Marc Maron in person…

Legendary US comedian Marc Maron will be visiting Sydney as part of his upcoming Maronation tour. The WTF podcast host and one-time comic hot-shot has spent the better part of the last decade refining his comic act and expanding the definition of a ‘working comic’. Now, with a poplar FX show and high-rating podcast coming up roses, Mr. Maron is finally spreading the love to the land downunder.

The Maronation tour performances will showcase Mr. Maron at his caustic and engaging best. Whether he’s attacking social mores or bringing observational humour to new depths, Mr. Maron’s take on the world is refreshingly honest, heartbreakingly real and often touching.

But in recent times, Mr. Maron’s podcast has become one of the single most consistent fixtures in the shifting digital landscape. If his recent interview with Barack Obama proved anything, it’s that Maron has the world and his audience right where he wants them. After all, could you imagine the leader of the free world taking the time out of his busy schedule to record a podcast in anyone else’s garage?

Organisers have confirmed that Mr. Maron will be appearing in one show only, so tickets for the State Theatre gig will surely sell like hot cakes. If you’re a fan or recent follower, don’t miss out on this great opportunity to see a comic legend live in the flesh.

Some of Maron’s ‘greatest hits’ include:

• “Have you ever had one of those moments when you look up and realize that you’re one of those people you see on the train talking to themselves?”
• “There are also always those burnt, hard kernels at the bottom that don’t pop. You know why they don’t pop? They don’t pop because they have integrity.”
• “Left wing, right wing, I am wingless and tired of trying to fly. Here comes the ground.”
• “Show business is one of the few businesses that the devil will actually agree to own just a portion of your soul because he knows if you have a performer’s ego you were probably working for him all along.”
• “For my next trick I will make everyone understand me.”

When: Thu 15 Oct, 2015
Where: The State Theatre, Sydney CBD

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The Just For Laughs Festival is a premier international comedy event, a rib-tickling celebration of the world’s best stand up comedians and laugh-out-loud acts. The Montreal-based show inspires international tours of its headlining comedians, and this year’s Just For Laughs Sydney looks set to offer locals the chance to see some of the funniest comedians in an intimate local setting.

In the past, Just For Laughs Sydney organisers have snagged their fair share of comedy legends. The amazing roster of performers includes Louis C.K., John Cleese, Martin Short, Demetri Martin, Eddie Izzard, Aziz Ansari, Drew Carey, Noel Fielding, Trevor Noah, Dylan Moran, Bill Bailey, Kathy Griffin, Reggie Watts and so many more. So it’s no surprise that this year’s festival is chock full of funny goodness.

The show will be headlined by controversial British comedian and activist Russell Brand, whose ‘Trew World Order’ tour has wowed fans across Europe and the US. The politically charged gig is sure to offer fans a generous helping of Mr. Brand’s navel gazing comedy styling punctuated by plenty of social ‘philosophising’ and a tirade or two for good measure.

Fellow UK comedy icon Al Murray (The Pub Landlord) will also do a hot run of shows at the Opera House. ‘The Guv’, as he’s known, will surely tickle Aussie audiences with his unique laconic British pub humour.

This year’s Gala night will feature a stellar roster of talent including Tommy Tiernan, Stephen K. Amos, Dave Hughes, Wil Anderson, Danny Bhoy and others. These acts, along with Hannah Gadsby, Cal Wilson, Ronny Chieng, Joel Creasey, Anne Edmonds, Tom Ballard, Tommy Little and Damien Power, will appear in solo shows. Consult the festival program for more information about dates and tickets.

What: The 2015 Sydney Just For Laughs Festival.
When: 19-25 Oct, 2015.
Where: Sydney Opera House, Sydney.
For more information visit: http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/about/program_just_for_laughs.aspx

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The popular comedians and sketch show producers are returning to Australian and New Zealand for the second time and are bound to please audiences with their distinct and quirky style of comedy.

Eric Wareheim and Tim Heidecker first met at university in the US in 1994 as film students, and have gone on to create cult satirical TV shows and direct music videos and even a movie.

Since first exposing the world to their peculiar world with the animated series Tom Goes to the Mayor, Tim and Eric have gone on to unleash five seasons of the profoundly odd television sketch comedy series’ for Adult Swim, Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!.

You might also recognise their kooky comedic genius from the infamous Absolut Vodka advertisements with Zach Galifianakis or their big budget commercials for clients such as Old Spice, Wrigley’s, Red Stripe and a Boost Mobile commercial that premiered during the 2010 Super Bowl XLIV.

The pair are renowned for going that little step too far, lingering just a second too long or their (deliberately) questionable production choices. This year, the creative duo released a book called Tim and Eric’s Zone Theory: 7 Easy Steps to Achieve a Perfect Life. The book claims to provide an “inspirational and game-changing life system that promises to instantly provide wellness, happiness, and total, absolute fulfilment. Somehow we question whether this parodical text manages to do that, but we have no doubt that reading it (and seeing their live show) would result in a few side-splitting laughs.

Audiences in Australia can witness the Tim and Eric formula live on stage with their famously bizarre sketches and their uncanny ability to satirise and offend almost everything (kangaroos and bogans beware!)

Expect the weird and wonderful at their Sydney show on Friday 11^th December at the Enmore Theatre. Prices start from $89.90.

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The film festival kicks off nationally with the heartwarming comedy, Here is Harold, which shows the journey of a bitter old man who seeks revenge by trying to kidnap the founder of IKEA. Other handpicked films include RAMS, which received the top prize of Un Certain Regard as well as a 10 minute standing ovation at Cannes; the thought-provoking, coming-of-age film, Young Sophie Bell; and the hilarious holiday drama featuring an award-winning performance from Bodil Jørgensen, All Inclusive.  The Scandinavian Film Festival wraps up with an eye-opening documentary on one of Hollywood’s most beloved imports, Ingrid Bergman: In her Own Words.

Another highlight of the festival is the guest appearance from multi-talented actress, Bianca Kronlöf, who appears in the biting drama, Underdog. Kronlöf will appear for the opening night screenings in Melbourne and Sydney for exclusive Q & A sessions on the 10th and 11th of July respectively. We spoke with the star about the festival.

“The program is fantastic I have to say. As a Scandinavian to come here and see all the films that they got together is amazing. I hope that I will have time to see as much as possible. It’s actually weird as a scandinavian to come to Australia and be like ‘now I can see all the good Scandinavian films, this is amazing!’ It’s like travelling back to my roots through Australia.”

Miss Kronlöf said that the fact that more Scandinavian films are heading abroad is testament to the growth of the Scandinavian film industry. She said their point of difference to mainstream Hollywood films is their focus on the characters and their relationships.

“In Sweden we don’t do these huge action things. Of course we have these boring, mainstream movies that don’t say anything about anyone that are just there for people to watch when you’re hungover, which is a good thing we need those movies as well. And then the smaller, underground ones. But to compare Swedish films to Hollywood mainstream I would say that it’s more relationship based and about the characters.”

The Swedish actress also added: “Everyone should go to the Scandinavian Film Festival because it’s such a good program. So if you go, you can be an expert about Scandinavian films right now, because the program is so exceptionally good.”

Head to the Scandinavian Film Festival website for more information on the films and to buy tickets.

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Between the 22nd of April and the 17th of May, there were so many truly awesome gigs. I tried to attend as many as my budget would allow, but even then I had just scratched the surface. The line-up included Cam Knight, Heath Franklin as Chopper, Rhys Nicholson, Bob Saget, Chris Taylor and Andrew Hansen, Dom Irrera, Jimeon and too many others to name.

My personal favourite event was Bob Saget’s live show. It was caustic, dark and definitely more twisted than I might’ve expected. Dom Irrera was another standout, with the legendary comedian hammering the crowd with his full-throttle gig. The Chaser lads (Chris Taylor and Andrew Hansen) also turned in a surprisingly entertaining musical comedy show which turned out to be a festival favourite.

On two occasions I attended at the Enmore Theatre, and the sense of community excitement was palatable. Sydney is a city that enjoys a good laugh and is always on the lookout for good times and fun. There were literally thousands of people out on the streets well after midnight, waiting to see their show in long, rambling queues. The atmosphere was electric and it was fun to be a part of a crowd that was genuinely elated to be seeing some real comedy legends.

It’ll be tough to beat this year’s Comedy Festival, but there’s no doubt the organisers will come up with the goods this time next year. So here’s to another year of laughs at Sydney’s most outrageously fun festival!

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This month, we were looking forward to the barbeque David was organising at his new house. He’d been living with three kids in the old house and it was now getting a bit too cramped. Naturally, his new place was supposed to be quite roomy. At work, David had mentioned the re-designing of the interior and how much Nancy (his wife) had put into it. “Both of our families are originally from Vanuatu,” he had explained. “Nancy and I wanted to put together something unique, like a house back home would be.”

My own home was quite drab. We didn’t really get to have many nice things as my two boys were in that phase where they broke everything in sight. When we’d hosted the barbeques the last few times, precious things were taken upstairs, away from their sugar-fuelled arms and legs. At these gatherings they had the habit of being the most rowdy kids. So I was a little concerned about exactly how pristine Nancy and David’s house would be after my kids were done ducking and sliding around like wild dogs.

On the morning of the barbeque, I pulled my kids aside and warned them. “Jason, Tom, best behaviour today, okay? I don’t want to see broken vases or fighting. Let’s have a nice day where you don’t stress out your dad and everything goes smoothly. Now come on, let’s go.”

David answered the door with Nancy in tow. They welcomed us in and took us on a grand tour. “You’re the first people here, so we’ve got a bit of time,” David beamed as we entered the house’s main room. “Voila!”

I took a moment to look around at the intriguing objects which lined the room. Beautifully crafted wooden masks and imposing bright shields. There were wonderfully natural wooden figures of birds and an ornate bowl featuring finely etched fish as handles. “David, these objects are so beautiful. Oh, wow!” I’d seen the collection of spears in the corner. “Yeah, they’re just for decoration!” My kids were transfixed with the huge shields and spears, both of them looking interested for once.

“Are they family heirlooms, Nancy? Some of them look to be old.” She smiled and patted David on the back. “Oh God no. We bought them here.” My husband let out a little laugh that made me feel slightly awkward. “There’s this place called Oceanic Arts Australia and they have a great gallery in town. We just went down a few times and picked out the ones we liked.”

“I’ve always enjoyed Indigenous Art, and I wish I could have some precious things in my house but…” “But nothing,” she interrupted me. “You should have nice things too. They’ll settle down in a bit and then things will go back to normal, trust me. In the meantime, you should head to the gallery because they have Indigenous Art there too.”

After the barbeque was over I resolved to make a stand and declare my living a decorated zone. Within a month, I’d transformed my house into a pleasing and interesting place. And my kids learned not to behave like wild dogs around their mum’s ornaments!

For the most cunning banter, comments with the least amount of propriety, and stories inducing  the loudest cackles, you simply can’t pass up the opportunity to visit Melbourne in March/April 2014. The lineup for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival has recently been announced and even the initial few acts are enough to get your funny bone itching with anticipation.

Timeout revealed the first few announcements consist of:

- Paul Foot (UK)
– Stephen K Amos (UK)
– Jason Byrne (Ireland)
– Doc Brown (UK)
– Max & Ivan (UK)
– The Boy With Tape on his Face (NZ)
– Best of Edinburgh Fest (Carl Donnelly, Tom Stade, and Kai Humphries)
– Milton Jones (UK)
– Sara Pascoe (UK)
– Late Night Gimp Fight (UK)
– Wil Anderson (AU)
– Dave Hughes (AU)
– Bob Downe (AU)

Comedy lovers are waiting with bated breaths to see whose performance will follow in the large footsteps of Arj Barker or Mel Buttle to land them the esteemed title of the People’s Choice or Director’s Choice winner. And everyone can’t wait to find out who will take out Raw Comedy for 2014, the largest and most prestigious open mic comedy competition in the country.

While you’re booking tickets early, it is well worthwhile to secure yourself quality Melbourne apartment accommodation before it sells out also. Getting in early will not only help you guarantee great front row comedy tickets, but you could also assure your wallet cheaper flights if travelling from afar. The incredible talent appearing at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2014 will undoubtedly draw in hordes of crowds just like it does every year.  By booking accommodation now you could enjoy your pick of the top Melbourne Apartment accommodation hotels. After all your abdominal workouts during the comedic events you will want to ensure you have somewhere centrally located and with luxurious services and accommodation to stay, like the Grand Hotel Melbourne. So check it out now to safeguard yourself a room.

Visit the Melbourne International Comedy Festival website for more news on the upcoming event  or to book yourself in for the spectacular opening night of comedy Allstars. And don’t forget to keep an eye on Ticketmaster tomorrow to snap up the best seats of the show.

Carl Barron: One Ended Stick

Noted funnyman, Carl Barron is returning once more to perform his renowned show, ‘One Ended Stick’ and to launch his new DVD. Although this DVD Promo tour doesn’t feature original content, this nevertheless gives the chance to the poor, laughless souls who missed his previous performance to catch up on the hype and return a smile to their faces, and also give die-hard fans the chance to witness his priceless antics once more. The show features classic stories of Troy, acid, ants, worms and the everyday experiences of Carl Barron himself. It also gives you the opportunity to purchase his DVD before it hits the shelves and even get Mr Barron to sign your copy. See him at the State Theatre on Thursday 31st October for just $59.

Hello Kitty Flanagan

$40.50 is a small price to pay to share a good ole’ lark with one of Australia’s most successful stand up comedians. Kitty Flanagan is the prestigious winner of Best Comedy at the 2013 Adelaide Fringe Festival. Her stellar year also included being awarded nominee for the Best Show at the  2013 Melbourne International Comedy Festival as well as for the Best Comedy Helpmann Awards 2013. Flanagan is now touring her widely popular show ‘Hello Kitty’ which according to the Adelaide Advertiser “will have you in stitches from the moment she walks on stage”. Kitty attempts to answer some of the big question in life such as What’s wrong with teenagers? Is it ok to take hot beverages into the dunny can? And, are all women who own cats mental? See her at the Penrith Panthers Club, Dee Why RSL and Revesby Workers Club between 1st-9th November. Seeing Kitty on Friday 8th November at Dee Why RSL gives you the perfect excuse to check in to a North Sydney Hotel and enjoy the rest of the weekend on Sydney’s bustling north shore.

Anh Do: The Happiest Refugee

Few could describe the difficult turmoil of fleeing war-torn Vietnam and seeking refuge in Australia in such a laugh-out-loud yet simultaneously moving manner than the comedian, Ahn Do. After the raging success of his bestselling book, The Happiest Refugee, Anh Do simply couldn’t not stage a live performance detailing the tribulations and triumphs of his heartfelt and inspiring story. Do combines stand-up comedy with real stories, photos and film to impart some of his hilarious and uplifting experience to what will surely be an awed crowd. Make sure you’re part of the Sydney stand up action on Friday 8th November at Sydney’s State Theatre for just $54.90.

Be sure to make the most of the vibrant comedy taking place this month in Sydney stand up. Sydney always has a plethora of world renowned artists on its shores and a whole range of venues at which you can experience a well earned chuckle Staying centrally at the Chatswood Shopping Center Hotel makes getting around to these many venues all the more effortless and worthwhile.

Whether you’re funny or not, everybody loves stand-up. The laughs that keep rolling when someone hilarious steps on stage. The anxiety you get when they first step up to the mic. It’s all part of live, no holds barred,  stand-up comedy, and that’s why we love it. Finding a good comedian is easy these days. Just show up to your local pub, uni bar, or community theatre, and you’re bound to find one. Comedy is a rare thing to be talented at – even rarer to have the courage to do. So when you find your niche, your taste in comedians, stick with them for the long run. Stand-up comedy is a fantastic way to distract yourself from whatever is going on, kick back, and have a few laughs. And if you’re interested in trying your hand (or funny bone) at some stand-up, then we’ve got the events for you to hit up too. Check out our top picks for stand-up comedy, and be inspired by the funniest people in Sydney.

Enmore Comedy Club, Enmore

This gem offers cheap as chips stand-up comedy in a laidback venue every Tuesday. Here, you’ll see the best local and international comedians for just $10, or $15 on the door. What better way to experience quality, confident comedy in your own neighbourhood? You’ll even have enough cash leftover for beer!

Bedlam Comedy, Glebe

Bedlam Comedy sees the old University hall at Sydney University turn into a funky, uproarious night full of fun and entertainment. Rounding out Happy Hour (5-7pm), Bedlam Comedy kicks off at 7.30pm every Tuesday in October. Pay $5 for a marvellously cheap comedy night, or shout out $22 and get your ticket, a meal and a beer. Done!

Mug and Kettle Comedy, Glebe

Taking stand-up comedy to new and terrifying heights, this event brings a twist to the usual, locked in comedians. Instead, on every Wednesday across October, comedians volunteer their souls to the stage in the heat of the moment, embracing the open-mic night cross comedy event. All levels of comic, first-timers included, are welcome, and audiences never quite know what they’re going to get. It’s comedy in its rawest form. Shows start at 7, but performers are encouraged to rock up around 6. Oh, and it’s free. Does it get any better?

Get Up! Stand Up! Comedy, Sydney Uni

The hilarious, entertaining and often offensive James Colley hosts this raging event that promotes free, weekly comedy shows, with a mix of student, local and international comedians. Every Wednesday at 1pm, Manning Bar provides the drinks, Sydney Uni provides the stage, and comedians provide the laughs. Another great free stand-up comedy gig in Sydney.

Launch Your Career?

Are you looking to one day be one of these creative comedians, full of quick wit? Do you practice at home in front of the mirror, or to your friends and family? Well, there’s no better time than the present. And if you’ve been hanging around for a while, having a crack at some clever jokes, maybe it’s time to up the antics a little. Scope Productions are a video recording and events company, that offer services like video production and editing. In order to get on the radar of event management services in Sydney, why not think about getting your stand-up skits filmed and pieced together for showcasing? Pin it on your blog, share it on Youtube, and get your name out there so that your career can grow. As a company offering corporate video production in Sydney, Scope can help create an amazing video that people will be passing around for years!

Stand-up comedy is a thrilling game, if you dare. The nerves and the jitters are fears only few can overcome, and when you’ve got the ability to make people laugh, it’s well worth all the effort. Stand-up comedy is something that brings joy to many. It makes people laugh, feel lighter and walk away happier then when they came in. If you’re interested in stand-up comedy, or just love love love to watch it, check out these regular events, and find something that makes you laugh.