24 till April 1
Lismore Laughs
Lismore’s new annual comedy festival Lismore Laughs returns this weekend with three great shows.
Friday see the star of The Weekly and host of Hard Quiz, Tom Gleeson present his show Cheer Up and Saturday at lunchtime the wacky Frank Woodley performs comedy for the kiddies. Saturday evening sees the hit of Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Andy Saunders, take the audience on a journey through a landscape of his life from hilarious anecdotes of his childhood to life as a father, husband, comedian and Indigenous Australian. His show Asms and Isms crosses over from the squirmy topics to the downright hilarious. Enjoy an evening of crazy fun and stories such as how to appropriately name a cyclone, buying cars without upsetting your wife, and growing up poor. Saunders’s star is definitely on the rise.
For enquiries go to norpa.org.au or call 1300 066 772.
Radical Honesty
Direct from the Adelaide Fringe festival is Radical Honesty, featuring standup comedian Aidan Killan, an investment banker turned comedian. This Irishman is now one of the most-travelled comedians, having sold out rooms in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Byron Bay, Sydney, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Netherlands and USA. He manages to bring humour to serious subjects such as war crimes, genocide and mass surveillance.
Not only has he performed shows all over the world; he has also performed at peace festivals in the Middle East and Northern Ireland; he performed as a ‘highlight’ at Glastonbury Festival 2016. A grassroots comedian and people-lover, he is Ireland’s only comedian to have done a sitting-room tour of Ireland or to leave the stage at Electric Picnic, Irelands largest festival, to initiate a giant group hug. He is joined by Nick Sun, the unique Aussie comic who emerged from the suburbs of Sydney during 2004. In a stellar career acceleration Nick made the prestigious, invite-only Just For Laughs Comedy Festival at Montreal in 2005 and returned to the UK for a full season of shows at Edinburgh. This previous RAW comedy national champion also went on to take out the comp in the UK as well – a feat not achieved before. The two join forces for Radical Honesty at the Bangalow Bowlo on Friday. Tickets $20 online or $25 at the door.
Tix through www.bangalowbowlo.com.au.
Give a Fukushima
Six years on from the Japan tsunami’s destroying the Fukushima nuclear power station the radiation from Fukushima continues to spread unchecked, contaminating the seas, the air and groundwater. Three reactors are still in meltdown and hundreds of gallons of radioactive water are being released into the Pacific Ocean every day.
The Fukushima Daichi company and the Japanese government are clearly unable to resolve this crisis. Instead of calling for international assistance to meet this challenge, the Japanese government is busy increasing radiation safety levels, marketing produce from Fukushima as safe for human consumption, forcing people to relocate to contaminated land and promoting unsafe nuclear technology to countries like India.
Meanwhile, world governments turn a blind eye to the growing problem of unchecked radiation.
The Australian Government is complicit is this crisis as Australian uranium was used in the reactors at Fukushima. This despite the fact that the people of Australia, including the traditional custodians of the land, are opposed to the mining and sale of uranium.
On the sixth anniversary of Fukushima the people of the rainbow region of NSW will gather to send a message of solidarity to the people of Fukushima and Japan.
Two events are planned for the week: a community gathering at the Drill Hall Theatre, Mullumbimby, on Saturday and an event at The Channon Market on Sunday.
The Drill Hall gathering will run from 2pm till 8pm and feature a locally produced short film Good Fortune Island starring Japanese actor and anti-nuclear activist Saya Minami, shorts by award-winning local filmmaker David Bradbury, art workshops in manga and Japanese calligraphy, dance and music by Micotsuki Shivamoon, Karen Minami, Yellow Chicks, Fukushima musician Takashi Sato and world-music duo Nakula, plus yummy macrobiotic food.
The Channon Market event will start at 11am near the Rainbow Chai Tent and feature installations by Benny Zable, speeches, dance and music by Bo Kaan, Neil Pike and Peter Pix, The Love Handles and Reuben Barkley and Entropixx plus special guests, ending in a mega Drum Up for Fukushima.
And for those who want to be part of the ‘pop-up’ action: it’s at the Byron Lighthouse on Saturday, starting at 8am sharp and ending at 8.30am. Come with your faces painted with the anti-nuclear symbol. Participants are advised to car pool and treat the lighthouse precinct with respect.
the write shorts
The Drill Hall Theatre Company (DHTC) is excited to announce that its biennial short-play competition Hot Shorts is on again. Writers are invited to submit their plays, which must be original, not previously performed, no longer than 10 minutes and with minimal staging difficulties. Entries close on Friday 30 June. You can request an entry form by emailing the company at [email protected] or from their website drillhalltheatre.org.au, with a $15 entry per writer.
Fed Floods
The FedTalks people present Before the Flood, the screening of a film about climate change followed by a discussion with environmental scientists and academic Prof Brendan Mackey in an introductory conversation with Mark Swivel and a short Q&A to following the film.
Tea and cake will be available but if you need something more substantial the new local eatery in Federal will be open and in fast mode.
Starts at 7pm. Federal Hall on Thursday 16 March.
Blithe Ballina
Blithe Spirit, a witty and intriguing comedy by Nöel Coward, is coming soon to the Ballina Players Theatre. It explores how writer Charles Condamine (Peter Harding) reacts to a very unusual situation. His problem is that he suddenly has two wives, each of whom naturally resents the other. The complication is the fact that one is very much alive, but the other has been dead for seven years. Written by Noel Coward and directed by Fran Legge, Blithe Spirit will be staged at the Players Theatre from 24 March till 1 April. Thursday to Saturdays 8pm, Sunday matinees 2pm. Saturday 1 April matinee 2pm.
Book online at www.ballinaplayers.com or at Just Funkin Music, 6686 2440 (a booking fee applies).`
RAW comedy!
For more than a decade now comedy coach and local industry builder Mandy Nolan has been hosting Melbourne International Comedy Festival RAW comedy heats in Byron.
‘We’re unconventional,’ says Nolan. ‘You never know who will get through and what will happen. The Byron heat is full of wildcards!’ With 20 people standing up to be counted, don’t miss the thrills and spills of our very own RAW comedy heat at the Byron Bowlo on Monday at 8pm.
All tix at the door $10. MC Mandy Nolan.
Doors open at 7pm. Get there early to get a seat!
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