Festival will have us laughing

Southbank may be starting to feel festival-fatigue.

On the back of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival was launched at the Spiegeltent in Southbank last month.

The laugh-fest was officially launched by Lord Mayor Robert Doyle and Premier Ted Baillieu who, despite being in India at the time of the launch, sent a postcard to the festival.

The festival, now in its 26th year, includes 400 events across 129 venues. It is expected that 500,000 people will visit for the world-famous event.

The spiegeltent at the Arts Centre will act as one of these venues, with performances from Bob Downe, Die Roten Punkte and the Wau Wau sisters.

Via his postcard, Premier Baillieu said both Australian and Indian cultures knew the importance of having a good laugh.

“Like all of us involved with the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, over here they understand the benefits of having a good laugh – for mind, body and soul,” Premier Baillieu said.

“If we have any time left at the end of our trade mission, I’ll insist that the entire Victorian delegation joins me for a session, so that we’re limbered up and ready for the festival’s opening on March 28.”

Festival director Susan Provan can’t wait for the festival to begin, saying: “Our favourite, well-established local comedians will bring us the fruit of their past year’s work in new shows bound to please fans and the best international comedians we could find will land to present work that’s been reaping acclaim in clubs, festivals and theatres on the other side of the world.”

“As ever too, audiences will discover loads of new and exciting entertainers, completely fresh to the scene. We can’t wait for the city to be buzzing with that festival energy,” Ms Provan added.