Madeleine Swain
Madeleine Swain's Latest Articles

Comedy reviews: Laura Davis: Despair is Beneath Us, The Greek – Paw Paw Jump, MICF 2025
While despair may be an understandable emotion right now, it's not the answer, and Laura Davis is here to explain…

Comedy reviews: Zoë Coombs Marr: The Splash Zone, Powder Room, Town Hall, MICF 2025
Bemused (horrified) by the current geopolitical landscape, the always sharp Coombs Marr wants us all to keep talking to each…

Comedy review: Gillian Cosgriff, Fresh New Worries, The Show Room, MICF 2025
A lesson in finely crafted comedy, Cosgriff's latest show is simply superb.

Comedy review: Ruby Wax, I'm Not As Well As I Thought I Was, Comedy Theatre, MICF 2025
You think it's comical being treated for severe depression? Ruby Wax can see the funny side.

Comedy review: Sara Pascoe, I Am A Strange Gloop, Melbourne Town Hall, MICF 2025
Sara Pascoe got married and had children. She's happy about that... mostly.

Comedy review: Geraldine Hickey, Meander, Fairfax Studio, MICF 2025
Seeing Hickey is like catching up with an old and genuinely beloved friend... who doesn't happen to know north from…

The best of the rest of the fest – Port Fairy Folk Festival
While other festivals are falling by the wayside thanks to cost of living stresses and insurance challenges, Port Fairy continues…

Melbourne International Comedy Festival kicks off with the Gala
The MICF Gala is a time-honoured tradition that has the funny flying at you from 23 different directions.

Art for all: bringing high-quality exhibitions to the regions
NETS Victoria’s EDF means that groundbreaking contemporary Australian art is accessible to people across the regions.

Music review: Missy Higgins, Port Fairy Folk Festival
A natural fit for the Port Fairy stage, one of Australia's favourite singer/songwriters did not let us down.