It’s a big week in comedy on the Far North Coast with two big venues rattling our funny bones into February.
The Big Gig free live comedy
Ballina’s Big Gig comedy night is back with the multi-hyphenated Mandy Nolan at MC. A self-proclaimed expert on all matters feminine, Nolan has attracted the admiration and loyalty of local readers for well over a decade. She has also been a contributor for Wendy Harmer’s online magazine The Hoopla and has been a featured guest on ABC’s Q&A and SBS’s Mum’s The Word.
Mandy has been a standup comedian for well over 28 years. Audiences adore her on stage, and around Byron where she lives, Mandy-jokes are as much a part of the vernacular as any surf speak.
The feature performer at this show is Lindsay Webb. Webb has just launched his 25th year as a comedian. Before he heads to the Adelaide Fringe, Webb had planned to play the Perth Fringe World event (COVID and all that) so Western Australia’s loss is Ballina RSL’s win.
Webb’s new show Shut Up and Take My Funny is a super fun look back at his past year dealing with an arts career in a pandemic!
2IC for the night will be Paul McMahon. Returning to the north coast after three years in the Hunter, and a regular on the comedy circuit for over 12 years, Paul finds laughter through an exposition on the hypocrisy of hippies and the faults with our food: he shines a lazy light of truth on all that we have to put up with in our floundering first world. He’s an insightful and hilarious act who lets a tight weave of comedic jabs fly through every microphone.
With three great comedy talents in one place, this will be a great show and a timely reminder that a good laugh is good medicine.
Thursday 27 January, 8pm – Doors at 7pm.
For more info, visit: ballinarsl.com.au.
Works in progress at the Picture House
The Brunswick Picture House plays has always played host to a stellar collection of comedy stars working the kinks out of (and into) their shows, and this year is no different.
Judith Lucy and Denise Scott
First cab off the rank is the hysterical combo of Judith Lucy and Denise Scott.
Their work in progress will be hilarious. Denise and Judith are testing their latest hour before it tours Australia-wide in 2022.
The last time Jude and Scotty teamed up and hit the road it was 2017, a simpler time. Their critically acclaimed, smash-hit show Disappointments sold out everywhere and won the 2017 Melbourne International Comedy Festival’s People’s Choice Award. They can’t wait to be back out there.
Lucy says at last something to shave my face for! ‘I can’t wait to embrace Scotty, some show business and our audience – not literally, obviously that would be repulsive for everyone involved!’
Denise Scott says Judith has frozen shoulders and can’t use her arms. ‘I have arthritic knees and can’t use my legs. I’m excited to be Jude’s arms. She’s thrilled to be my legs. We’re ecstatic to be back, together as one, on stage loving ourselves and our audiences sick.’
Judith Lucy and Denise Scott will do four shows from January 24 till 27.
Dave Thornton and Nikki Britton
Dave Thornton and Nikki Britton’s work in progress will have you wetting yourself in a night of rolling laughs from two of the best comedians in the country!
Dave Thornton has built a reputation for his honest, engaging, whip-smart, and damn funny comedy. As seen on Channel 10’s The Project, Hughesy We Have a Problem and ABC’s Upper Middle Bogan.
Nikki Britton is one of the most in-demand comedy talents, known for her electrifying stage presence and sharp wit. Nikki sells out shows across the country and was nominated for best show at the 2021 Melbourne Comedy Festival.
This show is being presented across two venues – January Friday and Saturday at 7pm at the Brunswick Heads Memorial Hall and 6pm on Sunday at the Picture House.
Lloyd Langford’s work in progress delivers an hour of brand-new jokes.
Lloyd Langford is a standup comedian from Wales who has cemented himself as an audience favourite in Australia. He has toured far and wide, selling out shows across the country, as seen on Have You Been Paying Attention?, QI, Comedy Up Late, and Spicks and Specks.
It’s been said of Langford that he has a wonderfully remorseless stream of pithy gags, delivered in an unshowy south Wales drawl, who tells of an incredible and sometimes frightening world of sexual experimentation. YIKES!
Langford will take the Picture House into next month from Friday February 4 till Sunday February 6.
These three shows are absolutely not to be missed if you have a funnybone or want to stimulate your latent giggle button.
For more information, visit: brunswickpicturehouse.com.
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