Brace yourselves for the first, the biggest, the best, LOL comedy festival Brisbane has ever seen. The inaugural Brisbane Comedy Festival takes over Brisbane Powerhouse Friday 6 – Sunday 29 March 2009 …that is just under a month of laugh-a-minute moments courtesy of some of the craziest talent from near and far!
Curator and Brisbane funny man, Josh Thomas, has been across the globe and at every stand up gig around Brisbane and Australia to hand pick his program of comic acts that will leave you screaming for more.
Headlining the festival in 2009 is the the big-haired, bare-footed, piano-thumping, sex-obsessed, god-bashing, philosopher-rockstar-comedian Tim Minchin, and the lovable, charming, quick witted, razor sharp, Scottish sensation Danny Bhoy. These two international superstars are award winning and critically acclaimed experts at the art of gags, giggles and creating some fun out of the everyday norm. They even have their own show DVDs to prove it!
Tim Minchin will present Ready for This? a show that enthralled audiences at the recent Edinburgh Fringe, and contains new songs, new rants and a 9-minute beat poem about a hippy.
A show that will inspire you to see it over and over again is Danny Bhoy’s offering to festival audiences in 2009. Come and see why he has become one of the biggest acts on the international scene.
More popular names will be announced from now until Christmas as Josh and his team keep Brisbane in suspense and unveil their stash of talent ‘one big name at a time’ to draw in the bumper crowds longing for loads of laughs. Watch out for comedians on the festival circuit who have also made Brisbane Comedy Festival their destination in 2009.
As Brisbane is quickly building a reputation for having one of the biggest stand-up scenes in the country, Brisbane Powerhouse has made an effort to support local comedy and will offer extensive sponsorship to a handful of our best local stand-ups, so you can see them in the spotlight.
For Josh Thomas, curating a festival is an exciting and nail-biting experience, but he is positive the program will be a huge success. “When Brisbane Powerhouse asked me to curate the first ever Brisbane Comedy Festival I was terrified because I usually stuff up things like breakfast and this is the biggest event they have ever done,” he says. “Looking at the lineup we’ve put together though, I am extraordinarily confident it will kick ass. It is the best thing to happen in this city since Expo 88.”
The 21-year-old is definitely confident the regular comedy patrons will be impressed with the first ever Brisbane Comedy Festival. “A proper comedy festival in Brisbane is long overdue,” he says. “Brisbane Powerhouse is perfect place to kick it off. It has played host to some of the greatest stand-ups of our time, it was the first place I ever saw comedy and the first place I ever performed it. It has been my comedy mecca and to be a part of this festival is just too exciting.”
Date: 6 – 29 March 2009
Time: Various Times
Venue: Brisbane Powerhouse
Bookings: brisbanepowerhouse.org