The must-see shows at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival

Having had the pleasure of catching Mel O’Brien and Samantha Andrews’ High Pony at last year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival (a completely unhinged hour of queer energy and catchy musical bops), I returned once again to the Toff in Town, fully prepared for whatever insane magic this powerhouse pair has cooked up. And with The Platonic Human Centipede, it’s clear they didn’t come to play it safe.

The opening number quickly sets the tone for the evening, taking things from zero to 100 real quick. ‘Eat My Ass’ is a nod to the show title’s filmic inspiration and features the instantly quotable lyrics: “Eat my ass, not like yum but more like I love you”. Add a choreographed high-kick moment, and there’s not a person in the room who isn’t going feral for these two. 

The show's overarching theme is unsung duos of the modern world – we’re talking Bart and Lisa Simpson, Willy Wonka and Charlie Bucket, and Santa Claus and Mrs Claus. The latter feature in a hilarious couples therapy skit that unpacks their love languages. Spoiler alert: ol’ Saint Nick is a words of affirmation guy.

But it’s an especially cheeky duet starring Mel and Sam as Robert and Bindi Irwin singing to their dearly departed father up in heaven (RIP) that elicits a can’t-believe-they-went-there response from the shrieking faux-horrified audience. Oh, they went there alright, and we’re all the better off for hearing them belt out “Is it slay? Do they play The Crocodile Hunter on Blu-Ray?” in perfect unison.

Other musical moments touch on all the important topics plaguing twentysomethings across the country right now, including sharehouse life (“every sharehouse has a cat that hates a pat”), polyamory and just wanting to be a soft girl who cries into her Stanley Cup, drives a hatchback Mazda and wears bows. Amen to that. 

But there’s a sweetness to this set that balances out the chaos, courtesy of Mel and Sam’s dads who provide completely inaccurate introductions to each new song or segment via voice recordings. An honourable mention must be made to Paul O’Brien (Mel’s father) for saying the show is about “a very friendly millipede”.

As they say at the start of ‘Anthem for the Soft Girl’, 2024 is undoubtedly a “year for the girlies”. And for those of us who worship at the glittering altar of Mel and Sam, we couldn’t agree more. These two remain a force to be reckoned with, and long may their whip-smart lyrics, spot-on comedic instincts and matching swishy parachute pants reign.

Chasing more comedic highs? Check out who else is performing at the 2024 Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

Last year was a bloody great one for award-winning comedian, writer and composer Lou Wall. They received a prestigious Moosehead Award, their Melbourne International Comedy Festival show was well-received, and they scored a sweet TV gig on the ABC. The only problem is their personal life went to shit in pretty much every way imaginable (yes, we really mean that). 

If you’re thinking the title of Wall’s latest show, The Bisexual’s Lament, is starting to look quite literal, you’d be exactly right. This show is the definition of making some (distinctly horrific) lemons into lemonade, and that lemonade tastes quirky, acidic in its anarchy and just a little sweet. 

Always equal parts chaotic queer and comedic powerhouse, Wall first takes a ride on an audience member’s scooter, before lamenting the burden of being the first comedian ever to go through a breakup. They then launch into a list of things that made them laugh during a “c**t of a year”. An early 2000s-style PowerPoint, rapid-fire anecdotes and intermittent singing ensues, as Wall puts all their faith in the old adage ‘tragedy plus time equals comedy’ and comes out swinging. 

Slideshow comedy seems to be especially popular at this year’s festival, but we can confidently assert that no one does it quite like Wall, who is a true master. This is no dull presentation, but rather a mile-a-minute lesson in multimedia storytelling, with memes and selfies zipping by faster than you could swipe your TikTok feed. 

From the nightmare of trying to find an affordable and habitable rental in Sydney, to a brilliant song about the most unhinged Facebook Marketplace interaction you’ve ever heard of, the laughs roll on at a borderline alarming pace.

However, the biggest achievement of The Bisexual’s Lament isn’t Wall’s presentation prowess or even the way their wisecracks leave us screaming, crying, throwing up. Conversely, it’s Wall’s uncommon ability to dig into personal moments that are extremely dark and literally break into song about them, all the while exuding the utmost sensitivity and somehow convincing us that they really are okay. 

You’ll leave with aching ribs, a healing heart and a strong desire to give Lou Wall both a hug and a high five.

Tickets for The Bisexual’s Lament are available now and you can nab yours via the Melbourne International Comedy Festival website.

Chasing more laughs? Check out who else is performing at the 2024 Melbourne International Comedy Festival.