Netflix hit, “The Jerusalem Artichokes Finger Themselves”. Directed by Rebel Wilson.