Returning April 22 – May 19, the Perth Comedy Festival welcomes award-winning homegrown comedians and a few internationals to P-town, with more acts to be announced next month.
The first of the festival’s international cohort includes South Africa’s Schalk Bezuidenhout and, from across the ditch, New Zealand’s Melanie Bracewell and Guy Montgomery.
Schalk Bezuidenhout (SA) – as seen on Netflix and Comedy Central – was already a bit of a big deal in his native South Africa when he made his Edinburgh fringe debut back in 2019 and this marks his second visit to Perth to deliver a show titled Keeping Up at the Astor Theatre May 3. He’s newly married, feels a bit older, wiser and (possibly) more mature.
You may have seen her on her hit show, The Cheap Seats or embarrassing herself on Taskmaster NZ, and now’s your chance to see her live and in the flesh as Melanie Bracewell (NZ) promises to deliver her signature brand of relatable, goofy and punchline-heavy stand-up at the Regal Theatre May 16 with Attack of the Melanie Bracewell. Please note: she promises she won’t actually attack you.
Winner of Best of Fest Sydney Comedy Festival ’23 and as seen on Thank God You’re Here and Have You Been Paying Attention?, Guy Montgomery (NZ) gives us Over 50,000,000 Guy Fans Can’t be Wrong at the Astor Theatre May 3. Disclaimer: he doesn’t actually have 50,000,000 fans.
After a two-year break, Nazeem Hussain is back and as Totally Normal as ever. Whether you’ve seen him on TV, followed him on TikTok or perhaps tailed him in real life (creepy, but he appreciates the commitment), you’ll get the chance to see one of the biggest stars of Australian comedy and a much-loved television and radio personality at the Regal Theatre on May 17 with his show Totally Normal.
Winner of Melbourne International Comedy Festival Award for Most Outstanding Show ’22, and as seen on RuPaul’s Drag Race, Taskmaster and Netflix, your ol’ pal Rhys Nicholson brings their signature style of astute satire to the Regal Theatre with Huge Party Big Congratulations on May 10.
Winner of Best Comedy Weekly for two years running at Adelaide Fringe (’22 and ’23), the now true-blue Aussie originally from Venezuela, Ivan Aristiguieta makes it all look Too Easy at the Astor Theatre on May 11.
Seen recently on Deadloch, Taskmaster Australia and Utopia, comedian, writer, actress and director Nina Oyama Is Coming to The Rechabite’s Goodwill Club May 17 and 18 with whip-smart one-liners that are sometimes filthy but always screamingly funny.
Previously announced acts include dead-pan comedic master Luke Heggie and the burlesque parody sensation taking Australia by storm, Swamplesque.
The Perth Comedy Festival Galas will be held on May 1, 8 and 15 at Subiaco’s Regal Theatre and Freo’s Perth Comedy Festival Showcase returns to Freo Social May 2, 9 and 16.
Tickets are on sale now and stay tuned for more updates next month.