He may be a puppet, but he's not for kids ... Randy.


This year's comedy festival has a rather amusing TV ad that features the woman in a middle-aged couple revealing that she had gone to the festival and found out the truth about her partner: he's not funny – the implication being that she had discovered for the first time what "funny" actually is after a visit to a festival show.

This did get me thinking that, as a veteran audience member (and critic) of the comedy festival, it's easy to forget that a great many people in this city have never been to the festival, or to any live comedy show for that matter. I suspect that many regular readers of this blog over the years are in the same category as me: they're regulars at the comedy festival.

With that in mind, I thought I would offer up a beginner's guide to the festival – with 485 different shows, I'm sure it can seem a bit daunting to try to tackle the event. Here are my tips on getting to grips with MICF (and I'd like you to share your tips as well).

1. Start conservatively

I'm sure some people will be upset at this suggestion, but I would recommend any first-timer at the fest to choose something they're pretty sure they're going to like.

Yes, this means going to see someone you've seen on one of the ubiquitous talking head or panel shows that you've enjoyed on TV. There's nothing wrong with that. Often there's a reason these folks get on TV: it's because they're funny and have mass appeal.

There are performers that unlikely to ever let you down: Arj Barker, Adam Hills, Wil Anderson, Denise Scott, Tom Gleeson, Felicity Ward, Jimeoin . . . the list goes on. Chances are you're already familiar with their style and know what to expect from their show. What might surprise you is that when they're "off the leash" of the network these performers are actually much funnier in person than they are on TV. It's worth noting, however, that these are the same people who tend to sell out their shows, so you had best book tickets in advance.

Note: Before you decry this as not being fair to the many low-profile acts that don't play huge rooms or get much publicity, just remember that this is an entree to the festival for the beginner. If a first-time audience member starts off by seeing a weird piece of experimental anti-comedy, there's a good chance they many never come back.

If they start off in safe hands and have a great night, they are more likely to come back for more, and they might eventually reach the stage where they can enjoy something a little more challenging than a standard stand-up set. And that's good for everyone.

2. Make a night of it

There's a vibe in the CBD during the comedy festival that doesn't exist at any other time of year. There are so many shows, so many performers and so many venues that it sometimes feels like every second person you pass on the street is either a performer or someone working behind the scenes at the festival. As the shows happen at all hours of the evening, from 5.30pm to late into the night, it's a perfect event to make a night out of. Book a show and you'll still have plenty of time to hit a local restaurant for dinner and have a drink beforehand (or afterwards). And if you're going to make a night of it, maybe you should see more than one show.

3. Go to a showcase show

There's no better way to get a taste of the real flavour of the festival than to go to a show where you'll see different comedians doing short sets, whether it's from their actual show or just something on the night. This means heading to one of the late night venues: Festival Club, Ali McGregor's Late Night, the improvisational Set List or the Bella Union at Trades Hall. Here, you'll get a mini version of the annual gala. Not only do these events represent great value for money, you'll also likely discover some great additional acts to go to see the their full shows.

4. Heckling is not "part of the show" (most of the time)

This might seem obvious, but this is an important point to make, as I've seen enough audience members behave outrageously over the years to justify making this point to first-timers. This is not a movie. If you are talking, rustling chip packets, texting or otherwise being rude, the performer is likely to notice (even in a big venue they can see your glowing phone screen – and so can everyone else). And heckling is, for the most part, not OK. In some of the late night venues mentioned above, where the audience is well lubricated, performers come out with a bit of an expectation that the crowd may be a little rowdy and even unappreciative. But if you're seeing an individual performer's show, heckling is the height of bad manners. If you're not enjoying it, you can leave, but don't ruin the performance for everyone else by expressing your displeasure to the comedian.

5. Do a little bit of research

If you are coming to the festival for the first time, at least do a little bit of research on the show you want to see before you book tickets. Read the blurb in the festival guide or on the website. Check out some reviews online.

Look out for words like “edgy”, “controversial”, “filthy”, and “offensive” if you are, you know, of a "delicate" disposition.

I was already well into writing this piece when I discovered Cal Wilson's advice for audiences from before the festival. Wilson says don't bring kids to the show unless it is meant for children. This is generally the case with young children, but tweens should be OK at some shows; Adam Hills isn't likely to cause walkouts if you happen to bring the kids (or your mum) along, even if the language might be a little more salty than that seen on Spicks and Specks. And Wilson's show is (probably) going to be OK too.

But don't make assumptions about a show just because it looks kid-friendly. Randy may be a cute puppet, but he's not from Sesame Street, as two parents sitting behind me with their young child discovered last year, when Randy dropped his first C-bomb about 10 seconds into the show. And that goes double – no, triple – for Slutmonster.

6. Not everyone is good

Just because someone's got a great photo in the festival guide, a professional-looking flyer and a glowing quote from a media outlet in their blurb doesn't mean they're any good. There are 485 shows and it's an open festival – anyone can pay the registration fee, book their own venue and put on a show. There is no entrance exam to pass. Therefore, some of them are just going to suck. So how do you avoid them? This is where we, the critics, can help you. Yes, readers may not always agree with our personal tastes but, generally speaking, this tends to apply more to positive reviews than negative ones. I try not to be too harsh, particularly on newcomers, but when there's so much competition for your time and money, it's worth knowing that there are some shows that are not worth either, and we'll try to warn you when we come across them.

7. Turn your damn phone off

At almost every show I go to these days, someone's phone starts ringing. If you are unable to cope with switching it off for an hour, at least put it on silent. But you can forget. That's OK, it happens. What is not OK is letting it ring during the show because you're too embarrassed or thoughtless to get it out and switch it off, especially when the person on the other end keeps calling back because you're not answering. (Yes, this happened during a show I was at recently.)

What are your tips for festival newcomers? What sort of show would you advise them to see? Have you seen any shows that you think would be perfect first-time experiences for comedy festival virgins? Post your comments below.

You'll find all our comedy festival reviews here.