Get ready to laugh your socks off with some top-class comedians coming to the Civic Theatre for the Newcastle Comedy Festival from May 28.
Newcastle’s Civic Theatre is about to explode with laughter as some of Australia’s funniest comedians perform across four huge shows starting in May.
The festival will showcase two of the most significant comedy convoys, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow and the Sydney Comedy Festival Showcase.
Director Andrew Milos said he was excited to bring the best acts from the Melbourne and Sydney festivals to Newcastle.
“So basically, we are getting the best iteration of each performer’s show, as they are coming in red hot from their showcases in Melbourne and Sydney,” Milos said.
“This is also the first time we have been able to accommodate a full capacity audience since restrictions have eased.
“So, the Civic Theatre will be one of the first venues in NSW to host 100 per cent capacity—well, that’s if we sell out, fingers crossed!”
Comedians officially announced include Randy Feltface, Luke Heggie, Andy Saunders, Gen Fricker, Michelle Brasier, Nick Capper, Tommy Dassalo and Cam Knight.
“We also have a big gala planned consisting of ten comics; audience members can see who they like and then choose between different solo shows held at Newcastle City Hall and The Happy Wombat on Hunter Street.
“The gala is going to be really special because we’ve never had anything like this in Newcastle before.”
Milos said the festival would also include local showcases where Newcastle’s best comedic talent would be displayed.
Local comedians include Floyd Alexander Hunt, a finalist in Raw Comedy, a competition for emerging stand-up comedians and Sarah Gaul, a musical comedian and actor who plays the main character in ‘Hot Mess’, a film recently picked up by Netflix.
The Civic Comedy Club will also provide another source for home-grown humour in late June at its new permanent location, the Banquet Room, Newcastle City Hall.
Presented in conjunction with Big Dog Comedy, the comedy club was one of the first shows at Civic Theatre after COVID-19 restrictions started to ease last year and proved hugely popular during Newcastle’s New Annual festival.
Civic Theatre Manager Leonie Wallace said moving the club to a permanent home would deliver a great blend of food and entertainment in the Civic precinct.
“The Civic Comedy Club at City Hall rounds out our annual program of first-class comedy offerings on the Civic Theatre main stage, sitting nicely alongside our subscription season comedy blockbusters, the Melbourne and Sydney Comedy Festival showcases, the Newcastle Comedy Festival, and national comedy treasures such as Carl Barron,” Wallace said.
“This means that if you love comedy, we really do have something for everyone!”
For more information on comedian announcements and tickets, visit newycomedyfest.com
Hayley McMahon