Climb aboard our vintage Volvo for this shameless comedic homage to the 1994 action thriller, Speed, the film which proved once and for all the best drama is on public transport.

After sell out seasons at Sydney Fringe and Perth Fringe World, this high-octane trip down the highway of 90s nostalgia makes an explosive return to the Brisbane Comedy Festival.

Warning: contains Hollywood-ish special effects and jokes about Keanu Reeves’ career.

Speed: The Movie, The Play
27 February – 22 March
The Labyrinth, Brisbane Powerhouse
www.brisbanecomedyfestival.com

This is every contiki tour that has ever gone wrong. This is Jumanji meets Absolutely Fabulous. No map, no shame, a little bit of Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson. Bring spare knickers, it’s going to be a very cool party.

TOP COMEDY PICK Ed Fringe 2019 (The Sunday Times, Scottish Daily Mail and METRO)
WINNER Directors’ Choice Award Melbourne Comedy Festival 2018

Double Denim Adventure Show
6 – 8 March 2020
Turbine Studio, Brisbane Powerhouse
www.brisbanecomedyfestival.com

Headlined by comedy festival veteran Dave Williams (“David Williams who has a Jim Carrey look and manner brings the house down” – USA Today), the Outback Comedy Gala hits the dusty road with Christine Basil (Melbourne International Comedy Festival, ABC-TV’s One Size Fits All), Ting Lim (“Funny, charming stuff” – The Heckler), and Craig Quartermaine (“A once in a lifetime show” – Australia Times).

The 2019 Outback Comedy Gala will visit 15 towns across central and western Queensland from 21 March to 13 April.

The tour kicks off in Cloncurry before heading to Boulia, Mount Isa, Ilfracombe, Jundah, Quilpie, Charleville, Cunnamulla, Blackall, Aramax, Alpha, Kaimkillenbun, Tara, Miles and Amamoor.

Presented by arTour, with support from Playing Queensland, the Outback Comedy Gala brings the liveliness and excitement of comedy to regional and rural venues and gives audiences the chance to see some of Australia’s best comedians.

arTour producer Rex Rees said a tremendous response to 2018’s inaugural gala prompted the tour to again hit the road.

“These communities are crying out for comedy, and theses nights of laughs gives them the chance to experience comedy with multiple comics just like a comedy festival,” Mr Rees said.

“We’ve had towns from last year’s circuit say it drew the biggest crowd they’ve ever had, and they’re definitely looking forward to having a few more laughs this year!”

The talented and raucous quartet of comedians are presented by A-List Entertainment and have opened for international comedy stars around the world, appeared on national television and performed at the likes of the Melbourne Comedy Festival as well as Adelaide, Brisbane and Sydney fringe festivals.

“A-List Entertainment is proud to once again be involved in this wonderful comedy event and bring four brilliant comedians to tour across regional Queensland,” A-List Entertainment Tour Coordinator Manager Andrew Laing said.

2019 Outback Comedy Gala
21 March to 13 April 2019
Various locations around Queensland – visit website for dates and venues
www.artour.com.au

Across four big weeks from 22nd April to 19th May, the Festival will welcome performers from all corners of the globe including Joe Lycett (UK), David O’Doherty (IRE), Daniel Sloss (SCO), Melanie Bracewell (NZ), Ron Funches (USA), Storm Xu (CHN), Dusty Rich (RSA), Jinx Yeo (SGP), Kanan Gill (IND), Takashi Wakasugi (JPN), Ivan Aristeguieta (VEN) and Gillian English (CAN).

Crowd favourites taking to the Festival stages include Danny Bhoy (SCO), Arj Barker (USA), Jay Pharoah (USA), Lauren Pattison (UK), Des Bishop (US/IRE), Paul Foot (UK), Ross Noble (UK), Craig Hill (SCO), Mark Watson (UK), Dave Hughes, Akmal, Effie, Felicity Ward, Fiona O’Loughlin, Joel Creasey, Christian Hull, Becky Lucas, Jimeoin, Rhys Nicholson and Tommy Little – to name a few!

Not just for the big names, this year’s FRESH program features 12 emerging comedians including Steph Tisdell, Lauren Bonner, Oliver Twist and Ange Lavoipierre. For the bargain ticket price of $15-$20, festival-goers can see some of the best new voices in the comedy scene.

The Festival’s children’s program will be sure to tickle funny bones of all-ages including the muchloved Comedy for Kids Gala at the iconic Sydney Town Hall. A line-up of the funniest familyfriendly acts will take to the stage for a show of kid-tacular proportions!

Marrickville’s Factory Theatre will once again act as the Festival’s hub, bustling with activity each night with performances across multiple stages, special events, plus delicious food and drinks in the outdoor bar.

Special events this year include The Majesty of Tap – a Spinal Tap tribute show by rock legends You Am I, late night comedy sets in Late ‘n’ Live, a healthy dose of satire in The War on the F*#king Election 2019 and Best of the Fest, a surprise line-up of local and international stars each night.

Kicking off the Festival in grand style will be the spectacular Gala events at the Sydney Opera House, Enmore Theatre, Riverside Theatres and The Concourse. With a dazzling line-up of the funniest international and local stars, the Gala is the perfect taste of what’s on offer throughout the Festival.

15th annual Sydney Comedy Festival
22 April – 19 May 2019
Various venues throughout Sydney
www.sydneycomedyfest.com.au

Fast becoming an institution round the country, Queerstories sells out shows in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and regional areas, bringing storytellers from all walks of life to the stage.

Funny, moving, surprising and engaging, the stories from Queerstories are also available on the podcast, and as a collection of short stories published by Hachette Australia in 2018 and launched at the Sydney Opera House.

Queerstories
9 March 2019
Powerhouse Theatre, Brisbane Powerhouse
www.brisbanecomedyfestival.com

Singing sensation Christa Hughes teams up with her Circus Oz buddy, Jim Dunlop to take you on a side-splitting tour of the human body. Apart from learning some anatomy, children enjoy the songs, music and true wonder of the sounds our bodies create.

Christa finds the human body and ALL of its sounds absolutely fascinating. She loves facts almost as much as she loves to laugh. Her powerful voice and command of the stage (not to mention her cheekiness and irreverence) guarantees a show that never fails to entertain. From creaking bones to a sneezing nose, farts to burps, squeals of delight and yelps of hurt, the scary and the hilarious. Join in and perform some of your own sounds if you’d like to too!

The World According to Farts and Other Extraordinary Sounds of the Human Body
09 – 10 March 2019
Visy Theatre, Brisbane Powerhouse
www.brisbanecomedyfestival.com

Since unleashing alter-ego Jan van de Stool at the Brisbane Cabaret Festival in 2004, Queenie’s Dutch-born “musical therapist” has become one of the greatest cult comedy acts in Australia, touring festivals nationally and reaching the semi-finals on television juggernaut Australia’s Got Talent.

Next month, Australia’s favourite self-help guru (self-appointed) will conjure the laughs in a one-woman exposé: Jan van de Stool in PARTING THE RED CURTAINS.

“I’m inviting all of Brisbane to come inside my fabulous celebrity world and journey back to my Netherlands to see where this legend began,” van de Stool said.

In PARTING THE RED CURTAINS, audiences can expect the van de Stool they all know – the “musical masseuse, singing psychologist and qualified interpretive dancer” – but she will also astonish Brisbane by unveiling an entirely new skillset.

Van de Stool explains, “I’m not one to rest on my wattles in the business of show, so I’ve added another pussy to my bow. I’m now a psychic medium. In fact, in psychic circles I’m what’s called a ‘medium rare’ – I’m that good.”

Or so she says. Things go horribly wrong when she mistakenly channels her own disgruntled (and dead) ex-student and the real story of her life unfolds.

Audiences can watch Jan’s life unravel during Brisbane Comedy Festival at two locations: SunPac on Thursday 21 March and Brisbane City Hall from Friday 22 – Sunday 24 March.

Jan van de Stool in PARTING THE RED CURTAINS
SunPac – Thursday 21 March
Brisbane City Hall – Friday 22 to Sunday 24 March
For information and tickets, visit www.brisbanecomedyfestival.com