Mandy Nolan thinks politics is a joke!
As part of the federal election campaign the local Greens have put out the challenge for up-and-coming and established comedians to tell the best jokes, including at least one political joke, in just three minutes!
‘Politicians have been writing comedy for years,’ says Mandy Nolan. ‘They call it policy.’
‘Performers certainly have enough material to choose from, with CSG mining resulting in the Condamine River turning into a tea-light candle, Peter Dutton blaming refugee advocates for asylum-seeker immolation and acts of self-harm, and PM Malcolm Turnbull’s twee fascination with catching public transport, declaring that no worker will have longer than a 30-minute travel to work under his reign. ‘Expect a night of cutting-edge satire and political commentary,’ she said. Only The Greens aren’t beholden to big donors and corporate interests, as they will never accept their donations. We’re people powered, not fossil fuelled.
It means we must be innovative with our fundraising. The bonus: we get among the community and have a laugh.’
Tickets: dawnwalker.com.au/mandylaughs. Doors 6pm Friday 3 June at the Mullumbimby Ex-Services Club.
Curryoke
Friends of the Circus are hosting fundraising event Curryoke at Circus Arts Byron Bay this Saturday. The night includes delicious curry, a silent auction, entertainment from the Bollywood Sisters, the Circus Arts Performance Troupe and Circus Arts Ensemble plus karaoke for all, and the bar will be open.
6pm. Meal and show $25, Event entry (no meal) $15. 10 per cent discount for groups of eight or more. To book call 6685 6566 or visit circusarts.com.au.
Funny women reign supreme
Kat Davidson has often been referred to as ‘the funniest chick I’ve seen’ and has been known to keep working-class blokes and high-class gals alike gasping with laughter. Kat started her standup career in 1997 (as Katrina Shiels) and has continued her love affair with the stage in the public eye. The relationship is ‘fiery and passionate’ and they have no plans to stop seeing each other. Kat brings a fresh and intelligent view to her comedy. She tackles relationships, observations and random events with equal passion and her unique storytelling ability takes her audience along with her for the ride. She can be heard regularly across Queensland ABC radio and has headlined the best clubs in Australia and Canada. She is also the co-producer of the highly successful Ladies Comedy Nights in Brisbane, can regularly be found at sea performing for huge crowds on P&O cruise ships, and enjoyed a sellout season of her original show Untidy at the 2012 Brisbane Comedy Festival.
Kat Davidson headlines The Big Gig Comedy Clubat the Ballina RSL on Thursday with Marty Lappan as support. Mandy Nolan returns after her tour with Melbourne Comedy Festival Roadshow as MC. 8pm. Free.
Three Bags Full
The Northern Rivers Community Gallery, Ballina, will graciously accept donations of unused wool for a community art project titled Apomogy and is inviting the community to make an apology through the vessel of a pom pom. The gallery is calling on community members to support this project by donating unwanted and unused skeins of wool for this fun and colourful community art project. Donations can be dropped off at the gallery before Thursday 2 June during opening hours on Wednesday through Friday from 10am till 4pm or on weekends from 9.30am till 2.30pm.
Apomogy is an all-ages community art project. To take part, drop into the gallery on Saturday 4 June between 10am and 2pm. Cost is $5 and all materials are provided.
Sutra: Secrets of Indian Dance
brings a 3,000-year-old tradition to life onstage through live dance and film, gorgeous costumes, intricate hand gestures, athletic footwork and captivating poses – an exquisite dance and multimedia performance by award-winning classical and contemporary performers, Raina Peterson and Govind Pillai, of Melbourne based Karma Dance Company. Govind and Raina will also present an Indian Classical Dance and Yoga workshop: Move over, Karma Sutra, this is the real Sutra. They teach key poses, stretches and kinetic movements, accessing ancient wisdom to increase your awareness of self and body.
Sutra: Saturday at 7.30pm at Byron Community Centre. Tickets $27/$22 from www.byroncentre.com.au or 6685 6807. Yoga: Sunday 29th at 10am at Brunswick Heads Memorial Hall. Tickets $20/$15. Bookings not needed.
Prison of Belief
Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief screens at the Brunswick Picture House as part of the weekly Grown Up Film series. This highly controversial award-winning documentary deconstructs the Church of Scientology’s claims, the role played by celebrity members such as Tom Cruise and John Travolta, and highlights the stories of a number of ex-members and of the abuse and exploitation they described seeing and experiencing. The Church of Scientology responded vehemently to the film and initiated a sustained campaign to block its release, including taking out full-page ads in The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times to denounce it. The film was released on HBO in the United States and ultimately won three Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Documentary. Thursday at 6pm.
The holder of 38 Guinness world records, The Space Cowboy leads the frontier of extreme performance. His bizarre demonstration highlights the incredible power of the human mind and the physical body. He makes international headlines and performs to sellout crowds. This is one performance you will never forget!
Catch him at the Brunswick Picture House on Friday.
Tickets $10 (including free raffle ticket) available via Eventbrite and on the door (if not sold out). Tix on brunswickpicturehouse.com. 6pm
Coffee Magic
The Coffee Man documents Australia’s World Barista Champion, Canberra’s Sasa Sestic. The Coffee Man explores the extraordinary world of specialty coffee and the lengths one man will go for ‘coffee nirvana’. The journey takes the viewer from the farm to cup, to the dizzying heights of international competition, where Sasa will win at any cost, even if that requires ‘smuggling’ Australian milk through US customs to attain the perfect flavour profile. Sasa, a former immigrant from war-torn Bosnia, found international acclaim of a different kind when he first moved to Australia in 1996, by representing his new country at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Director of The Coffee Man Jeff Hann says, ‘As documentary filmmakers, cinema magic is often created when you have no idea what the outcome will be. We had the raw ingredients: one man, with a powerful passion to produce the best-tasting coffee ever!
‘I know the world will fall in love with Sasa’s journey; they’ll even learn a few tips along the way to perfect their own coffee at home!’
Screening at Pighouse Flicks on Wednesday 1 June.
Punks for West Papua
Australian-made documentary Punks For West Papua picked up another Laurel – this fifth Laurel being for the Los Angeles Cinefest Official Selection. New dates have been announced in Lismore, Byron Bay and Melbourne with guest appearances by filmmaker Anthony ‘Ash’ Brennan of Hired Gun TV and performances from local punk legends in Brisbane. The Byron Bay screening will be presented by five-time AFI winner and two-time Academy Award nominee David Bradbury. Friday at Pighouse Flicks pighouseflicks.com.au/buy-tickets-online/.
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