With MICF 2025 now well underway, ArtsHub‘s team of intrepid reviewers are out every night seeing what the old favourites have to offer this year, while also unearthing some less familiar little jewels – the genre-benders, the clowns, the storytellers and more. We’ll be adding links to all of our reviews to this page as MICF 2025 progresses, so you may like to bookmark it to make sure you don’t miss a thing.
In descending order of star ratings, here’s everything we’ve seen so far to help you pick something to make you chuckle this weekend. Click on the titles to go through to the full review.
Andrew Hamilton: Jokes About the Time I Went To Prison, Toff in the Town
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas meets Shawshank Redemption?
Gillian Cosgriff: Fresh New Worries, The Show Room
A lesson in finely crafted comedy, Cosgriff’s latest show is simply superb.
Jack Docherty: David Bowie & Me: Parallel Lives, The Westin
A blend of humour and heartfelt storytelling that reflects on a lifelong admiration for David Bowie.
Science Friction: Fandom Wars, Oxford Scholar
A show that delivers exactly what you’d expect – geeks arguing about geek stuff, happily pulling the audience into the mix.
Ruby Wax: I’m Not As Well As I Thought I Was, Comedy Theatre
You think it’s comical being treated for severe depression? Ruby Wax can see the funny side.
Will Gibb: Why Am I Like This?, Backstage Room and Portrait Room, Melbourne Town Hall
Tinged with nostalgia, Will Gibb’s performance showcases both his awkward youth and his confident delivery.
Lil Wenker: Bangtail, The Motley Bauhaus
A gun-toting, cigar-smoking drag king cowboy who rides in on an invisible horse, setting the scene for an hour of high-octane clown chaos in this western set comedy show.
Jessica Barton: Dirty Work, The Motley Bauhaus
Come clown around with this multitalented comedian in her debut show.
Rob Carlton, Willing Participant, Beckett Theatre
Simple storytelling is one of the oldest art forms there is and Rob Carlton is a master.
Zoë Coombs Marr: The Splash Zone, Powder Room, Town Hall
Bemused (horrified) by the current geopolitical landscape, the always sharp Coombs Marr wants us all to keep talking to each other.
Sara Pascoe: I Am A Strange Gloop, Supper Room, Town Hall
Sara Pascoe got married and had children. She’s happy about that… mostly.
Steve Porters: How to Flirt: The Ted XXX Talk, Lunch Room, Town Hall
Porters serves up a lesson in ‘how to pick up chicks’ in this tight little drag king show, which relies heavily on audience interaction.
Geraldine Hickey: Meander, Fairfax Studio
Seeing Hickey is like catching up with an old and genuinely beloved friend… who doesn’t happen to know north from south.
Rhys Mathewson: Time Trial, Chinese Museum
Rhys Mathewson is a bearded New Zealander with a very simple premise: to do a performance precisely 50 minutes long.
Laura Davis: Despair is Beneath Us, The Greek – Paw Paw Jump
While despair may be an understandable emotion right now, it’s not the answer, and Laura Davis is here to explain why.
Mad C*nts, Meyers Lane
Satirising the frenetic nature of young, intense ‘bestie’ friendships, seen through the windows of communication devices.
Chris Nguyen: It’s Pronounced Nguyen, Theory Bar
Please note: Nguyen’s comedy debut is not another take on migrant trauma.
Accordion Ryan’s Pop Bangers, Speakeasy Theatre
One man and his instrument playing a range of popular tunes.
Maddy Weeks: It’s All Good, Paul’s Place, Town Hall MICF 2025
A promising comic, but the structure needs polishing.
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And because too much comedy is never enough, we’ve also published these…
How podcasts help comedians find their niche
These days, it can feel like every comedian alive has a podcast and the boom shows no signs of slowing down…
The art of musical comedy
When you add music to your stand-up, you can take your shows to a whole other level…
Fingers on buzzers! The rise of the live game show
Live game shows of all flavours have swiftly proliferated across comedy and fringe festivals. What’s the attraction?
How comedians prepare for festival season
Next year’s comedy festival season may seem an age away, but for Australian comics, it’s very much begun.
Back come the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Funny Tonners…
After a great launch to the partnership last year, ArtsHub and MICF are again joining forces to bring you the best of the Funny Tonne reviews for the 2025 Festival.
Wellbeing tips for surviving a gruelling festival season Part 2: Melbourne International Comedy Festival
How do comedians, clowns, cabaret artists and festival directors juggle self-care with the rigours of MICF?
