Are you ready to laugh so hard it hurts? One of the largest comedy festivals in the world, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival (MICF) returns next month with a program that promises to be as entertaining as it is expansive.
Since being launched in 1987 by Barry Humphries and Peter Cook, the festival has since grown to become Australia's largest cultural ticketed event offering both family entertainment and show-stopping adult performances. After Montreal's Just for Laughs and the Edinburgh Fringe, the MICF is the third-largest comedy festival in the world and attracts the crème de la crème of comedians from across Australia and around the globe.
In 2025, you can expect a mammoth line-up of international performers such as Ruby Wax (UK/US), Amy Gledhill (UK), Jin Hao Li (Singapore/UK), Ahir Shah (UK), Melanie Bracewell (NZ), Anirban Dasgupta (India), Schalk Bezuidenhout (South Africa) and more.
As for local acts, you can see the likes of Bron Lewis, Claire Hooper, Geraldine Hickey, Gillian Cosgriff, He Huang, Jenny Tian, John Safran, Lous Wall, Nazeem Hussain, Zoë Coombs Marr and so many more.
Much-loved annual events such as the 35th Annual Great Debate and Upfront return, alongside the Raw Comedy competition, Deadly Funny and Class Clowns. The Asian All-Stars Gala will return for a second edition, showcasing extroadinary talent from Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Singapore and more.
Running from March 26 to April 20 2025, the program is chock-full of stand-up comedy, cabaret, theatre and more.
Tickets can be purchased through the website, and, depending on the show, through venues and ticketing providers such as Arts Centre Melbourne, Ticketmaster, Ticketek, Trybooking, Eventfinda, and Eventbrite. You can check individual show listings for details on where to book.
As always the festival has a large number of drinking and dining partners – aka bars and restaurants that are near festival venues and are perfect for getting a meal or bevvie before or after the show. Some are offering special MICF menus and special deals for ticket holders.