Home Crafted Comedy at the Brewery
Last month saw the Byron Brewery launch standup open mic comedy in the beergarden. Proving to be a hotbed of new comedy talent, the bill is full with comedy wannabes, keen to try their hand at the dark art of standup. The great thing about standup is that people don’t care if you’re famous. They’re interested in seeing you. The ‘real’ you. In fact the ‘realler’ the you that you can show an audience, generally the more successful you will be on stage. No topics are off limits; standup offers a smorgasbord of ideas, values, concepts and beliefs, all distilled into a cleverly crafted gag. Standup comedian Mandy Nolan hosts this month’s open mic. Home Crafted Comedy at the The Byron Brewery on the third Thursday of every month at 8pm. That’s this Thursday!
‘This should be fun,’ laughs Nolan. ‘It’s the day after my 49th birthday. I should almost be done sulking by then!’
The Connected Universe
The Connected Universe film is a visually sumptuous meditative journey into the world of one of the most interesting thinkers of our generation, ‘alternative physicist’ Nassim Haramein. It explores Nassim’s radically new scientific basis for the interconnectivity of everything from particles and galaxies to human beings. The film is narrated by Star Trek captain Sir Patrick Stewart. There will be an introduction by locals Pratima and Narada, who have been deeply immersed in Nassim’s work for the last few years.
Screening Saturday at the Drill Hall at 7.30pm. $15
Con‘vag’sations
After the sellout performance of last year, this informal and diverse collective of some of Byron Shire’s many powerful and creative women, aged from 17 to 80, have gathered to share their own personal stories about the most intimate area of a woman’s body: our vaginas. This show is a part of the global revolution of V-Day, to end violence against women and children around the world.
Fresh from the early-morning Main Beach flashmob dance at 7.30am, the women will be using poetry, spoken word, song and comedy to share their experiences, and inspire communication and connection.
Vagina ConVersations is funny, sad, exciting, challenging, and celebratory, and is a more contemporary evolution of the well known Vagina Monologues, bringing a fresh local flavour and a courageous, empowering evening to our own community.
Generously sponsored by the Community Centre, all proceeds will go to support Byron Escape Fund for the Women’s Resource Service. Show sold out last year so get tickets now.
February 14 and 15 at Byron Theatre at 7.30pm.
Footy Show Fave for Big Gig
There won’t be a better way to celebrate Australia Day this year than at the Ballina RSL’s Big Gig than with Footy Show favourite, Mick Meredith. After more than a dozen appearances on the show, his work has been described by football giants as ‘outstanding’. Musical comic Mick has a style that has been described as laidback and cheeky. You will be losing it with his razor-sharp loveable wit. Mick is the quintessential Aussie bloke – with a twist. The twist is he’s darkly funny and ridiculously talented in the musical department. Mick always had a love for standup comedy and gave it a crack in the 1990s at the legendary Harold Park Hotel. Since then he has appeared and headlined in every major comedy venue in Australia. Mick is joined by the laidback and laconic Marty Lappan as support, and Mandy Nolan as MC.
Ballina RSL, Thursday 26 January, 8pm. Free.
Juicy Art
Experience the best from local mosaic artists at their exhibition Following the Juice at Lone Goat Gallery. Rich in colour and diversity, this exhibition is a must-see for locals and visitors alike this summer. All welcome to the opening on Friday at 6pm, then on show until 30 January.
Comedy in the Garden!
This February, Byron Brewery launches FREE headline comedy shows in their iconic beer garden. Offering patrons the kind of show you’d usually be paying big bucks for, the good people at the Brewery are brewing up big monthly laughs with a headline comedy night scheduled for the first Friday of every month. This is in addition to their regular third Thursday of the month Home Crafted Comedy open mic night.
Launching the very first Comedy in the Garden is Lindsay Webb.
Friday 3 February at 8pm. Free show!